Zhu Guoping, a rescue dog trainer at the Chengdu Fire Service said good-bye to Tian Fu, a rescue dog that performed duties with him for around eight years and kept one of Tian Fu’s teeth as a memory. /VCG Photo

The 15-year-old Tian Fu passed away on Tuesday. Over the past eight years, the dog helped firefighters rescue numerous survivors from natural disasters, including the Wenchuan 8.0-magnitude earthquake in 2008. /VCG Photo

The dedication inevitably left Tian Fu injured and he was hospitalized at the end of May. /VCG Photo

Being his partner for so many years, Zhu spent his spare time with Tian Fu while he was in the hospital. He would pet the dog until he fell asleep, trying to relieve the pain./VCG Photo

The advanced age and accumulated wounds led to Tian Fu's passing. Zhu buried Tian Fu along with some of the instruments used in training in front of the department. /VCG Photo

Zhu says that Tian Fu was a quiet dog, but he was very dedicated./VCG Photo