Woman’s recently deceased pet appears in image as “angel dog”

Sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Sometimes it gives you the chance to get one last look at the dearly departed — at least that’s what one Chicago woman is claiming.

Ashley Lang lives in the ‘Windy City,’ and recently her beautiful golden retriever, Wagner, died at the age of 12.

Lang decided to spread Wagner’s ashes in the park where he loved to play. Her friend came along and as Lang tossed the ashes, her friend snapped a photo with her iPhone. When they looked at the picture, it appeared as if a ghostly white silhouette of a dog was leaping up towards Lang.

“It’s pretty remarkable…the tail and the legs and he looks like he’s, you know, leaping to go up,” Lang told CBS Chicago. “Everyone keeps calling him the angel dog.” She added that she felt the photo was Wagner’s way of saying a final goodbye.

The story has since been shared on a range of news sites, and has been quick to draw both the appreciation and ire of commenters. While many dismiss the photo as an iPhone glitch or even a doctored image, just as many have been encouraging Lang to take comfort in the photo if it helps with the grieving process.

The Daily Mail’s story about Lang’s story drew one up-voted comment from Liza of Athens, Greece, who wrote: “Whatever it is, let her feel close to her beloved angel. We all need something to hold onto even though we know it is just ALL bulldust.”

And just as many commenters took the opportunity to reflect on the unique joy that emanates from that special relationship between an owner and a beloved pet dog. Writes one commenter from the United Kingdom, “The only thing God got wrong when he created dogs, was their lifespan. They simply don’t live long enough.”