10 Heartwrenching Photos of a Dog Refusing to Leave His Autistic Owner's Hospital Bed

James Isaac, 9, is currently at New Zealand's Wellington Children's Hospital to diagnose the cause of his seizures. James is autistic. He can't speak, and he won't touch or make eye contact with his family, but he adores his therapy dog Mahe, Stuff.co.nz reports. Mahe is so important to James that the hospital made an exception and allowed the dog to accompany him during his stay to keep him calm.

Mahe has changed not only James's life, but also the entire family's, James's mom Michelle Isaac said: "We couldn't even go to a cafe as a family [before Mahe]. James would get very anxious and want to leave immediately. But when we got Mahe, James would just sit there waiting for us to finish our coffee."

Mahe trained for six months to assist children with autism and is now tethered to James every time they leave the house. If James runs toward the street and goes too far from home, Mahe sits down and won't let him go any farther.

"He was just looking at James, and looking really worried," Isaac said of their hospital visit. Photos posted by the hospital show exactly that: James's worry, Mahe's concern, and the unbelievable bond the two of them have formed. It really has to be seen to be believed: