A group of cyclists was cruising through a dense forest in Portugal enjoying the scenery when their perfect moment was ruined by a heartbreaking scene they encountered. They found a dog tied to a tree tightly that it could barely move its head.

By that time, it had gotten so weak with hunger that it could barely stand. The cyclists could not believe that some cold-hearted human had tied the dog to a tree and left it to starve off in the forest.

It still remains unclear how long the dog had been tied to the tree but as seen from the footage they capture, the dog’s ribs were visible and it was very weak suggesting that it had gone for days without food. She was too weak to stand or even bark and it was only a miracle that the cyclists saw it in advance.

They approached it very carefully to avoid startling her before thy notice that she was both tired and afraid to react.

Ten men carefully caress her fur and let her smell their scent to distract and gain her trust as others offer her food. The cyclists cut her loose while she is distracted by food.

Animal organizations in Portugal have praised the cyclists, calling them heroes for rescuing the poor pooch. People in social media were quick to react to the sad news as they showed contempt for the assailant who left the poor hound to starve off.