Heartwarming moment shows the bond between a boy and his service dog

Although 9-year-old James Isaac from Wellington, New Zealand has trouble speaking and communicating with his family, he holds a strong bond with his buddy Mahe. 

Mahe, a service dog trained by The Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust helps James, who is autistic, stay calm, in addition to providing protection for the boy.

Recently, during a hospital visit, Mahe was spotted comforting James while preparing for an MRI scan. 

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According to the New Zealand-based website Stuff, James was at Wellington Children's Hospital to diagnose the cause of his recent seizures. 

In order to undergo the MRI scan, James had to be placed under general anesthesia, which is when hospital photographer Louise Goossens snapped the photos of Mahe comforting the boy.  

Image: Louise Goossens 

"He was just looking at James, and looking really worried," James' mother, Michelle Isaac told Stuff. 

When the MRI scan was underway, the two had to be separated, but Mahe did his best to calm Michelle during the procedure. 

Image: Louise Goossens

Michelle told Stuff that before James and Mahe were paired, life was much more difficult. 

"We couldn't even go to a cafe as a family. 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," Michelle said.

In addition to calming James, the two are also paired together, so James can't run off. If he does get far away, Mahe sits down and refuses to move. 

Image: Michelle Isaac