A pack of strays staged a defiant sit-in on a busy road after one of the dogs was mowed down by a car.

The five animals were crossing the road in Lanzhou, central China, when one dog was hit.

Despite making it to safety on the other side, the four dogs ran back to their friend’s side as cars sped by.

They tried to nuzzle their friend into action, but he had already died.

Witnesses said the four dogs didn’t seem to understand that their friend had been killed, and were standing around its body for protection.

They didn’t seem to understand that their friend had died (Picture: Asia Wire)

A short video shows cars coming dangerously close to the dogs who refuse to move an inch.

The clip went viral on Weibo, a Chinese social media site similar to Twitter, where people noted the strength of friendship between the animals.

One Weibo user wrote: ‘If only humans could be more like these dogs.’

The dogs reportedly left the road when someone moved the dead dog’s body to one side.