Yesterday we showcased some of the world’s most eccentric interspecies adoptions. From picking up chicks to big cat wrangling, Part II of our Mother’s Day Interspecies Adoption Special looks at the adoption habits of man’s best friend.
1. Chicks
In China, a chihuahua named HuaHua has adopted a chick. For whatever reason, the dog began to take care of the bird almost immediately after it was brought home. When the chick strays too far from it’s cot, HuaHua scoops the bird up in her mouth and walks the chick back to safety. As you can see, the chick looks delighted with this arrangement.
2. Ducks
Dogs and birds are a pretty popular pairing. Young birds imprint on the first species they interact with after birth, so in many cases the birds begin to believe that the dog is their mother. Ben the Border Collie lets ducklings snuggle up next to him and herds them to safety.
3. Squirrels
In Seattle, Mademoiselle Giselle, a pregnant dog, adopted Finnegan, a baby squirrel. Owner Debby Cantlon rescued the injured squirrel and Giselle helped her nurse him back to health, making the squirrel part of the litter and even letting him nurse alongside his puppy siblings.
4. Pigs
A few months back the Daily Dachshund blog wrote about Tink the wiener dog, who has adopted Pink the piglet. Much brouhaha was had about the legitimacy of the photos, but much like Charlotte’s Wilbur, Pink was a preemie piglet and the story has indeed been verified. When Tink the dachshund had given birth a few days earlier, she had only one puppy. Since she was already fostering another dog’s puppies, Tink’s owner decided to try and see how well she would do with a piglet. A few weeks later, Pink was successfully weaned and put up for adoption.
5. Deer
At Knowsley Safari Park near Liverpool, UK, a rare baby Pere David deer, Mi-Lu, was rejected by his mother since she did not want twins. Luckily, he was adopted by the park dogs, Geoffrey and Kipper. The three sleep and take daily walks together.
6. Tigers (?)
Not to be outdone, several zoos in China allow dogs to nurse baby tigers that have been rejected by their mothers. Dog urine is smeared on the baby tigers’ fur to trick the nursing dog. Not to worry—baby tigers are born toothless. This particular dog, Huani, doesn’t seem to mind nursing the tigers at all, according to her handlers at the Jinan Paomaling Wild Animal World in Shandong, China.
As for the famous tiger-nursing-piglets photos, they’re more staged publicity stunt than actual instinct. (Sorry.)
Drop by again tomorrow for some very less responsive adoptive mothers. Like cleaning brushes.
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I have actually meet a deer that was raised by dogs. Its mother either abandoned it, or was hit by a car (most likely we think) and the farm dogs took it in. It was the most weird experience having a normally timid species take on the traits of a dog and walk right up to you to either be pet or play chase.
posted by Ryan on 5-11-2008 at 1:51 pm
haha , this article is fascinating. We have a black lab that’s best friends with an orange cat. In fact, we hate that orange cat so much, that we would “dispose” of it; but we figure it would send our black lab into a state of depression. :/
posted by Steven on 5-11-2008 at 2:55 pm
When my dad was growing up he had a pet duck that had been raised by a dog. It would “bark” with the other dogs, play chase, etc. It died after it got hit by a car it was attempting to chase, though.
posted by Chris on 5-11-2008 at 5:14 pm
Posted this link in http://www.surfurls.com
posted by gibsy on 5-12-2008 at 1:16 am
It is amazing how dogs seem to be the ones to adopt other animals as opposed to other animals adopting dogs. Dogs are wonderful animals that love all God’s creatures. I had dogs, cats and birds as pets when I was growing up and the dogs always got with the other animals.
posted by Evangeline Samuel on 5-12-2008 at 12:58 pm
The last photo of the Chinese tigers nursing on the dog bothers me. There are no dogs nursing. Where are they? The mother would have had to give birth in order to lactate. Did the zoo decide to “save” the mother’s milk for the tigers?
posted by Keith on 5-13-2008 at 5:36 pm
Not necessarily Keith. While I wouldn’t put it past a zoo in China to swap them out for some extra publicity, dogs, like most pack animals, may lactate if the situation requires it. I’m going to assume it’s the nicer story since I’ll never know.
posted by Reechard on 5-13-2008 at 9:37 pm
How about a pack of dachshunds who adopted a badger? Badger dogs adopting a badger? Click on my name to take you directly to the story. Too cute!
posted by Jenny on 5-21-2008 at 5:40 pm
The dog nursing the chinese tigers is nursing a puppy – the black one is a puppy, not a tiger cub. :-)
posted by Gwen on 7-28-2008 at 2:39 pm
When I was younger, we had a German Shepherd, Kelly, that “adopted” this huge toad, we called him “Freddy” that made its home under a laundry pole in our backyard. Everyday, Kelly would go over to Freddy’s hole and sniff. When he sensed her there, he would come out of his hole, she would pick him up in her mouth and carry him over to her big water dish and set him in there so he could get wet. She’d watch over him and then take him back to his hole before coming in for the night.
posted by Saggia on 7-29-2008 at 10:13 am
thats cute i wish i have dogs that do that thats soooooooooooo cute lol
posted by sabrina on 4-4-2009 at 1:28 am
lol the last picture the black dog looks like a guinea pig aha its face does then you see a tail lololol
posted by maxine on 8-13-2010 at 10:18 am
Many mammals, including humans, can lactate whether they have given birth or not. Even men can lactate. It’s all about hormones…
posted by Heather on 9-24-2010 at 8:37 am
As is the case with humans, some animals are more motherly than others regardless of what species the babies are. These pictures are really very cute and sweet.
posted by Allie A. on 10-23-2010 at 7:33 pm
Raised in the right environment, all animals (Including humans) will get along fine.
At one time, rescued an injured baby squirrel and fed it with an eye dropper. Had a hand raised African Grey parrot, dog, and cat in the house. All uncaged, (well the bird had a cage but the door never closed.)indoor companions. They got along and played with each other.
The only thing we were scared of was that when we walked in the door of the house was that we knew we were going to be assaulted by all these animals at the same time looking for attention. (Imagine a bird and squirrel (they jump very well,,) flying at you with others at your feet)
posted by Pete on 11-29-2010 at 6:31 am
My dog is very protective of my bunny, and although the bunny doesn’t quite return the affection, the dog has protected the bunny from our cat before.
posted by Jordan on 1-1-2011 at 5:00 pm
I wish I had dogs, they are very cool and have almost these humanly caring instincts in them. I’ve already read alot of stories regarding dogs saving humans from certain tragedies.
posted by fajas colombianas on 1-12-2011 at 11:37 am
Chinese dogs nursing wild cats…….Something feels wrong about this………….I’m willing to go as far as to say it’s cruel to allow so many young wild cats with sharp teeth feed off a pregnant bitch (female dog) in addition, doesn’t she need that milk to feed her own puppies?!!!!
posted by Lorraine on 2-3-2011 at 9:29 pm
I’ve been collecting just this sort of picture off the internet for the past few years. I’m convinced that any mother animal which cares for its young (which includes birds as well as mammals) will potentially accept any other baby animal while nursing or caring for its own.
posted by James Freudiger on 4-2-2011 at 3:52 pm
They will also adopt a Sock Monkey :)
http://ourbabyweinerdog.com/weiner-dog-and-sock-monkey/
posted by Weiner Dog Lover on 5-3-2011 at 10:50 am
my neighbor’s cat adopted a set of baby skunks.
A friend of the family’s dog did the same.
posted by Jessica on 8-25-2011 at 12:57 am
whoever said there’s no puppies in the bottom picture isn’t very observant.. have you ever seen a black tiger?
posted by anonymous on 8-30-2011 at 10:59 am
At 2yrs our big guy, a Giant Schnauzer, was backed into a kitchen corner by our 16yr. old cat. He was taught who the dominant species was; since he has developed a protective streak not only for our cat but all cats. He will seek out street cats and groom them, paying particular attention to eyes, ears and any cuts or sores. With our cat, who walks with us, he will not only groom but will protect it feircely. When we walk in the rain my big guy actually straddles the cat so he wont get wetwhile walking.
posted by Dutch on 10-13-2011 at 4:39 pm
My female pug has taken in and nursed multiple litters of kittens… She also tried to take care of a baby bunny but the rabbit wasn’t too happy about that idea. She was content with just licking it instead lol
posted by Samantha on 2-7-2012 at 12:32 am