If someone asks what kind of animal you think a dog would have for a best friend, you might have a couple of ideas. Maybe you would say a cat, another dog, or even a human. But you almost definitely wouldn’t say a raccoon!
But that’s exactly what’s going on for one sweet puppy who lives in a Siberian mini-zoo.
A dog named Broschka has become best buddies with a raccoon called Moschka. And the news has spread far beyond the Siberian city of Irkutsk.
“That puppy, part of a breed known for being friendly, has a new buddy!” said a newscaster. “The dog helped the raccoon learn how to eat solid food. They also help each other clean as well as entertain by playing with each other.”
The zoo placed them together after the raccoon was rejected by its mother.
She was struggling to care for all the babies in her litter. Worried the little animal would be lonely, the keeper placed it in the same enclosure as the puppy.
They weren’t sure how the two animals would get along, but as it turns out, there was no need to worry.
The two are best friends!
“They’ve become a popular draw for visitors to that zoo,” said a newscaster. “The keepers there say they will likely keep the two animals together for as long as they get along.”
Videos show the raccoon and puppy sharing food and playing with toys together.
They even “dance” up and down in their enclosure.
“I think it’s so interesting how you can put two completely different animals together and they always balance each other out. All he cares about is, ‘That’s a buddy.’”
Visitors love the unlikely pair, coming from miles around to play with them.
And it’s no wonder! The two of them are so cute that they’re hard to resist. There’s no telling if they realize they’re different or if they think they’re two of a kind.
Newscasters pointed out how different the two of them really are. While one is a domesticated animal, the other is accustomed to living in the wild without interacting much with humans. But it turns out the pair has more in common than you might think.
“One’s very wild,” said a newscaster. “I think the size helps, too, in this situation. Because the puppy probably thinks it’s a dog at this point!”
The newscasters pointed out that raccoons have been recorded as being very friendly.
They’re also curious and prone to getting into trouble.
“That’s perfect for puppies,” said the newscaster. “They’re going to learn from each other!”
Broschka and Moschka aren’t the first unlikely animal friends we’ve heard about. We’ve seen dogs and cats, birds, mice, lizards, and more. But we’ve never seen a dog and a raccoon before!
With any luck, the two of them will continue to get along so they can stay together. Their friendship goes to show that you can make friends in the oddest places!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
