It’s well known that dogs have an uncanny ability to fit into any social situation. It seems that a dog always knows if a human is safe or unsafe, always knowing who to trust. A dog’s intuition is an incredible thing.
The stories of dogs adopting other animals that are in need are neverending. Even with their supposed “nemesis,” the cat, dogs have been documented taking in kittens if they don’t have a mother to look after them!
Even though dogs make good foster parents, you would never believe the animals that one dog adopted as her own!
It seems that this story shows us there are no limits to the love that dogs are willing to show to anyone and everyone who cares to receive it. One dog adopted her very own litter of cats – really, really, BIG cats.
Sandra, the German Shepherd, lives at the Russian wildlife park.
While a German Shepherd isn’t quite a “wild” animal, Sandra is a calming and reassuring presence for the park staff. She was friends with all the employees and was about to make friends with some “non-humans” as well.
Sirona is a lion that had just given birth to her first set of cubs!
When one of the zoo residents gives birth, it’s a stir in the whole park! For a lion, that excitement was only amplified. Sirona gave birth to two cubs, and the whole park was a buzzing.
Soon, the park employees realized something was wrong.
Sirona wasn’t acting like a new lioness mom should be acting. The lion mama was introverted and secretive. Even worse, the park employees noticed her cubs were severely emaciated and dehydrated!
With the cubs in such a perilous position, the employees decided to act.
Relocating the cubs for safety, they decided they would let Sandra look after them for a bit. It was like watching a friend’s baby! To the park’s surprise, however, Sandra took them in like they were her own kids!
Mistreated and abandoned, the little cubs had found a caring mother that they needed! Viktor Agafonov, the Director of Wildlife, explained that Sirona’s behavior towards her own cubs was incredibly strange. They even got a video of her biting and pushing one of her cubs around!
Even though Sandra historically didn’t like cats, she seemed to love her adopted “pups”!
Sandra was able to put her feud aside and care for the cubs that were in need. The wildest part is that Sandra isn’t just caring for them; she is feeding them as well! She recently had her own litter and is feeding the cubs with her own milk!
Viktor explained that dog milk has all the nutrients the cubs need for now!
While the situation is an unfortunate one for Sirona, at least they have an incredible dog like Sandra around. The feeding situation can’t last forever (Sandra is only so big!), but it all works out splendidly for the time being.
