The cubs feel really comfortable with Blakely, considering him their “mother”
Nothing in this world is impossible. And this Australian Shepherd is a proof to that. He became a foster father to some orphaned cheetah cubs and gave them a second chance to live. The babies had a little chance when their mother died shortly after giving birth.
Their mother, Willow, was a permanent resident at the Cheetah Breeding Center at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Ohio. Here the 5 cubs (3 males and 2 females) were born. Unfortunately, the 5-ear-old cheetah died shortly after giving birth.
The center staff did their best to save the cheetahs, even though they understood it was impossible for them. The cubs should be by their mother’s side in the first few weeks of their life. The cubs were also taken to a nursery where they received the best possible medical care and nutrition.
However, the most important thing in the treatment was their body temperature, as the cubs needed the warmth of their mother’s body. At this critical moment, our lovely Australian Shepherd, named Blakely, rushed to their aid.
Blakely has been living in the facility since his rescue from a local shelter at the age of 7 months. He is more like a therapy dog.
The cubs feel really comfortable with Blakely, considering him their “mother”. They like to cuddle up to the dog and play with him. They get along incredibly well, although Blakely can visit them only twice a day. The rest of the time the cubs are monitored by the center staff, who make sure the babies eat and sleep properly.
