There is nothing more beautiful than an interspecies friendship.
Meet Fred. He is a 10-year-old yellow lab who lives in Mountfitchet Castle in Essex, UK. According to a story from the BBC, Fred became a surrogate father to nine orphaned ducklings.
According to staff who said the ducklings were found waddling castle grounds without their mother, “[Fred] immediately took to them and has been babysitting ever since.”
Dog 'adopts' nine orphaned ducklings at Essex castle https://t.co/7JQ7C87lHW pic.twitter.com/YPiPueBu4Y
— BBC Essex (@BBCEssex) May 21, 2018
Of course, caring for ducklings is a difficult task that a dog can’t do alone. Fred will swim with them in the moat and snuggle up to them for warmth, but the ducklings have other needs. Luckily, Fred’s dad, Jeremy Goldsmith, also stepped up to the plate.
“We brought the ducklings into the house as they are too young to fend for themselves,” Jeremy said. “They absolutely adore him and he has now resigned himself to being a stay-at-home dad looking after the nine baby ducklings.”
Owner of dog says it's a pleasure to see his pet adopting orphaned ducklings at his north Essex home https://t.co/Gh133Vgn7J pic.twitter.com/6ZH1j3JurY
— BBC Essex (@BBCEssex) May 21, 2018
Castle owners and groundskeepers are still unsure as to what happened to the ducklings’ mother.
'Adopted' ducklings expected to stay at Mountfitchet Castle, Essex until they're old enough to leave https://t.co/NVpPHi4t2r pic.twitter.com/xpAcJjtuYb
— BBC Essex (@BBCEssex) May 21, 2018
Anyone want to make a quick trip to the UK to visit Fred and the Ducklings with me? Maybe take a dip in the moat?
this is a very good boy pic.twitter.com/SMMQH2AAXO
— Alan White (@aljwhite) May 22, 2018
