Dog Acts As Surrogate Parent For Five Orphaned Cheetah Cubs

A litter of five cheetah cubs that lost their mother following their birth have found a surrogate dad in a dog. According to the Cincinnati Zoo, Willow an adult female cheetah died following a Caesarean section which is a very rare procedure for the species. After the surgery Willow who was five years old stopped eating and became extremely lethargic and ultimately died. However according to the Zoo all five of her offspring survived.

A proper nursing experience

In order for the cubs to get a nursing experience, staff members turned to Blakely the dog who has on many occasions in the past served as the resident nursery companion to all baby animals that need one. Blakely is an Australian shepherd dog and since he took on the role of papa he has been providing non-stop snuggles to the orphaned cubs who require bottle feeding every three hours. Blakely is extremely patient and lets the cubs climb all over him as they develop their muscles.

“His first job is to let the cubs climb on him, which they did as soon as they were put together. They need the exercise to build muscle tone and get their guts moving.” explained Head Nursery Keeper Dawn Strasser, who supervises the climbing sessions.

Acting as a role model

As the cubs start to mature Blakely will act as a role model for them and show the cubs how they should treat one another. It is expected that the cubs will be nursing for between eight to twelve weeks. This is not the first time Blakely has served as a surrogate. A couple of years ago he cared for another cheetah cub called Savanna and in the recent past he also helped to raise a baby takin.