They say it takes a village to raise a kid, but sometimes all it takes is the love of a dog.
A Kangal Shepherd dog named Lassi is melting hearts across the globe after news travelled of how the pooch adopted a little lamb in need of some love. The lamb sadly lost his mother after she passed away while giving birth.
The dog's owner, Mesut Karakus of Kalaycik in the south-eastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, explained how Lassi gave birth to 12 puppies. Five days later, a pregnant sheep on Karakus’ farm died of complications during labor, leaving behind her vulnerable newborn calf.
Karakus said he was amazed when he saw the Kangal Shepherd breastfeeding the lamb along with her own puppies.
"Kangal Shepherds are very loyal and different from other dogs, but I have never seen such a thing before. When I saw my Kangal dog breastfeeding the lamb, I was shocked," he said.
Karakus added that his neighbors even visited the farm to see the dog feeding the lamb, and that the little lamb always follows Lassi, together with the puppies.
The Kangal Shepherd is a breed of large livestock guardian dog. They are typically used as protection against wolves, bears, and jackals. While it is regarded to have the strongest bite force of all canines, the Kangal Dog is known for its calm nature, loyalty, and carefulness around children and has a good reputation as a family dog.
"This sweet story just reinforces the amazing maternal instincts dogs have and proves that a mother's love is truly unconditional," said David Barritt of Network for Animals (NFA).
