A Golden Retriever is lovingly raising a pack of endangered African wild dog puppies at an Indiana zoo, even though she is not their biological mother. Kassy has been raising the endangered painted dog pups alongside her own babies.
The three wild pups are identified as Blue, Red, and Orange, and were born at the zoo on September 28, 2023 to mother Bleu and father Maurice. Another painted dog, Colby, also lives at the zoo and is Bleu’s sister.
“Within 12 hours of the puppies’ birth at the Potawatomi Zoo, the Animal Care team could tell that the pack would not be able to successfully raise the puppies. Bleu, an inexperienced mother, was not caring for her pups the way she should have, and Maurice was following her lead,” Potawatomi Zoo said in an online statement.
“Because it is so important for painted dog pups to be raised in a canine social structure, the Painted Dog SSP recommended finding a surrogate domestic dog to nurse the pups instead of bottle-feeding them. With the help of the Indiana Council for Animal Welfare, it only took a few hours for the zoo and animal care community to connect the Zoo with a golden retriever female named Kassy who had a new litter of puppies and milk to share,” they added.
Kassy and her babies were brought to the zoo a day after the birth of the painted pups. Kassy, a caring mother, included them as if they were her own babies.
The zoo is locatedabout 150 miles north of Indianapolis. “Originally, the recommended plan was for the painted dog pups to reintegrate with Bleu, Maurice, and Colby. However, the adult painted dogs didn’t display suitable positive interest in the puppies, so the plan was changed,” said the zoo, adding that they are “working to build a home for Blue, Red, and Orange next to Bleu, Maurice, and Colby.” “Once the pups are older, they can either be integrated with the Potawatomi Zoo pack or moved to another AZA-accredited facility where they will hopefully raise families of their own,” they said.
What are African painted dogs?
According to Potawatomi Zoo, African wild dogs or African painted wolves are native to sub-Saharan Africa. They have become endangered due to human-wildlife conflict, habitat fragmentation, and disease.
These dogs hunt animals like antelope and other ungulates. They hunt during the day, unlike most other African predators.
{{/usCountry}}These dogs hunt animals like antelope and other ungulates. They hunt during the day, unlike most other African predators.
{{/usCountry}}“Only the dominant female in the pack produces puppies. Painted dog gestation is 69 to 73 days, and painted dog females typically breed every 12-14 months in the wild. Litters may be as many as 16 pups,” the zoo says.