Golden Retriever Adopts Tiger Cubs

A dog at a southeast Kansas zoo has adopted three tiger cubs abandoned by their mother. Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey said the tiger cubs were born Sunday, but the mother had problems with them. A day later, the mother stopped caring for them. The cubs were wandering around, trying to find their birth mother, who wouldn't pay attention to them. That's when the cubs were put in the care of a golden retriever named Isabella.

While it is unusual for dogs to care for tiger cubs, it does happen. There are reports of pigs nursing cubs in China.

Puppies take about the same amount of time as tiger cubs to develop, and Harvey said the adoptive mother just recently weaned her own puppies. "The timing couldn't have been any better," he said.

The mother doesn't seem to know the difference. The adopted mother licks, cleans and feeds the cubs.