In a Kansas zoo a Golden Retriever has some big shoes to fill. She’s playing surrogate mom for three abandoned tiger cubs.

CANEY, Kan. – 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.

I wonder if these cubs notice one of these things is not like the other?

Harvey said it’s unusual for dogs to care for tiger cubs, but it does happen. He said he has seen reports of pigs nursing cubs in China, and he actually got the golden retriever after his wife saw television accounts of dogs caring for tiger cubs.

At least they didn’t ask her to nurse piglets.

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.

Mom doesn’t see to know the difference. Harvey stated “He said the adopted mother licks, cleans and feeds the cubs.”