Dog adopts abandoned calf
Published: December 27, 2005
Maggie’s mother gave birth to the black Angus calf last week and walked away.
But a dog named Vegas quickly stepped in to become a surrogate parent, much to the surprise of both animals’ owners.
“She’s just adopted that calf. In the mornings I get up to go feed the cattle and when I come back, she’s standing here wanting in to see that calf,” Maryville farmer Earl Best said. “Dogs and calves are not supposed to get along.”
The Bests have 60 head of cattle and have never seen a canine-bovine relationship like the one between Maggie and Vegas.
The 2-year-old brown boxer cleans Maggie, herds her and stays near her, but it’s up to the Best family to feed her.
Maggie’s meals are a milk-replacement formula.
“It’s a great big, two-quart baby bottle, is what it looks like,” Earl Best said.
Vegas reserves other parental duties for herself.
“If that calf lays down, Vegas gets on top of it to protect it or lays down beside her,” Debbie Best, Earl’s wife, said.
Maggie would survive without Vegas’ attentions, Debbie Best said.
“The thing of it is, she’s giving that little calf love and she needs that to flourish,” she said.
Vegas has given Maggie something else. The Best herd is beef cattle, but the family pet’s love for Maggie has led them to decide the calf will become a pet, too.
“Look at that,” Debbie Best said, as Vegas resumed licking Maggie. “Is that not love?”
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