Owners of a farm dog in Ghana feared that their beloved pet had gotten lost or injured when he didn't return home at the end of the day, so they organized a search party to look for him. They wound up looking for the pooch for a better part of the night -- and got the shock of their lives when they finally located him, because he wasn't alone. Lying next to him was an abandoned newborn baby who'd been "disposed of" sometime shortly after his birth. (How could any parent do such a thing?)
The poor infant still had his umbilical cord attached, which had gotten infected while he was left in the woods to die. And he very likely would've had a tragic ending to his story if this amazing dog hadn't cuddled up next to him all night to keep him warm.
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And it turns out the newborn is the whole reason the dog didn't come home in the first place -- because he was found with the baby under a bridge very close to his house. He wasn't lost at all. He could've easily left the baby and gone home, but he must've somehow instinctively known that he couldn't leave the little guy outside all night alone, so he chose to remain with him until help arrived.
Police are investigating why the baby was abandoned, but suspect that he was born to teenage parents who couldn't care for him. (Doesn't that break your heart?)
This story is amazing no matter how you look at it, but the fact that the dog is a male makes it even more astonishing. Usually females are the ones with the maternal instincts, but this heroic pooch definitely makes us wonder if all dogs have an innate sense of when a little one needs to be cared for.
Hopefully the owners of the dog fed him some extra scraps from the table and gave him a few well deserved belly rubs when he finally got home. And wouldn't it be something if whoever winds up adopting the baby comes back to introduce him to the dog who saved his life someday?
Are your dogs protective of your kids?
Image via Trostle/Flickr
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Comments 86
When her father chases her around playing, the dog barks at him and stands between the baby and him. I LOVE it!
First of all I would like to say that I am very tired of hearing this assumption that males (of any mammalian species) rarely have any protective instincts towards children. I have personally seen with dogs and people that this is simply not true and that in fact the protective and nurturing instincts are just as strong in males as they are in females. Males get a really bad rep on this subject and this myth needs to be dispelled.
I have grown up with dogs, both males and females, and I have seen both genders be very protective, gentle, and sweet towards young dogs, cats (yes cats), and humans. I have also seen many men around me show an incredible amount of paternal instincts (protectiveness, nurturing, etc) towards children and animals. I have seen it as much with men as with women.
I, myself, naturally feel the need to protect and nurture the young, even at my own expense and even when I have no responsibility to do so (since I don't have any kids). So lets dispell this myth right now.
I dont care where ever this took place country,or if it there is as safe haven or not....the person that left this baby to die should be brought to justice,on all accounts...It just breaks my heart to read a story like this!! How can anyone be so crueland leave their child like this?? If you dont want your baby and you live in a poor country,give it to a friend,family or someone that you trust...that you know that will take good care of your baby...I hope that this family adopts this baby,and he and the pooch will for ever be together for ever......!!!!!
Also you all make me LAUGH OUT LOUD,when you always put down a reporter,to any stroy...Just wondering if you can do any better then this or any other that you are always putting down?? If you can do a lot better then this reporter,then why dont you go into journalism,and then you b the better reporter...And if you dont STOP BULLYING THE REPORERS.....!!!!!