But ya know…. sometimes a dogs FATHERLY instinct kicks in. Earlier this year, staff at the Mountfitchet Castle, which is a tourist attraction in Essex, were extremely worried when they discovered that a bunch of ducklings had been left all alone, and were just wondering around, not knowing what to do or where to go.
Staff members looked for their mother, but she was nowhere to be found. Then Fred, a 10-year-old labrador at Mountfitchet, took to the tiny creatures like they were his own babies. And the orphaned ducklings sure took to him.
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Says a spokesperson for the castle: “The ducklings absolutely adore him and he has now resigned himself to being a stay-at-home dad looking after the nine baby ducklings. They are getting very mischievous, even hitching a ride on his back and following him in to the water for a swim in the castle moat.”
MOUNTFITCHET CASTLE
Fred is known as the resident dog at Mountfitchet Castle, which takes in many other rescue animals, such as goats, geese and peacocks. Fred’s owner, Jeremy Goldfinch, says the ducklings follow Fred everywhere he goes and will even sleep with him in his basket.
MOUNTFITCHET CASTLE
Says Jeremy: “We brought the ducklings into the house as they are too young to fend for themselves, and Fred just took them under his paw – rather than his wing.”
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