A massive 20 stone pig has become a ‘foster dad’ to poorly lambs at a Scots animal sanctuary.
Francisco now happily shares his mattress with the tiny duo who regularly clamber over his sleeping body while nibbling on his whiskers.
The gentle giant even rolls onto his back for the youngsters to bounce around on his belly at Tribe Animal Sanctuary in Carluke, Lanarkshire.
The lambs, named MacAllan and Belzebob, were both extremely unwell when they were rejected by their mothers but are now being nursed back to health.
Morag Sangster, who runs the sanctuary with husband John, told how the couple were surprised at how well Francisco took to his new role as ‘daddy’.
She explained: “We had this poorly lamb that was really, really small and it was a bit touch and go at first.
“He needed round the clock care so we brought him into the conservatory which is where Francisco likes to hang out.
“He’s got a little mattress there that he likes to sleep on during the day.
“The lamb, Belzebob, soon realised that he was nice and warm so started getting snuggled up. They’d normally do it with other lambs but Fransisco had to do here.
“He was absolutely fine with it but then the wee one got a little more feisty and started nibbling on his whiskers, standing on him and pawing at him.
“We thought he’d soon get sick of it but he seems to quite like it.
“He kind of rolled over and showed his belly for the wee one to carry on - like he was getting a belly rub. That’s been the case ever since.
“There’s now two lambs in there who have pretty much started squatting on his little mattress but he’s just adorable with them.”
Little Belzebob was rejected by his mum while MacAllan was discovered in a bush with a spinal injury.
The two babies have become firm friends and will live out their days together at the sanctuary.
Francisco, a Vietnamese pot bellied cross, had his own rocky start in life and was given to the sanctuary after being wrongly sold as a micro-pig.
The now four-year-old was bought by a teenage girl in Glasgow who was forced to give up her pet when he began showing unruly behaviour.
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