It’s pretty much agreed that dogs are man’s best friend, but there’s ample evidence they can be pals with other animals, too. Many a pupper has played adoptive parent to baby animals who’ve lost a mother or been abandoned, from stray kittens to cuddly tiger cubs.
A golden retriever named Maya has assumed the role of babysitter to three orphaned geese, keeping them safe, playing with them, and even helping them earn their wings. If you need a dose of wholesome today, this two-minute cute clip just won the internet.
More info: Instagram
An Instagram reel capturing a day in the life of a golden retriever babysitting three orphaned geese has gone viral for all the right reasons
In the too-cute two-minute clip, a doggo named Maya can be seen gently sniffing the three little creatures, pouncing around them playfully, and even taking a swim with the baby birds
A heartwarming bond between a golden retriever and three orphaned geese has gone viral after the dog’s owners posted a 2-minute reel on Instagram. The “day in the life of Maya” video features scenes of the gentle pupper babysitting the little birds as they go from little floofballs to flying youngsters.
In the video caption, Maya’s parents playfully write, “When 3 orphaned baby geese infiltrate your life and you become the best goose mom/baby sitter/and flight school instructor. These 3 babies lost their parents but found us. And now we’re celebrating them getting their wings 🪽🪿 meet Maverick, Gander, and Goldie… the newest graduates of Maya’s flight school.”
The geese can be seen growing up under Maya’s watchful eye, learning to fly, duck diving in the pool, and just being generally adorable
At the start of the clip, you can see Maya gently sniffing the three little birds while her dad has them on his lap. As the video progresses, the doggo can be seen pouncing about with her fluffy charges, before taking a dip with them and sharing a bowl of water.
We see the baby geese growing up day by day until Maya’s parents start coaxing them to try out their wings in a stretch of their backyard. Then the big moment finally arrives as the birds take flight and even let out a few happy honks before landing gracefully in a nearby pond.
Netizens couldn’t get enough of the adorable reel, with a few calling it “cute”, “amazing”, and “beautiful”. With 307K views and 27K likes garnered in just its first day, we’d say this is exactly the kind of wholesome content people are looking for in these crazy times we’re living in, wouldn’t you?
In the two-minute reel, the family celebrates the trio for “getting their wings”, which is probably the most wholesome thing you’ll see today
Dogs can be excellent foster mothers to baby animals due to their strong maternal instincts and ability to recognize and respond to the cues of young animals. They often display protective and nurturing behaviors, even towards animals of different species, due to the shared pheromones and visual cues associated with youth.
In his article for the BBC, Jason G Goldman writes that scientists have long been interested in adoption, because it seems to be wholly altruistic. However, this makes it especially perplexing in animals, who do not have the cultural influences humans do.
Perplexing or not, we’re delighted that Maya is playing mama to the three orphaned geese and very grateful to her parents for sharing the heartwarming reel with the world. Was it just what you needed to see today, too? Let us know in the comments!
Netizens have praised the heartwarming reel for being “cute”, “amazing”, and “beautiful”, and who can really blame them?
