Mama Dog Adopts Orphaned Opossum Babies And Takes Them For Walks On Her Back

February 16, 2016

Tragedy struck a group of helpless baby opossums when, sadly, their mother was attacked and killed on a property in Brazil. Fortunately, someone discovered the orphaned offspring and handed them over to pet behaviorist Stephanie Maldonado.

Stephanie Maldonado

Maldonado tried to take the babies to a nearby wildlife rescue group, but was told that they were too full to accept any newcomers. So, she took it upon herself to keep them alive.

Stephanie Maldonado

The animals required feeding every two hours, but it was still uncertain if the opossums would survive without more motherly attention.

That's when her dog, Pretinha, stepped in.

Stephanie Maldonado

"It's very nice to see all the care that she has with them, licking them all the time and nestling them," Maldonado wrote on Facebook.

Stephanie Maldonado

Pretinha clearly enjoys her new maternal calling.

Stephanie Maldonado

Perhaps most incredibly though, the dog is more than happy to embrace her adopted litter's instinct to climb atop their mom.

Stephanie Maldonado

She takes them on rides during her walks, just like a real opossum mother.

When the time comes, Maldonado hopes the opossums can be returned to the wild.

(h/t) the dodo.