Border Collie And Crow Become Best Friends In A Real-Life Disney Story

September 19, 2025

In Portland, Oregon, a heartwarming real-life Disney story is unfolding between a border collie named Meeko and a crow named Russell.

dog and crow best friends
Meeko and Russel / @firstdatejunkie (Autumn Buck)

It all began when Autumn Buck discovered a fallen bird’s nest in her yard. One crow chick had died, while another—trembling and unable to walk properly—was left behind without its mother. Autumn couldn’t turn away. She built a tiny nest, fed the little bird, and prayed each night he would survive.

During this time, Meeko, her loyal border collie, stepped in as a guardian. Protective of the fragile crow, he quickly became more than just a watchdog—he became a friend. Their bond blossomed in ways Autumn never expected. They fetch toys together, nap side by side, playfully tease one another, and share a connection that feels straight out of a movie.

Autumn named the crow Russell—after “Russell Crowe”—and though he sleeps in a nearby tree, he returns every single day to be with his best friend. Sometimes, if Autumn and Meeko are inside, Russell will tap at the window, demanding playtime.

@firstdatejunkie We never expected to become best friends with a crow, but that’s exactly what happened. 🖤 One morning I found a baby crow that hadn’t made it… but nearby in the bushes was Russ. He was weak, scared, and couldn’t barely stand. His parents were close, but they wouldn’t come down to help him. I noticed the bottom of the nest had completely fallen out. So we built him a new nest propped up in a tree, safe from the ground, and hand-fed him for weeks. Every day we brought him down to practice walking and flying. It was long and tiring, and every night I worried we’d wake up and he’d be gone—or worse, taken by a predator. But he fought. And Meeko, my dog, became his protector—chasing off anything that came near. Even Russ’s parents began to trust us. He learned to fly, he sleeps in the trees now, and he has a whole crow life of his own. But every day, he still comes home to play fetch with Meeko, hang out on the porch, or even knock on the window when he’s ready to play. Russ didn’t just survive—he became part of our family. 🐕🖤 @Meeko and Russell 🐦‍⬛#crowtok #animalfriends #rescuestory #fyp #petstory ♬ original sound - Flower Child Darlene

“I do have these moments of: I can’t believe this is real life,” Autumn told The Washington Post.

For now, Autumn is cherishing the magical friendship between her dog and the crow. She hopes one day Russell will join a crow community and maybe even start a family of his own. As she joked, perhaps she’ll even have crow “grand babies” to visit.

Because after witnessing this extraordinary bond, anything feels possible.

@firstdatejunkie If this unlikely friendship doesn’t make your heart melt— I don’t know what will 🖤 Animals are amazing! I could watch them all day long 🥹 #russupdate #pettok #unlikelyanimalfriends #dogsoftiktok #babycrow #bordercollielife ♬ FANTASTIC MR FOX - amaramation