Nature's Nurturers

Nothing is stronger than a mother's love. Read about these tear-jerking stories of animal mums who go above and beyond to save their babies.
Pets Team 05 May 2015

Scarlett

In 1996, Scarlett and her kittens were caught in a burning warehouse in Brooklyn. As firefighters tried to get the fire under control, they witnessed her carrying her kittens, one by one, out of the fire. The brave mother had already suffered immense burns to her face and paws, and her coat was singed, but she continued to save her litter relentlessly.

 

Scarlett was then rushed to the vet for treatment, where all but one of her kittens survived. The kittens found loving forever homes, but Scarlett required ongoing care for her injuries. Despite the best efforts of her adopters and vets, she passed away in October 2008.

 

Amanda

In 2012, a car bomb ignited and caused a fire to break out in a neighbouring home. A series of photos showing a dog rescuing her puppies made headlines around the world.

 

A German Shepherd mix named Amanda was seen carrying her 10-day old puppies from the burning house and depositing them into a fire truck. When she finished bringing all the puppies into safety, she protectively curled around them, even defending them when a vet tried to help her and her family. All but one of her brood survived, and even then, she would not let the vets take the dying puppy away.

 

Rex

When Leonie Allan was out for a walk with her German Pointer cross, Rex, she did not expect him to return with a souvenier – an orphaned joey.

 

Tragedy had struck the joey when its mother was killed in a vehicular accident – but the baby’s life was saved when Rex gently pulled it out of its mother’s pouch, and carried it to owner Leonie. The joey showed no fear of Rex, and the pair played and snuggled together, before it was brought to a sanctuary and hand-reared for 18 months. It was then released back into the wild.

The joey’s name? Rex Junior, named after its saviour. 

 

Koa

 

Koa the Golden Retriever was chasing lizards in her backyard when she stumbled upon a nest of orphaned baby rabbits. Since then, she has not left their side, becoming an excellent surrogate mother to the little kits, who spend their time hopping around her, or nestling into her fur on under her legs.

 

Images: dailymail.co.uk, kittyarmy.com, telegraph.co.uk.