A cancer-stricken, heartbroken stray who lost her entire litter of premature puppies was gifted a new lease on motherhood by the shelter that took her in.
The canine mom then "adopted" three orphaned kittens—and this furry blended family is just about too adorable to handle.
Georgia the Australian shepherd mix was pregnant when the Sunshine Dog Rescue in Phoenix, Arizona, took her in. She was living at a gas station near the U.S.–Mexico border in August. The Sunshine Dog Rescue told The Epoch Times that after rescue, Georgia was diagnosed with cancer and is now "going through cancer treatment and is doing well."
Anita Osa, the founder of Sunshine Dog Rescue, described Georgia as "heartbroken" in the wake of her huge loss. She told the news station that she had never had a female dog lose her entire litter before.
"The best way I could describe it was she was frantic," Osa told ABC 15. "It was so sad, she was looking for those babies."
"She tore up the toddler mattress we had her on, trying to find her babies."
Osa, wanting to help the grieving dog, posted a shout-out on social media, the report said. Someone responded with an update on four newly orphaned kittens that were in dire need of a lactating mother. Osa worried whether Georgia would take to the kittens, but it turned out to be the perfect fit.
"I introduced [the kittens] to her gently," Osa told ABC 15. "I first brought one out and let her sniff it, and she seemed to accept it, so I brought the others out."
Georgia's frantic energy "instantly calmed down," Osa said.
Sadly, one of the kittens didn't make it, but Georgia played protective mom to the remaining trio without hesitation.
While Georgia's milk production was low, she let the trio nurse nonetheless. The kittens, Osa speculated, had no idea that their adoptive mom was a dog.
"It's really something to see," said Osa. "[S]he protects those kittens just as if they were her babies."
Georgia, whose role as adoptive kitten mom restored her love for life, was adopted on Sept. 9 by dog fosterer Torah David Jacobs, who named her Milo. The canine mother will complete her cancer treatment and recovery at her new home, Osa told The Epoch Times.
In the ultimate happy ending, two of the kittens were adopted by Torah's sister, Courtney Amber. The third, named Gumball, is going to live with Milo.
"The kittens are now 7 weeks old and will soon be ready for their own homes," the rescue center told The Epoch Times.
