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It's official, Adoption has gone to the dogs

Kerry's picture
Fri, 2008-08-01 14:45 - Kerry

According to zoo-keepers in Kansas, a dog has adopted three tiger cubs, and all are living as one happy mixed family.

A dog at a southeast Kansas zoo has adopted three tiger cubs abandoned by their mother. Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey said the tiger cubs were born Sunday, but the mother had problems with them.

A day later, the mother stopped caring for them. Harvey said the cubs were wandering around, trying to find their birth mother, who wouldn't pay attention to them. That's when the cubs were put in the care of a golden retriever, Harvey said.  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25945650/?GT1=43001

I suppose the average village-idiot is supposed to read that and think:  "if animals can do it, we can do it too!"

The problem is, these animals are protected by zoo-keepers.... so in essence, adapting to a new source of lactation is not the same as accepting a new and different breed of parental influence or relationship.  I imagine for the safety of the dog, those tigers will be removed from the female's belly, and placed among other tigers so breed can teach breed how to survive. 

Unless of course, there's money to be had in the retraining of animals that are born to be kept in captivity.

I really hope people realize "food-source" in a zoo has nothing to do with the way things operate in the real world!

Comments

Fri, 2008-08-29 10:31 — Kerry

Who has a memory like an elephant?

Below is a brief video taken at a zoo featuring a newborn's grief and man's humanity towards a baby and a dangerous mother.

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&vid=b90935d1-5aa3-44da-bc77-d7ac87520d07

But first, here is some family-history and a recent update on the mother and newborn's condition:

KGW-TV
updated 11:47 a.m. ET, Wed., Aug. 27, 2008

The mother of a newborn baby elephant is no longer tethered, and is now together with her baby, nursing it.

It's an exciting development for zoo handlers after the elephant mother Rose-Tu initially displayed aggression toward the newborn elephant.

Zoo staff have been busy since the baby elephant's birth, working to insure the baby's survival. 

On Monday, Oregon Zoo Deputy Director described the scene to Portland news station KGW, which has been reporting the story from the beginning.

"Rose-Tu and her calf have been together since 5 p.m. last night," said Keele. "The staff has been working day and night to help ensure this critical reintroduction is successful."

The 286-pound calf approached Rose-Tu and nursed on both sides of her during the supervised reintroduction. Rose-Tu has been lifting her front leg forward and tucking the calf under her, almost like a hug, according to Keele.

In fact, Rose-Tu appears to have calmed down significantly since giving birth and kicking her newborn.

"At one point, the calf was in the wrong place and Rose-Tu gently nudged him with her trunk, repositioning her legs so he could get better access for nursing," Keele said. "She seems especially calm around him, and when he nurses it looks like Rose is almost sleeping, she's so relaxed; it's a very good sign." 
 
KGW documented the elephant birth and bonding process on its Web site with a first person blog, a slide show, and videos of the dramatic birth, first steps and nursing.

When Rose-Tu appears too tired to nurse, keepers have been supplementing the baby's diet with elephant formula.

The calf continues to get stronger and is a "good eater" according to Keele.

The baby elephant is taking in about 10 to 12 liters a day, according to zoo veterinarian Dr. Lisa Harrenstien. About two-thirds of that amount is milk from Rose-Tu, and the other third is formula.

"From the behavioral signs we've seen thus far, we're very hopeful that the reintroduction will be successful," Keele said.

He believes that because Rose-Tu had never seen a birth before, she became confused when the baby was born.

Zoo staff tried to reintroduce the two Saturday night, but Rose-Tu was still aggressive at the time.

"When we brought the calf in the very first time, she tried her best to get to it by breaking chains, and breaking chains means she could potentially be free and posed a threat to her calf and the staff," Keele said.

In the meantime, the elephant calf cried for its mother. 

"He was inconsolable," Keele said.

Keepers were desperate to reunite the calf with his mother as soon as possible.

After 13-year-old and 7,000 pound Rose-Tu gave birth to the calf Saturday, she repeatedly kicked the newborn. Fearing for the calf's life, zoo staff swiftly separated the baby from his mother.

(KGW reporter Jane Smith also contributed to this article.)  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26421047/?GT1=43001

If that mother had been a human, would so much effort be made to reunite mother and child? 

Fri, 2008-08-29 17:00 — Teddy

In a perfect world..

I'll never understand why it seems some humans are more bonded and nurturing to their pets than to their own family.
I am an animal lover and it broke my heart to see the trauma in that baby elephant's eyes and to hear his mournful
wailing for his mother.
 When I first went through my grieving of loss, I mentioned to my therapist that my cries sounded much like a babies
 cry and that I felt like myself at a very young age as I remember crying for my mother.  Oh how I wish someone could
have understood my wailing as from an abused and neglected child, taken me away and fixed my mother. 

"I can be changed by what happens to me, I refuse to be reduced by it." M.A.
One Step Up From Bottom
Teddy

Fri, 2008-08-29 17:18 — Kerry

That's funny...

when I'm in full-blown grief, my cry sounds not at all human... it sounds much more gutteral, like a wounded animal wanting to scream.

 

Fri, 2008-08-29 17:31 — Teddy

different cries for help

Coming from a 58 year old woman, my cries are very much like what I remember as a baby...  I cried so much when I was
a child.  I was terrified of strangers and would scream and cry; never wanting my mother to put me down when there was
the chance she was going to leave me.  Isn't it strange that I can not remember my mother holding me at home, only at
church because of my screaming? 
She did not rock me but I do remember a song she made up... for my sister and then changed the words to be my name, instead. 
My mother had no time for me so I just existed in my tears and loneliness.  My sister was a full time job to take care of
but I was just put on a cot in the other room and left by myself.  No wonder she let me go everywhere with my dad; and no
wonder what happened, happened. 

"I can be changed by what happens to me, I refuse to be reduced by it." M.A.
One Step Up From Bottom
Teddy