Blakely, the dog, has a very special job at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. This Australian shepherd came to the zoo from a local rescue when he was only 7 months old, but now he is the zoo's only animal caretaker!
This pup watches over animals who were abandoned by their mothers. Right now, he cares for Dale the takin, a goat-antelope animal. They're an unlikely pair, but these two are inseparable.
What makes their friendship so special is that Dale had to be removed from the other Takins after being rejected by his mom. Now, it's up to Blakely to help socialize the takin, so he'll eventually have a smooth reentry back into regular zoo life. While he's no maternal replacement, Blakely provides Dale the friendship and a TLC he needs.
Dale will grow up to be 500 lbs., but for now, the cross-species BFFs are perfectly matched. In the video, the pair lay in the nursery and play never-ending games of tug-of-war. In the mornings, they go together for walks with their caretakers. According to the zoo's staff, Blakely's job is to teach Dale how to be around other animals.
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