Chihuahua adopts rejected meerkat

A baby meerkat which was expected to die after being shunned at birth has been saved thanks to a pet dog who has taken the animal under its paw.



Tiny Wilson the meerkat was born on January 20 but was immediately abandoned by his mother as the runt of the litter. Animal sanctuary owner Dennis Drew, 30, who runs Mablethorpe Seal and animal Sanctuary, in Lincolnshire, hand-reared the little animal but Wilson still only had a slim chance of survival.

But when he overheard staff member Leanne Clark, 22, talk about her pet Chihuahua who was going through a phantom pregnancy Dennis had a bright idea. He introduced Wilson to Leanne’s dog Kimi – who was lactating as part of her phantom pregnancy – and was amazed when the meerkat fed from her.


YouTube link.

Within days Wilson became bigger and stronger and Kimi took over as mother believing the meerkat was her own puppy. After nearly two months together, the pair have forged an inseparable bond. Wilson now follows 18-month-old Kimi around wherever she goes, hitches a ride on her back – and the pair can often be seen curled up in a dog basket together.