Senior Dog Becomes A Single Dad To Nine Orphaned Baby Ducks

A real-life case of “Are You My Mother,” has come to light after an aged Labrador Retriever has become a surrogate father to nine little ducklings who were orphaned after their mother’s mysterious departure.

Fred is the resident dog of the Mountfitchet Castle located in England. He is also now the proud adopted papa of the baby ducks.

As the castle, located in Stansted, Essex, posted to their Facebook, “The ducklings’ mum had disappeared and a member of staff found them waddling around the castle grounds alone. The team was very worried about the ducklings but Fred, a 10-year-old Labrador, immediately took to them and has been babysitting ever since.”

The director of the Mountfitchet Castle, as well as Fred’s owner, Jeremy Goldsmith, said to the Sun UK, “We knew the mother duck was nesting and then suddenly these ducklings appeared but she was nowhere to be seen.”

The staff of the castle believes that the most likely scenario was that a fox got to the mother. However, Jeremy has shared his delight that Fred appeared to be more than happy to step up and fill the role of parent for the ducklings.

As Jeremy beamed, “Fred has got an absolutely wonderful nature. They absolutely love him.”

The ducklings have taken to their adoptive dad like, well, ducks to water – they climb up on Fred and piggyback rides, they follow him everywhere, including the castle’s moat for swimming lessons, and they all sleep beside him.

For the next few months Fred will be their parent until the ducklings are grown and can learn to fly and survive on their own.