When we first adopted our rabbit, S’mores, he was a little lonely and needed a friend. 72 hours later, and he was best friends with our dog. She was just the companion that the bunny needed to keep him happy. Their friendship ended up blossoming for many years until S’mores passed away.
It’s amazing what dogs can do for other animals. They have such love and empathy for their fellow mammals. It is no wonder that dogs are often used in a variety of situations as stand-in companions for animals who need it. We’ve all read about examples of this, such as dogs who are given to orphaned baby animals as surrogate parents or dogs who are introduced as playmates to animals in zoos or wildlife sanctuaries that have no mates. It’s because dogs are a calming and reassuring presence to have in times of loneliness.
When a five-week-old turkey named Blossom was rescued, she was pretty scared. The young turkey was taken to a shelter and was finding it difficult to adjust – even after one of the staff members personally set her up in her office. Not sure what else to do with the turkey, the woman decided to take the young bird home with her and introduce her to the family dog, Minnow.
It turned out to be a great decision as Minnow and Blossom took to one another immediately. This friendship helped Blossom develop some confidence, and soon the little turkey was feeling pretty calm and secure. And she had a new best friend since she had a constant companion in Minnow. The pair would often spend time playing together or just lounging around. As wonderful as their friendship was, Minnow’s owner didn’t anticipate it being a forever thing. She figured that the best thing for Blossom would be to go live in a place with other turkeys so she could be socialized with more of her kind. She assumed that is what the turkey wanted as well.
Eventually, Blossom was sent to live on a farm with other turkeys. But it turned out that the woman was quite wrong – Blossom quickly became depressed after arriving in her new home. She did not take to farm life at all. Instead, she ended up sitting in the spot for three days and did not move. When the woman was informed about the bird’s sadness, she immediately went to go pick her up and bring her home where she belonged. And Blossom was thrilled to be reunited with Minnow.
Watch this precious friendship below:
