The internet is absolutely loving an adorable new animal friendship between a recently orphaned wolf pup living at The Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas and a local shelter dog. Keep scrolling to see the adorable viral photos of the sweet pals and learn about how they found one another. 

Life

This Woman Helps Struggling Owners Keep Their Beloved Pets at Home

Mandy Lewis’ heart ached as she gazed at 8-year-old Clyde, an American bully who had just been brought into Albert’s Dog Lounge , the nonprofit she had started in 2018 to find foster homes—and hopefully forever families—for geriatric dogs.  The organization was named after Albert, a senior dachshund with congestive heart failure who Mandy had […]

How an orphaned wolf pup and a shelter dog became best friends

On Tuesday, February 4, the zoo introduced a maned wolf pup named Amora in a Facebook post, also sharing her heartbreaking backstory. 

“Layla, our female maned wolf, gave birth to a female pup, Amora,” wrote zoo staff. “Tragically, despite expert care, Layla unexpectedly passed away, leaving Amora without a mother.”

The post went on to explain that maned wolves are naturally solitary, so it was important for young pups to have companionship in order to develop properly. Unfortunately, Amora was all alone. 

“Without a mother or sibling, it is challenging for her to learn the natural behaviors she will need to thrive as a maned wolf,” the zoo said. 

But the zoo landed on an interesting solution, reaching out to the Kansas Humane Society to adopt one of their rescued dogs. 

Slinky, a brindle mix being cared for by the organization, had been feeling “sad and alone” after his sister was adopted, the shelter said. 

The two were taken in together on the same day—interestingly enough, the same day Amora was born! The rescue went on to say they knew Slinky and Amora would make the “perfect pairing,” so the zoo gave Slinky a new home and quarantined him for a bit to ensure no diseases were spread. 

“Slinky and Amora met that following weekend and we are overjoyed to tell you that things are going well between them!” KHS wrote. “We here at KHS are thrilled to have been a part of both of their journeys and wish Amora nothing but the best of luck in maintaining her wild instincts.” 

The zoo said the tiny playmates were carefully introduced, and “while Amora has quite the spicy personality, Slinky’s playful nature is helping her grow into the wolf she is meant to be.”

Life

Heartwarming Post-Fire Reunions Between Los Angeles Pets and Owners

When residents throughout Los Angeles were suddenly forced to evacuate due to the fires, countless animals were also in dire need of a safe place to escape. Unfortunately, many pets became separated from their owners during the chaos, adding even more concern to an already alarming situation. But thanks to the help of community members […]

What’s next for Amora the wolf pup and Slinky the rescue dog?

In accordance with a species survival plan (SSP), Amora will eventually transition to living with other maned wolves, “carrying on the legacy of her species,” the zoo shared. 

When Amora is old enough to be living with other maned wolves, Slinky will retire and live with one of the SCZ employees, who “fell head over heels in love” with and adopted him.

The maned wolf and dog share unexpected similarities

In addition to being four-legged, furry and lovable, a maned wolf and dog are more similar than meets the eye. The maned wolf is actually not a wolf at all, according to the World Wildlife Fund. It’s a canid, which is a member of the dog family native to Brazil. 

What’s more—the maned wolf is the only member of a unique genus called Chrysocyon, meaning “golden dog.” Additionally, the WWF described the species as one that “looks like a fox, walks like a deer and barks like a dog.” 

Time to cue up “Best of Friends” from The Fox and the Hound!