Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/fred-the-labrador-adopts-ducklings/
A 15-year-old labrador retriever has taken on the role of “Dad” to 15 orphaned ducklings, but it’s not his first rodeo.
Fred is the resident dog at the Mountfitchet Castle in Essex, England where he’s lived for several years.
Over the past 5 years, he’s had the opportunity to rescue not one brood of orphaned ducklings, but three!
Orphaned ducklings adopted by resident dog at Mountfitchet Castle
Nine lives for nine ducklingsFred the resident dog at the Castle stepped up to the challenge when nine little ducklings became orphaned last Thursday. The ducklings’ mum had disappeared and a member of staff found them waddling around the castle grounds alone. The team were very worried about the ducklings but Fred, a 10 year old Labrador, immediately took to them and has been babysitting ever since.
Posted by Mountfitchet Castle on Monday, May 21, 2018
Fred first rose to fame back in 2018 when he stepped up to foster a brood of 9 orphaned ducklings. The castle shared photos and videos of Fred and his ducklings on Facebook and people couldn’t get enough of the sweet dog.
He cared for the nine little ducklings by carrying them on his back, cuddling them, and keeping a watchful eye on them. Eventually, they were big enough to survive on their own and he had to set his little ducks free.
But the very next year in 2019, another group of seven ducklings became orphaned. The mother duck had 14 ducklings, but she abandoned seven of them and took the other seven to the pond with her! Fred once again stepped up to do his duties as foster dad and offered the seven abandoned ducklings a new chance at life.
Fred, the famous Labrador dog is not ducking out of his duties as he again steps in to foster seven day-old ducklings….
Posted by Mountfitchet Castle on Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Now, at 15-years-old, Fred is once again at it again. When 15 ducklings became orphaned on the castle grounds, they weren’t parentless for long because the sweet dog was there to comfort them, dot on them, and make sure they’d be ok.
The castle shared about it on Facebook, saying:
“Our doting 15 year old Fred has become a Foster parent for the second time in 5 years. But this time to 15 orphaned ducklings. Well done Fred.”
According to The Independent, the ducklings were left orphaned after their mother “mysteriously disappeared” from the castle’s grounds overnight.
No one is sure what happened to the mother, but at least the ducklings won’t be without a father thanks to Fred.
Our little dogfather has been giving the ducklings a little ride round the garden today in the sunshine 🌞…
Posted by Mountfitchet Castle on Saturday, July 9, 2022
The ducklings are expected to remain with Fred until they’re old enough to survive on their own, just like the past two broods he cared for.
You can keep up with Fred and his ducklings on Facebook!
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
