Unusual animal friendships are some of the best things you could see on the internet. There’s always a lesson in these adorable relationships for humans to learn. Since we live in a world where we classify and separate one another based on physical appearance and supposed social standings, we can learn from lower animals how unnecessary these divisions are. If a cat and a dog, sworn natural enemies by instinct, can become best friends, what excuse do humans have for not choosing to band together?
This time, we are cooing over the love and friendship shared by two of the most unlikely animals: an incredibly tiny owl and a giant dog. [1] The pair first went viral in 2015 and ever since, people can’t stop craving their photos online.
The owl, Poldi, was a poor little boy that hatched two days later than his siblings. He was weak and fragile and needed special attention to pull through that critical stage. Ingo the Belgian Malinois noticed the poor bird’s condition and immediately assumed the role of protector and caregiver, choosing to stick with Poldi and guard him against danger.
The bond they share is unnatural and simply amazing. Poldi and Ingo are part of photographer Tanja Brandt’s animal family. Even though Poldi is just as small as one of Ingo’s paws, the two share a friendship that seems written in the stars.
A sweetly photogenic pair
Ingo and Poldi spend most of their time playing and enjoying each other‘s company. However, they also enjoy posing for photoshoots too, and we can’t get enough of the cuteness. The two look pretty good in pictures and just love being with each other. Ingo is so smart and mature that he knows when to sit still and stare with his fiery golden eyes into the camera. As for Poldi, he just wants to be close to his protector at all times.
Their pictures are often bathed in soft evening lights and cool undertones. Captured in shallow waters, on rocky terrains, in sweet spring evenings and when it’s snowing, the cute pair have many memories that would never stop warming hearts.
Ingo is great friends with several other owls in Tanja’s family including Gertrud, Rudi, and Sir Gandalf, a particularly grumpy guy that hates the rain and loves to watch everyone else from a good vantage point. However, Poldi is Ingo’s true soulmate — the one he’s chosen to spend every minute of his life with.
Tanja is remarkably attached to her numerous animals. She’s dedicated her life to loving and providing for them, and with each creature that comes into her life, she forms an amazing bond.
In August this year, when Ingo hurt his back, Tanja wrote about the intense stress she’d passed through with the poor dog.
“Last night I hardly slept a wink, this morning I finally had an x-ray of Ingo’s back.
It was a bit difficult because of Corona, I would never let him out of my hand anywhere.Without me, he wouldn’t be calm and would have no security. He was sooooo well-behaved and exemplary, I must proudly mention that. Well, in the treatment room there was a little dog before him who was screaming so much that Ingo probably thought he would not get out of here alive and his desperate look was heartwarming. Fortunately, my worst fears did not come true and at the moment it looks like a witch shot. He gets injections, vitamins, and physio. I had such nightmares and sleep disturbances the whole last days.”
Thankfully, the big dog is almost fully recovered and will certainly be okay.
Image Credits: ingoundelse.de | tier-collagen.de | 500px | Facebook
References
- “Tiny Owl And Giant Shepherd Dog Have The Cutest Interspecies Friendship You’ll Ever See.” Little Things. Rebecca Endicott. Retrieved September 16, 2020.