A dog has become an unexpected caretaker of some baby ducks after his owner brought in the abandoned animals.
Ben is a German shepherd from Motueka, New Zealand.
He recently stepped into the role of “surrogate dad,” according to his owner Julie McGuire.
The ducklings were found by local orchard workers, said McGuire — and had been abandoned by their mother duck, as SWNS reported.
After waiting with the ducks in a stream for eight hours, hoping the mother would return, McGuire decided to take the ducklings in and take care of them.
“They were spotted by orchard workers and were watched for the next eight hours with no [mom] coming back,” she told SWNS.
Ben the dog with the abandoned ducks he’s taking a liking to and become protective of — he virtually never leaves their side. (SWNS)
Once McGuire brought the small ducklings home, Ben the dog took a real liking to the animals, she said.
McGuire noted that before these ducklings came into their home, Ben had an adult duck friend — but one day last year, the adult duck flew away and never returned.
Ben watches the ducklings eat, sleep, play and even bathe — making sure they are protected from the family cat. (SWNS)
McGuire said she believes Ben feels he needs to make a good impression on the new pets.
McGuire told SWNS that Ben will watch over the ducklings as they sleep, eat, play and bathe.
He will also bark and chase off the family cat if the feline gets too close to the baby ducks.
“He watches over them and makes sure the cat doesn’t get too close,” she said.
Ben watches over the ducklings like a hawk! Owner Julie McGuire noted he watched over an adult duck pal last year as well. (SWNS)
McGuire told SWNS that she is taking care of the animals for now — but if they decide to fly away one day, she wouldn’t be upset.
“They deserve the best life, and I am just happy we could help some of them survive, and Ben has had fun with them growing up,” she said.
McGuire even started a TikTok account on behalf of Ben and the ducklings — @life.of.duck.
A dog has taken a liking to his owner’s baby ducklings. Ben watches over the ducks and makes sure the family cat doesn’t get too close. (SWNS)
With over 100,000 followers at the time of this report, the page has loads of content from Ben and his ducklings — as well as of Ben and the adult duck that flew away last year.
Fox News Digital reached out to McGuire for further comment about the pets in her household.