The dog that saved the big cats

Without the foster mother it is likely the cubs would have died. 

The mother at Sadgorod in Vladivostok rejected her two cubs possibly because she herself was born in a zoo.

Tessi the dog stepped in and she feeds them alongside her four puppies. 

Zoo co-owner Alyona Asnovina said: 'We tried to feed them ourselves, but they sucked very badly and we had to urgently search for a feeding mom. 

'We found a great foster mom in golden retriever Tessi.

'She gave birth recently to four nice puppies and has a lot of milk. 

'Many thanks to the owner, we would have had hard times without Tessi.'

Sadly one kitten is very weak with a congenital heart and lung defect according to X-ray and ultrasound. 

'I do not know if she will survive or not. We hope for the best.'

Zoo vet Viktor Agafonov is more optimistic,

'For three weeks the dog has been feeding this female kitten. 

'The dynamic is very positive - the baby is gaining weight, she is actively trying to play.

'She bites her adoptive mother and feels very well.'