Dogs and cats should not get along, according to natural inclination. Throughout history, the two species have had a notoriously adversarial relationship.
Just don’t tell Barney the Labrador retriever…
When Barney’s owners realized they couldn’t care for him any longer, they took him to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in the United Kingdom.
The exuberant Labrador met Rachel Ab’dee, the clinic’s lead nurse, and they both knew right away that Barney would be coming home with her.
Ab’dee had a soft spot for Labradors and their happy, easygoing nature, but wanted to give other families a chance to adopt Barney before filling out the paperwork herself. “I had recently lost my own Labrador retriever and my first thought upon seeing Barney was, ‘I’d love to have him,’ but I thought that he would find a home very quickly,” Ab’dee told The Dodo. “When a week had passed and Barney was still in kennels without a home, I knew it was meant to be.”
Despite the fact that he had found a permanent home, Barney continued to accompany Ab’dee to the clinic office every day to keep her company as she worked, and it didn’t take long for the rescue pup to show that he had a particular skill.
Barney was a pro at taking care of kittens.
Barney has been a foster dad to nine kittens in the previous three years, including a litter of four at Christmas. Both Ab’dee and Barney benefit from the agreement. Barney looks forward to going to work with his mother, and Ab’dee enjoys spending time with her dog while they both work at the clinic.
While Barney adores all kittens, nothing compares to the attachment he has formed with Ava, a 5-week-old tabby kitten. Things seemed gloomy for Ava when she was discovered shivering and alone in a London backyard at just a few days old. She was hurried to Battersea and began to gain strength, but she was secluded from other animals because she had no brothers or sisters.
At a week old, Ava was introduced to Barney, and the staff prayed he’d accept the lonely kitten into his care. Things started off slow, noted Ab’dee, which suited both kitten and retriever alike. “At that age, it was just a gentle sniff from Barney, and a nice warm spot for Ava to curl up and sleep,” Ab’dee said.
As time went on, a strong bond formed, and now, a month later, the two are inseparable. “Barney adores Ava and can’t wait to come into Battersea every morning so he can see her,” Ab’dee said. “It’s great for Ava too, because she doesn’t have a mum or brothers or sisters, so Barney has become her best friend and favorite playmate.”
Barney may not know it, but he is playing a very important role in Ava’s life, broadening the still-fragile kitten’s horizons every day.
“Barney is helping her confidence grow and helping to develop her playing instincts,” Ab’dee explained. “Because she’s used to the company of dogs, we’ll have more new homes available to her, too, as she could now happily live with other dogs.”
Ava still requires hand-feeding every two hours, but there are already a lot of volunteers prepared to take her home when she is old enough.
For another three weeks, the two best friends will be able to snuggle and play to their hearts’ delight, and Barney’s mother could not be happier. Ab’dee remarked, “It’s amazing to see them so happy together.” “As well as the knowledge that their most trying days are behind them.”
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