Dogs and cats don’t always see paw to paw, but in an amazing story of animal kindness, one golden retriever named Isabella adopted three white tiger cubs that were abandoned by their mother.
Tom and Allie Harvey, owners of the Safari Zoological Park — a private zoo in Caney, Kansas — own the cubs who found a mother in Isabella — described as the “sweetest most gentle Golden Retriever” by her owners — has been nursing the baby tiger cubs ever since their mother rejected them just 24 hours after giving birth. Now 7 weeks old, the cubs named Anjika, Nagira and Siddhani are healthy, strong and have just finished weaning.
“[Isabella] is literally saving these cubs day by day,” Tom Harvey told TODAY last month. “You know, sometimes some of the animals like this, they just don’t do good with their babies. That’s when you have to step in.”
This is more than just a tale of animal survival — it’s also a story of perseverance and faith for the Harveys. In a turn of events the couple describe as a “miracle,” the Harveys’ zoo was in danger of being shut down after rising gas prices hurt attendance. They made a painful decision that if nothing saved them by August 1, they would be forced to shut down operations.
Isabella had an unexpected pregnancy and had just finished weaning her two puppies. Then, on July 28, a day after Isabella turned one, the dog accepted the tiger cubs. And on July 31, as Tom and Allie braved for the worst, they got a call from TODAY. The very next day, they were in New York ... and back in business after the national attention boosted zoo attendance numbers.
Now the Harveys and their extended pet family welcome visitors who are interested in their unusual story. Not that there’s a shortage of funny, wild moments for people to see. “The cubs like to stalk and jump stuffed animals,” Tom Harvey said. “We had the cubs in the bathroom and Isabella heard their calls and opened the door. We found them all at the foot of our bed.”
As for those who are worried about what will become of the cubs’ relationship with their adoptive mother, Tom Harvey claims there’s no real concern. “They won't really become dangerous to her because they think that she's their mother. They are very gentle with her. They chew on her tail.
Right now, the cubs' teeth are coming in and they have tiny claws. They will grow into large tigers that can eat up to 77 pounds of meat in one night — the equivalent of 300 hamburgers.
In the wild, animals have been known to eat or reject their young if something is wrong, although it doesn't happen as much in captivity.
The Harveys recently weighed the trio and the biggest one weighs 12 pounds, 8 ounces, the second largest is 12 pounds, and "the runt of the bunch" weighs 11 pounds, 2 ounces.
Today, 90 percent of endangered animals are in private zoos. Tigers are on the brink of extinction and statistics indicate that wild tigers will be gone in less than 10 years.
The Harveys are dedicated to helping save endangered species, and the pair have owned several types of rare tigers.
Tom Harvey hopes that by promoting his unique story and inviting people to visit his zoo, he can raise more awareness for tigers and highlight the need to help endangered species.
Tom Harvey hopes that by promoting his unique story and inviting people to visit his zoo, he can raise more awareness for tigers and highlight the need to help endangered species.
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