Pregnant Dog Adopts Hurt Squirrel

"Dog Makes It Pick Of New Litter As Human Nurses It Back To Health"

(CBS) "When a very young squirrel fell from a tree, little did it know that would mark the start of a most unusual relationship. A woman found the squirrel and its sister lying on the ground. They had fallen about 40 feet out of their nest. The sister was dead. The woman asked animal lover Debby Cantlon, well known in the Seattle area for nursing injured animals back to health, to care for the squirrel, and Cantlon agreed." For more of this incredible story, including the video, go to: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/14/earlyshow/living/petplanet/main943873.shtml

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Finnegan was resting in a nest in a cage just days before Giselle was due to deliver her puppies. Cantlon and her husband watched as the dog dragged the squirrel's cage — twice — to her own bedside before she gave birth. Cantlon was concerned, yet ultimately decided to allow the squirrel out — and the inter-species bonding began. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2002552799_squirrel11.html

"Finnegan" curls up with puppies from the litter recently born to "Mademoiselle Giselle", a dog belonging to Debbie Cantlon. For almost as long as she can remember, Debby Cantlon has been the person people bring sick and abandoned aminals to. On September 6, Cantlon was brought a newborn squirrel, probably less than one week old, dehydrated and orphaned, which she attempted to nurse back to health. Much to her surprise however, her Papillion, Mademoiselle Giselle, decided to nurse the squirrel along with her litter of five newborn puppies. And even more surprising was that all - squirrel and dogs - bonded.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/photogalleries/photography839/1.html

For the complete slide show, go to: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/photogalleries/living838/

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For a video of the puppies and squirrel nursing together go to: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9685476/

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"After goodbye visit, squirrel moves on"
The adoption story concludes with Finnegan's starting a new life.

"... When Finnegan was 8 weeks old, Cantlon decided he was old enough to be on his own and began putting him outside. He'd run around but would stay in the yard. Each night, he would scratch at the back door or at Cantlon's daughter's window to be let in for the night...."

For the conclusion see: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002705884_squirrel27m.html