Dogs are some of the most adorable pets on the planet. And whenever we see one in distress, we can’t help but offer some assistance. That’s exactly what a family in southeast Australia did when they came across a lone pup in the forest, presumably traumatized by the raging forest fires that wiped out over 500 million animals. Little did they know that they were in for the shock of their lives!
Touched, the family took him in thinking he was a stray. They provided him with all the necessities and resources to nurse him back to full strength, before making the decision to take him to the vet for shots.
It’s only after seeking professional help did the family find out the pup’s incredible secret! Once the veterinarian inspected the pup, he informed the family that it was, in fact, a wild dingo. It appears that the pup might have been snatched by an eagle (as indicative of back wounds) and narrowly escaped becoming a meal.
Despite having an uncanny similarity to dogs, dingoes are dangerous animals that are very hard to domesticate. They exhibit behaviors similar to wolves or coyotes and are less docile than dogs. This can prove a major problem as many tourists tend to confuse them for man’s best friend, only to be viciously attacked and in some rare cases, killed.
That being said, dingo puppies are far less dangerous than adults and can be quite receptive to humans when they feel threatened or in danger. Rebekah Day, the veterinarian who inspected the pup, proceeded to get in touch with the Australian Dingo Foundation, who named the pup Wandi and put him under their protective care.
But before doing so, the buoyant Wandi had some blood samples taken to the New South Wales University for testing. It was conclusively affirmed that Wandi was 100% a Vicotria Highlands Dingo, which is endangered in the wild due to human encroachment and interbreeding with domestic dogs.
After Wandi was delivered to his new home, the foundation further opened an Instagram account for the new addition to their family. Of course, his cuteness stirred a lot of positive reception from social media users who found Wandi irresistible!
There are so many people out there who can’t wait for Wandi to become an adult dingo. For now, he is eating healthy, receiving the best medical care, and on his journey to becoming the new alpha of the pack!