Having a bad day? Well, relax and prepare yourself for a story so unceasingly adorable that it borders on the physically painful, as your muscles tense and your mouth makes uncontrollable sound effects.
Reddit | pixeldustnz
Hero Dog Surprises Owners After Coming Home With Rescued Baby Koala
Yes, this is the story of one golden retriever saving the life of a baby koala.
The method by which the golden retriever saved the tiny koala was by cuddling it.
And no, this isn't me confusing Disney films with reality again.
I went to therapy for that and I'm all cured now! This is a real story that actually happened in Australia.
This image was shared online by dog owner Kerry McKinnon of her golden retriever helping out the abandoned baby koala.
Reddit | pixeldustnz
Asha, the five year old pup pictured, allowed the baby koala to snuggle into her fur, protecting the lil' fur-ball from the cold morning temperatures.
Besides being freaking adorable, it probably saved the koala's life.
According to News Australia, temperatures were as low as 5C, and without Asha's help, the baby koala surely would not have survived.
It is thought that the baby koala must have become separated from its mother during the night and wandered off.
YouTube | Good News Daily
Thankfully, the koala managed to find its way to McKinnon's back porch and into the loving embrace of Asha.
McKinnon shared the photo online and it quickly garnered thousands of likes and gushing fans.
YouTube | Good News Daily
Speaking to News Australia, McKinnon explained, "It was quite early in the morning, and my husband yelled out to me to come have a look at something.
"I didn’t know what he was talking about at first but then I saw this tiny koala snuggled on top of Asha."
I would have squeed so hard at the cuteness.
Ms McKinnon explained that Asha was more than happy to be helping out the lost baby.
YouTube | ZooLand
"She looked a bit guilty when I came out to see what was going on. Her expression was hilarious. She kept looking back at the koala but she wasn’t trying to get him off her or anything. She was happy to let him snuggle into her."
People were praising Asha for her wonderfully calm and compassionate attitude towards the baby koala.
YouTube | Good News Daily
People were also quick to write in defence of golden retrievers as a generally loving breed.
"Seriously, Golden Retrievers are some of the most chilled and caring dogs I know," one person wrote.
"My hamster once escaped in the middle of the night," they continued.
"The only thing that tipped me off was my dog curiously sniffing a corner and then signalling that I should come and see what he found."
As someone with a somewhat antsy Jack Russell, I sadly can't imagine that koala being in particularly good fettle if it had come round our way!
Apparently the baby koala wasn't too keen on being separated from Asha, even putting up a "big fuss"!
YouTube | Good News Daily
When they tried to remove the koala, it went so far as to hiss at McKinnon.
"I think dogs have that protective instinct," she said.
"The koala didn’t want to leave Asha’s back. When we took the koala off to wrap it in a blanket, it hissed at me and carried on."
She added, "I think it would have been happy to have just slept there all day. It was really an amazing thing to see and so uniquely Australian."
Once the pair were eventually separated, the koala was taken to a vet.
Facebook | 7NEWS Brisbane
He is reportedly doing very well, and once he is ready he will be released back into the wild.
Hopefully these two won't miss each other too much now that they're separated!
In my head I like to imagine the baby koala making its way back to Asha once he's released into the wild to say thanks and for them to grow old together. Now that sounds like the plot of a Disney film I'd watch!
h/t: News Australia
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