Greek Pig Adopts Orphaned Puppies
ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: And finally, we look at some motherless puppies in Greece who got a second chance at life, thanks to a loving potbellied farm mate.</s>RALPH WENGE, CNN ANCHOR: Star TV Greece now with this unusual story of love between hog and dogs.</s>DEMIE HADJI, STAR TV (voice-over): They are happy to be adopted. The four puppies were born a month ago in the mountainous village Peretina (ph) in the south. Before they opened their eyes, though, their mother abandoned them. They might be abandoned, but they never missed the motherly love. A pig that gave birth a few days before the dog decided they belonged to her, so she decided to feed the puppies and take care of them as if they were her own children. The caring pig gathers straw and places it around the babies in order to protect both the piglets and the puppies from the cold.</s>GIORGOS KIOSSES, FARMER (through translator): The pig gave birth first, and some time later the dog gave birth. The dog got scared, so the puppies were left with the pig. She put all the newborns together, she feeds them, they grow up together and there's no problem at all.</s>HADJI: The puppies seem to believe that the pig is their mother. Anyway, this is the only mother they ever new and they adore here. The piglets don't seem to care about the puppies' presence, and the mother seems to forget that she gave birth to only five babies. All that matters is that now she has nine.</s>LOANNIS LAZAROU, FARMER (through translator): The pig gave birth and she took under her protection the four puppies the dog left. They eat together, they grow up together, and of course they sleep together without any problems.</s>HADJI: The puppies and the piglet share their mother's milk, and they enjoy each other's company. Sometimes, though, the little pigs throw the puppies over, and they, not having much of a choice, go on playing instead of eating. The pig is protective and does not allow strangers to come close to her nine children, both natural and adopted. The farmer who owns the pig and the rest of the villagers comment on the unique family closeness and enjoy observing day after day these nine babies grow up. From Athens, Greece, this is Demie Hadji of Star Channel for CNN WORLD REPORT.