A dog is helping to care for a litter of baby orphaned cheetahs at an Ohio zoo and his first assignment was to let them crawl all over him.
An Australian shepherd named Blakely is supporting the cubs after their mother, Willow, died a few weeks ago following their birth through a rare cesarian section on March 8.
Zookeepers said that as soon as Blakely met the baby cheetahs he took on a parental role.
"His first job is to let the cubs climb on him, which they did as soon as they were put together," said head nursery keeper Dawn Strasse. "They need the exercise to build muscle tone."
As the cubs grow, their dog dad will serve as a guide and role model.
The cubs are now gaining weight and getting stronger, the zoo said.
Watch the cubs cuddling with their adopted dog dad:
