A group of 15 orphaned ducklings have an incredibly sweet new father, a golden retriever named Fred. Although it is hard to believe, this is not Fred’s first adoption.
Fred hit the headlines after adopting nine orphaned ducklings at Mountfitchet Castle, Essex, when he was ten years old in 2018. Now, a few years later, the old dog has become a proud father of a new offspring.
The photos show how the ducklings are not even leaving Fred’s sight as they lie in the sun. The ducklings were orphaned after their mother mysteriously disappeared overnight at Stansted Castle.
From that moment on, Fred decided to take care of the unusual babies with a similar color to his own and carry them around the yard on his back.
Fred’s owner Jeremy Goldsmith says he’s not surprised Fred has found a new family. He explained: “Over the 15 years since I’ve owned him, Fred has spent a lot of time at the animal castle and it’s become second nature for him to be amongst the various rescued animals.”
The ducklings are expected to stay with Fred in the castle until they are old enough to survive on their own. Mountfitchet Castle is a Norman motte and bailey castle built of timber.
Formerly an Iron Age hillfort, the historic site was also a stronghold for the Romans and later a Saxon and Viking settlement before being invaded in 1066 by William the Conqueror.
The golden retriever has since gone viral on social media, with many people joking that the ducks will most likely grow up to bark and praising the pup for being a “good boy.”
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