By Josie November 14th, 2023
A lone and orphaned otter was dangerously close to death – until this courageous dog called Gus jumped in to rescue it.
Gus' life took a turn when cancer was discovered, leading to his leg’s amputation.
Gus adapted remarkably quickly, showing resilience and incredible zest for life.
He continued to swim and run, embracing his new reality with the same vigor as before.
On a brisk Easter Sunday, Gus, a six-year-old Goldendoodle, embarked on an unexpected rescue mission.
Despite battling cancer and adapting to life with three legs, Gus dove into the choppy waters of the St. Croix River in Minnesota.
Facing a cold and challenging swim, he emerged from the water alive and with company!
He triumphantly displayed a baby otter in his mouth, delivering it safely to his owner’s grandchildren, Ella and Lucy Hammerstrand.
The baby otter was transferred to a specialized facility equipped for its rehabilitation. Here it received close monitoring in an incubator to prevent pneumonia, ensuring its recovery.
Without this intervention, the otter wouldn’t have had a fighting chance at life.
Generally, pups are able to start seeking out food on their own after about 40 days.
Consequently, without Gus’ intervention, it’s almost certain this baby wouldn’t have survived.
The baby otter in this story was estimated to not even be a week old – it hadn’t even opened its eyes yet!