This Big Dog And Little Bird Are Inseparable Pals

You might not be able to tell from looking at them, but Rusty and Birdie have a lot in common.

The boxer and the bird are both playful, both love company, and they both seem to be crazy about each other, Rusty’s owner, Jurgita Peciulaityte, told The Huffington Post in an email.

Peciulaityte was in her woodworking shop on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, England on July 6 when she heard Rusty’s frenzied barking. When she went out to investigate, he was standing close to what appeared to be a baby bird, barely moving and unable to fly, with no nest in sight.

Experts warn that attempting to “help” a baby animal in apparent distress can be disastrous for the animal, and that you should always consult with a qualified expert before intervening with any wild creature. Birds can also potentially carry parasites that can be harmful to dogs.

But Peciulaityte said she tried to contact a local bird rescue group, and they told her they don’t rescue bird species that aren’t “under threat” and could not help her. And her alternative was to leave the bird in her garden where, in his condition, she said he would surely be eaten by predators by nightfall. (It’s unclear whether Birdie is male or female, though Peciulaityte refers to the bird as “he.”)

The bird, however, was apparently under no threat from Rusty — whose full name is Lord Rusticus.

“From day one Rusty and Birdie got on like a house on fire,” she said. “Birdie always looked for company and warmth and Rusty was always more then happy to be of assistance. In the morning the birdie would start chirping so Rusty would come to wake me up, so we both could go and feed him. He is such a caring soul. At the moment Birdie’s favourite place to perch is on Rusty’s chair.”

Birdie likes to hang in the house, but regularly spends time outdoors as well.

“He gets to practice flying and hopping from branch to branch,” Peciulaityte said.

Ultimately, she’d like to see Birdie able to return to the wild, though she’d “love him to stay in the garden and keep on visiting Rusty for a bit of playtime.”

H/T The Dodo