The Oklahoma City Zoo was left looking for answers after the mother of newborn African wild dogs was determined unfit to care for her puppies.What to eat when you're sickThe zoo says the mother showed a "lack of maternal care," so the zoo had to find something or someone else to take care of the African dogs. The two dogs that gave birth to the puppies came to the OKC Zoo in 2013.Country music's hottest divasThe answer was found in a golden retriever named Lilly, who is now the surrogate mother for the dogs. Lilly is a retired search and rescue dog that was living in Wichita, Kansas, and was found after a search.Lilly recently gave birth to a puppy of her own, which is being raised alongside the African dogs. The puppies are doing well and being cared for by Lilly at the OKC Zoo's animal hospital.“Even though Lilly’s not an African wild dog, she’s still much better suited to surrogate for our pups than humans would be,” said zoo veterinarian Jennifer D’Agostino. “This is a positive for both Lilly’s offspring and the African wild dogs, as they will benefit from initial socialization with a canine species.”Between 3,000 and 5,000 free-ranging African wild dogs still exist in southern Africa, and they can grow up to 30 inches tall.

The Oklahoma City Zoo was left looking for answers after the mother of newborn African wild dogs was determined unfit to care for her puppies.

What to eat when you're sick


The zoo says the mother showed a "lack of maternal care," so the zoo had to find something or someone else to take care of the African dogs. The two dogs that gave birth to the puppies came to the OKC Zoo in 2013.

Country music's hottest divas

The answer was found in a golden retriever named Lilly, who is now the surrogate mother for the dogs. Lilly is a retired search and rescue dog that was living in Wichita, Kansas, and was found after a search.

Lilly recently gave birth to a puppy of her own, which is being raised alongside the African dogs. The puppies are doing well and being cared for by Lilly at the OKC Zoo's animal hospital.

“Even though Lilly’s not an African wild dog, she’s still much better suited to surrogate for our pups than humans would be,” said zoo veterinarian Jennifer D’Agostino. “This is a positive for both Lilly’s offspring and the African wild dogs, as they will benefit from initial socialization with a canine species.”

Between 3,000 and 5,000 free-ranging African wild dogs still exist in southern Africa, and they can grow up to 30 inches tall.