Blakely the Australian shepherd acts as a "nanny dog" for three lion cubs at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens. Screenshot: Storyful

March 13 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens enlisted the help of a "nanny dog" to help care for three tiger cubs neglected by their mother.

The zoo said the female cubs, Chira, Batari, and Izzy, have been under the care of zookeepers since their mother rejected them after their Feb. 3 birth -- and a 6-year-old Australian shepherd named Blakely was brought in to help act as a surrogate parent.


"The 6-year-old super dog has been called into action to provide snuggling, comfort and a body to climb," the zoo said in the description of a YouTube video showing Blakely caring for the cubs.

The zoo said Blakely has ample experience as a "nanny dog."

"His baby-rearing resume includes experience with cheetahs, an ocelot, a takin, a warthog, wallabies, skunks, and bat-eared foxes," the post said.