When Kendal Benken adopted Truvy the lab mix, she was only 5 weeks old and in a somewhat bad situation. Benken found her at a shelter in Texas, where she lived at the time, and took up the challenge to help her stand on her paws again.

That was not an easy task. Truvy had to recover from parvovirus and a nasty bite in the nose by a copper snake. Luckily her new mom was there for her to lift up her spirits and support her in her fights.

From then on, Truvy and Kendal have been best friends and are enjoying their life together.

Truvy was also spayed at the age of 6 months, so she’s never had puppies. However, this hasn’t prevented her from having motherly instincts towards any baby animal she encounters.

“She’s always been good with the fosters I’ve brought in. She’s extremely patient,” Benken told The Dodo. “I find it interesting she has such a strong motherly instinct [since] she’s never had puppies, she was spayed at 6 months old. For whatever reason, she has it. I think it is sweet.”

Just like she has done all these years with other fosters, Truvy, a 105-pound dog today, had no problem when her mom decided to foster a litter of kittens that desperately needed her help during the pandemic. On the contrary, she was all for it!

“The COVID-19 outbreak hit, and I was sheltering at home,” Benken explained. “I was looking for something to do. Who doesn’t enjoy cute little kittens? I saw it as a great opportunity.”

Indeed, it was a great opportunity for both Kendal and Truvy to show some love to the cute little kittens. Indeed, a few days later, Benken brought three kittens at home. According to Jelly’s Place animal shelter in San Pablo, California, the kittens needed round-the-clock bottle feeding, and Benken was more than happy to offer it to them.

But, as soon as Truvy saw them she claimed them as hers. She was like “Let me at them!” and approached them like a good mama would do.

Since the kittens were brought in, Truvy has been by their side all the time. Even when Benken approaches them to feed them, Truvy tries to push her away because she feels that someone is trying to reach her babies. Benken even had to remove her from the room in order to properly feed them!

“When I was trying to get the feedings done I’d have to put her out of the room, she would try to manage me,” Benken said. “When I’d let her back in, she would run over, check them, clean them and smell them. She has taken such ownership of them. She takes that role very seriously.”

But that’s not all. Benken also has other dogs in the house. Of course, Truvy has made it clear that no other dog is to approach her kittens and she’s very serious about it.

Now, what will happen when the kittens find their forever homes, which will probably happen soon?

Benken believes that it will be a shock for Truvy at first, but she’s planning to make it up for her by fostering a new litter soon after they’re gone.

What a heartwarming story of interspecies love and affection! You can watch how fond Truvy is of the kittens in the video below.

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Source: The Dodo, Jelly’s Place, Facebook