Miniature dog adopts tiger

A miniature Pinscher dog in Germany has adopted a baby tiger.

The tiger, named Siera, was born at the end of December in a circus based in the town of Wülfrath. But her mother couldn't give her any milk so she had to be hand fed from a baby bottle.

Despite this Siera hasn't gone without motherly affection. When she was born the circus's miniature Pinscher Susi was having a phantom pregnancy and adopted the baby tiger as her own.

Siera is now three months old and is bigger and heavier than her foster mother.

According to their owner, Ramona Fischer-Althoff, Susi is still clearly the boss: "Although the dog is smaller than her, she's able to stand her ground with the tiger. She has real respect for the dog.

"I think it will continue like this for another few months. At the moment I can still take her for walks and things. But once she reaches a certain size, she'll have to be put together with the other tigers and so she'll have a new life."

For Siera this will mean performing in the circus ring, for which she'll soon begin her training. But for now she can still have fun with her foster mother Susi.

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