Being a dad means loving and nurturing another being with all your heart.
You don’t have to have human children to be a great dad. In fact, as the fathers below prove, you don’t even have to be human to be a terrific parent!
1. Grieving dog dad has sweetest reaction when wife surprises him with new puppy.
After Joie Dyanna Stockton and her husband tragically lost their beloved Doberman, it took a while to get past the grief. When the time was right, Joie surprised him with a new puppy, and his reaction is just plain beautiful.
2. This baby donkey can’t get enough of her dad’s singing and our hearts are melting.
Dawn and Dean Fagan are living their dream raising miniature donkeys on their farm in Marengo, Ohio. Dean is a bit of a “donkey whisperer,” so when a new baby was born, he held her in his arms and sang “What The World Needs Now Is Love.”
Ivy the baby donkey absolutely melted… and so did we!
3. Devoted dad lends dog with disability his legs so he can play with his friends.
A dog named Canelo suffers from a condition that makes it hard for him to run and play with other pups. His dad makes sure Canelo has fun, too, by picking the dog up and helping him run free with the pack.
4. Orangutan steps up to raise his daughter after her mom passes away unexpectedly.
It’s rare for male Sumatran orangutans to raise their young, yet when the Denver Zoo in Colorado suddenly lost a 32-year-old female two years after she gave birth, her partner stepped up to care for their baby.
5. This Bengal cat and his “Cat Dad” have shared a beautiful friendship for over 14 years.
Mango Brown cannot get enough of his favorite person! These two BFFs have been together for most of Mango’s life, and they share their close bond on their popular Instagram page.
6. Dog dad rents giant billboard to celebrate his best friend’s birthday in style.
Maxx Chewning of Stafford, Texas, adopted a labradoodle named Dood as a puppy, and now they’re the very best of friends. When Dood turned 1, Maxx went all out to create the perfect day for his buddy, even renting a billboard with a special birthday message!
7. Chatty cat has cutest conversations with his favorite human.
When Javier Negrete adopted an orange cat named Kermit, he had no idea he was bringing such a chatty companion into his life! He and Kermit now have entire conversations, and it’s equally odd and adorable.
8. Dad didn’t want “bald” bird, but now their bond is adorable.
A Goffin cockatoo named Fefe used to have a tough life. The bird was neglected in a small cage for so long that she plucked out all of her own feathers. Thankfully, animal lover Eve Butler saw past her appearance and brought her home. Eve had no idea that Fefe was about to steal her man!
9. Photographer captures beautiful way this man helps his dog live life to the fullest.
Photographer Cameron McClure of San Francisco, California, was hoping to capture local wildlife by the river one day. Instead, she saw true kindness in action.
10. Twenty-one dads with the dogs they “didn’t want.”
These fathers swore up and down that they didn’t want to get a dog, but once the pup was in their home, they changed their tune!
11. Dad working from home has hilarious interactions with dog “bosses.”
Like many people, Victoria Madore’s dad worked remotely during the novel coronavirus pandemic. As he got used to working from home, he started documenting his interactions with his new coworkers, family dogs Emmy and Cotton. His posts were an instant hit online!
12. Cat dad brings winter indoors so “snow kitty” can play.
Dibs the cat wasn’t adopted; he was the one who adopted his humans! Once he got into his new home, his parents discovered a strange quirk: Dibs is obsessed with snow!
13. Rescue pit bulls form life-changing bond with veteran dad.
Palace spent 20 years in the military and had a difficult time transitioning to civilian life. Adopting two rescue pit bulls turned out to be the perfect way to make him feel right at home again.
14. Twenty-five “cat dads” who aren’t ashamed of a good cuddle.
They may look tough on the outside, but these cat dads become huge softies whenever their favorite felines are around!
15. Man becomes dad to Ben Afquack the duck and now they’re total bros.
Derek Johnson of Minnesota has had a handful of pets in his life, but his favorite one by far is a Pekin duck he calls Ben Afquack. These two buddies do everything together. Ben even rides shotgun on Derek’s scooter!
Happy Father’s Day to all the two- and four-legged dads out there! You make the world a better place!
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