Warning: This might be the cutest story you read all year.
When Steve Lamplough heard his dogs barking on Thursday in his backyard, he didn’t really think much of it. It wasn’t until he stepped outside to have a look at what was causing the commotion that he came across an unexpected sight.
His nine-year-old golden retriever, Denni, had a baby koala on her back, with its little paws clutching the fur around Denni’s neck.
“She came running over and she had this koala joey on her back,” Steve told Yahoo News.
“It looked quite hilarious, especially when she was running. It was like a little jockey on her back. It really was, it was bobbing up and down just like it.”
Steve wasn’t quite sure what to do next, but knew he had to get the joey off and safely back to its mum. He got Denni to sit, and walked around behind her and lifted the little koala up.
The joey was quickly reunited with its mother in a tall gum tree on Steve’s property. Source: Steve Lamplough
“We’ve got one great big massive manna gum tree, we get quite a few koalas through here and they sit up that tree. So I put her up there, then want back to Denni and made sure she was ok,” he said.
Denni, who he described as a “placid, friendly” dog, was totally unharmed and even appeared to have enjoyed her cute encounter.
After about 15 minutes, Steve checked on the baby and found that it had already been reunited with its mother. He still has no idea how it managed to find its way on to Denni’s back, but said it’s a story he’ll never forget.
“It was unbelievable,” he said.
Just days after sharing the adorable images on his local Facebook group, the photos have been picked up by other pages and have since gone viral. Some have even questioned if the photos are AI – a suggestion that makes Steve laugh.
“It’s unreal,” he said of Denni’s sudden fame. “Certainly a lot of people have got some pleasure out of it.”
Denni (right) with the family’s other pups, Quinn and Lexie. Quinn is Denni’s son. Source: Steve Lamplough
Unfortunately, not all koala encounters with dogs end as well as this one. In south-east Queensland alone, it is estimated around 300 koalas are killed each year due to dog attacks.
Authorities urge dog owners to take extra care around koala breeding season, which typically occurs between July and September.
What to do if you find a dead or injured koala:
If you find an injured koala, contact your local wildlife rescue organisation.
If the koala is dead, check the pouch for young and report your findings to the rescue team.
If the koala is alive, avoid interfering if possible and wait for the wildlife carer to assess the situation.
An injured koala can be confined by gently placing a large box or bin over it.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
