An adorable orphaned goat has been adopted by two unlikely parents – enormous St Bernard dogs.
The unlikely trio came together when Hans the goat arrived on a farm in Belgium after his mother had died, and the goat’s owners realised they couldn’t bottle-raise the new-born.
Hans immediately gravitated towards the farm’s two gigantic pooches, named Julie and Basiel.
The inseparable trio enjoy daily naps and walks together with their owner Isolde Mattart near to their home in Damme, Belgium.
Student Isolde, 23, said she her dad was a vet and she had been surrounded by animals her whole life.
She said: “We have 3 dogs, 6 cats, a donkey, a shetland pony, lots of chickens and ducks, a goat and some turtles in the pond.
“Basiel is much younger than Julie but Julie is incredibly sweet and tolerant towards other animals and Basiel has copied her behaviour.
Hans was drawn to the canines from the start and they were happy to lend him a paw and make sure he is comfortable in his new home.
“He learns a lot from the dogs,” Isolde Mattart told The Dodo. “He loves sunbathing with the dogs, he loves going for walks with me and the dogs, but he likes napping with the dogs the most.”
Mattart isn’t surprised that Hans chose Julie and Basiel as his new buds; many of the animals on the farm gravitate to the calm and loving pair.
Julie, aged six, and Basiel, three, have a history at being with peace with farmyard animals.
While most small creatures might be terrified of the sight of one of the world’s largest breeds of dog, Hans and co clearly don’t mind.
