Like many other people, I'm a sucker for interspecies friendships—they just make me so happy! And here's a pairing I hadn't come across before—Svenn the otter and Pernille the pug. They clearly have a great affection for each other, which is so adorable to see! Svenn is an abandoned otter who was found by his human family, who live in Norway, in 2019. They took care of Svenn while he was young and helped him learn how to swim and catch fish. Their three pugs all get along with Svenn, but the youngest, Pernille, is especially smitten. Svenn and Pernille play hide and seek and fetch, and cuddle and snuggle together. Currently, the family sees Svenn less and less, as he's mostly living out in the wild again, with occasional visits. Svenn's family tells their story to In Otter News:
"Svenn came in to our family, a late August night. We heard something screaming outside and after a couple of hours we decided to go out to try to figure out where the noises were coming from. We found Svenn in our garden, and we were sure he wouldn't have survived the night in his condition. We brought him inside, gave him food and tried to call "wildlife experts" to ask for advice. But nobody knew!"
"The day after we found out that two other otter babies had been found in the same neighborhood, so something definitely had happened to his mother. We decided the best thing for Svenn was to let him stay over the winter with us (as they do with their mother), and we will do everything we can to help him, so he can survive and be free again."
"We are going to release him when the spring/summer arrives. We will miss him, but we're sure we'll see him around. Our house is close to the river, and he will have the opportunity to come and go as he pleases. If this will doesn't succeed, we'll have to find some other solution for him. But one step at the time, and we're trying our best ❤"
My favorite parts of the video, below, are when Pernille is licking Svenn (so cute!) and when Pernille and the other pugs are pulling Svenn through the snow for belly sliding fun! As with all instances where humans are taking care of rescued wildlife, Svenn's family stresses that: "Svenn is NOT a pet, and he never will be." They go on:
"He is a wild animal who lives a bit differently than other otters in his first year. He walks free. We take him to the river/sea every day. He is afraid of other people outside our family, (as he should be) and yes, he goes outside to pee. He socializes with the dogs, but protects his food, and has a lot of wild instincts we're trying to keep."
Follow the adventures of Svenn and his human family on TikTok or Instagram.
