When the Cincinnati Zoo found themselves with three abandoned tigers, they weren't sure what they were going to do.

Their mother didn't really have the maternal gene and wasn't taking care of the cubs and because there were no other nursing tigers they knew they needed to find someone who would step in. Luckily, they had an unusual volunteer and the three cubs are going to be just fine.

Blakey the Australian Shepherd is the zoo's resident "nursery companion". He acts kind of like a nanny. He goes in with the young cubs and hangs out with them, teaching them the difference between playing and fighting, and gives the little babies a comforting parental figure to snuggle when needed.

The three cubs are named Chira, Batari, and Izzy and are not Blakey's first babysitting clients. He has previously spent time with cheetahs, an ocelot, a takin, a warthog, wallabies, skunks and even bat eared foxes.

The little tigers have been growing quickly since they were born on February 3rd, and are doing great. Between the care from the staff and the attention from Blakey, they are going to grow up as some of the most beautiful Malaysian tigers you will ever see!