Stray dog spotted breastfeeding kitten along a busy street

The photo has touched hearts online, with commenters hoping the pair finds a home

A passerby shared a photo of the two animals, showing the kitten pressed against the dog and appearing to nurse while the dog lies on the pavement.

“Nadaanan ko sa Mckinley Road Telus sa likod ng Jollibee..para maka survive kaya sila ganyan cguro,” a member of the “DOG LOVERS PHILIPPINES” Facebook group wrote in the caption of their post on Oct. 3.

One commenter speculated that the dog may have lost her own puppies after they were rescued, leaving the kitten to nurse from her.

“Siguro may kumuha mga anak niya, ni-rescue siguro tapos siya lang naiwan kaya inadopt niya yung pusa,” the commenter wrote.

There is no confirmation that the dog previously had puppies, that they were rescued, or that she adopted the kitten.

Another commenter expressed concern that the dog may have been separated from her puppies.

“Kawawa naman, kahit sinong ina mawalay sa anak malulungkot,” the commenter wrote.

The commenter also hoped that if the dog’s puppies had been adopted, their mother could have been taken in as well.

“Sana kung inadopt yung mga puppy sinama rin si mamadog, kawawa naman.”

Another commenter hoped someone would adopt the pair, pointing to the difficulty stray animals face in finding food without human care.

“Kawawa naman. Sana may mag-ampon sa kanila. Ang hayop, kapag walang nag-aalaga at nagpapakain, magugutom sila. Hindi katulad ng tao na kayang maghanapbuhay para may makain,” the commenter wrote.

The concern comes amid the wider problem of animal homelessness in the Philippines. A 2024 estimate from the Mars Petcare Pet Homelessness Project cited in a Senate statement placed the number of stray cats and dogs in the country at 13.11 million.

With limited funding and congested facilities, animal welfare advocates have also raised concerns about the fate of impounded stray animals, including cases where animals may be euthanized when pounds cannot accommodate them.

Lawmakers and animal welfare groups have pushed for more systematic spay-and-neuter programs, including trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR), stricter enforcement against pet abandonment, and measures such as tax incentives and adoption programs to encourage people to take in homeless animals.

As of writing, there is no update on the whereabouts or condition of the dog and kitten.

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