Baby animals are incredibly cute, but they’re also extremely vulnerable.

Just like human babies, they need the loving attention and protection of their parents in order to make sure they grow big enough to be able to take care of themselves — even when they start out pretty big like this adorable baby elephant!

Unfortunately, this group of baby opossums in Brazil didn’t have that luxury. Their mother was attacked and killed, leaving the four tiny siblings completely helpless in a dangerous world.

Luckily, someone discovered the little orphans and brought them to pet behaviorist Stephanie Maldonado. She immediately tried to turn them over to a nearby wildlife rescue group, but as is so often the case, the refuge was full.

So Maldonado decided she would care for the little passel (that’s what you call a group of baby opossums — isn’t that adorable?) until something else could be arranged. Little did she know, her sweet dog Pretinha would step up to be the mother they really needed.

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