Key points:

• First-time painted dog mother abandons 8 pups at Potawatomi Zoo.
• Golden retriever named Kassy becomes surrogate mother to pups.
• 3 pups survive despite initial struggles due to missing pack interactions.
• Pups, named Blue, Red, and Orange, won’t immediately rejoin painted dog pack to avoid conflict.
• Story highlights animal care difficulties, endangered species survival, and zoo conservation efforts.

Additional details:

• Painted dogs endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_wild_dog