Serpent
11-16-2004, 04:51 PM
From:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Woman-breastfeeds-dog/2004/11/17/1100574501641.html
Woman breastfeeds dog
November 17, 2004 - 10:05AM
A New Zealand woman says she is breastfeeding her staffordshire bull
terrier pup because she wants the dog to protect her baby girl as the pair
grow up.
Kura "Kat" Tumanako, of Hawke's Bay, on the north island, said she started
breastfeeding the pup after her own baby stopped taking her milk.
"I didn't want to waste it so I gave it to Honey Boy," she said.
The pup was instantly hooked and has been having two feeds a day for the
past week.
Ms Tumanako said she would probably wean the puppy off in six weeks time.
Her baby, Honey Pauline Philomina Flo, was born on August 29 and is now on
bottled milk.
"I wanted to raise it (the pup) with my baby," Ms Tumanako said today.
"I wanted to bring it up with a baby. It will protect her as they grow up."
The pup came from a litter of 10.
"He drinks more than the baby. It doesn't hurt, but it's a little bit
ticklish," she said.
Ms Tumanako who is two months pregnant, said she did not care what people
thought about her breastfeeding the pup.
"It's my life, my responsibility. I make my own choices," she said.
"I'm going to look after me, my baby and my puppy."
Hastings veterinarian Sharon Marshall said it was uncommon, but not
unheard of, for one species to provide milk to another.
"But from a veterinarian viewpoint it's always better for any species to
have its own milk. If a ***** was available that would have been better,"
Ms Marshall said.
She knew of instances where a sow had given milk to puppies and dogs
giving milk to cats, but had not heard of a human breastfeeding another
species.
"It's not going to hurt the puppy. I would be more concerned for hygiene
issues for any baby sharing the milk," she said.
Victoria University associate professor of anthropology Jeff Sissons said
he was familiar with a practice among women from Papua New Guinea hill
tribes who breastfed pigs, but he had not heard of any other instance of a
human breastfeeding another species.
The national president for the SPCA (Society of Prevention of Cruelty),
Peter Mason, said there was nothing in the Animal Welfare Act that applied
specifically to a case like this, but he had some concerns that the dog
could develop long-term behavioural issues.
"It doesn't sound like the animal is suffering. It's not a cruelty thing
as such," Mr Mason said.
The director of La Leche League, a support organisation for breastfeeding
mothers, Rosemary Gordon, said she had heard of anecdotal cases involving
mothers giving their milk to household pets or sick or elderly relatives,
but she felt the matter was "beyond the league's area of expertise".
- NZPA
http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Woman-breastfeeds-dog/2004/11/17/1100574501641.html
Woman breastfeeds dog
November 17, 2004 - 10:05AM
A New Zealand woman says she is breastfeeding her staffordshire bull
terrier pup because she wants the dog to protect her baby girl as the pair
grow up.
Kura "Kat" Tumanako, of Hawke's Bay, on the north island, said she started
breastfeeding the pup after her own baby stopped taking her milk.
"I didn't want to waste it so I gave it to Honey Boy," she said.
The pup was instantly hooked and has been having two feeds a day for the
past week.
Ms Tumanako said she would probably wean the puppy off in six weeks time.
Her baby, Honey Pauline Philomina Flo, was born on August 29 and is now on
bottled milk.
"I wanted to raise it (the pup) with my baby," Ms Tumanako said today.
"I wanted to bring it up with a baby. It will protect her as they grow up."
The pup came from a litter of 10.
"He drinks more than the baby. It doesn't hurt, but it's a little bit
ticklish," she said.
Ms Tumanako who is two months pregnant, said she did not care what people
thought about her breastfeeding the pup.
"It's my life, my responsibility. I make my own choices," she said.
"I'm going to look after me, my baby and my puppy."
Hastings veterinarian Sharon Marshall said it was uncommon, but not
unheard of, for one species to provide milk to another.
"But from a veterinarian viewpoint it's always better for any species to
have its own milk. If a ***** was available that would have been better,"
Ms Marshall said.
She knew of instances where a sow had given milk to puppies and dogs
giving milk to cats, but had not heard of a human breastfeeding another
species.
"It's not going to hurt the puppy. I would be more concerned for hygiene
issues for any baby sharing the milk," she said.
Victoria University associate professor of anthropology Jeff Sissons said
he was familiar with a practice among women from Papua New Guinea hill
tribes who breastfed pigs, but he had not heard of any other instance of a
human breastfeeding another species.
The national president for the SPCA (Society of Prevention of Cruelty),
Peter Mason, said there was nothing in the Animal Welfare Act that applied
specifically to a case like this, but he had some concerns that the dog
could develop long-term behavioural issues.
"It doesn't sound like the animal is suffering. It's not a cruelty thing
as such," Mr Mason said.
The director of La Leche League, a support organisation for breastfeeding
mothers, Rosemary Gordon, said she had heard of anecdotal cases involving
mothers giving their milk to household pets or sick or elderly relatives,
but she felt the matter was "beyond the league's area of expertise".
- NZPA