Out in the quiet countryside near Portland, Australia, Steve Lamplough and his dogs enjoy plenty of space to roam. Their 5-acre property is full of wildlife — especially koalas, who often wander in to snack on the leaves of a big manna gum tree in the yard. The dogs usually watch them curiously but respectfully from a distance.
That’s why what happened one recent morning left Lamplough absolutely stunned.
After hearing his dogs barking, Lamplough stepped outside to investigate. His 9-year-old golden retriever, Denni, came bounding toward him — looking extra proud. When Lamplough looked closer, he realized why.
Riding on Denni’s back was a tiny koala joey, clinging tightly to her golden fur.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Lamplough told The Dodo. “Then I thought, ‘How the heck am I going to get it off her?’ It was so funny — the koala looked like a little jockey bobbing up and down while Denni ran.”
Denni, who Lamplough describes as gentle and deeply affectionate, has always had a strong maternal side. While she’s seen plenty of koalas before, she’s never had one this close — let alone riding her like a horse.
Lamplough thinks the joey may have fallen from her mother or wandered off exploring when Denni came over to check on her. In her confusion, the baby likely mistook the kind retriever for her mom and climbed aboard for comfort and warmth.
“Both of them looked totally calm,” Lamplough said. “Denni was wagging her tail like she was proud to show me her new little friend.”
Koala joeys usually spend their first six months in their mother’s pouch, and after that, they ride on her back until they’re about a year old. It’s currently breeding season in the region, so koalas are moving around more than usual — making the baby’s little mix-up understandable.
Knowing he needed to reunite the joey with her real mom, Lamplough carefully stepped in.
“I told Denni to sit,” he said. “Then I gently slipped my hands under the joey’s arms and eased her claws free. Once I set her on a nearby tree, she climbed right up.”
Fifteen minutes later, Lamplough checked again — and was overjoyed to see that the mother koala had returned and reunited with her baby.
Denni’s adorable rescue moment quickly went viral after Lamplough shared it online. For him, though, it was simply a heartwarming reminder of how gentle and caring animals can be.
“Seeing something like that firsthand was incredible,” Lamplough said. “It’s a moment I’ll never forget — and I think Denni was just as proud of it as I was.”
