Stanley is a two-year-old dachshund who instantly established an unlikely friendship with Aayla, a rescued seal. Stanley was on vacation when he met Aayla. Although it’s easy for dogs to make friends with their fellow dogs, making friends with other animals is unusual.
Aayla and Stanley first met at the Sea Life Trust Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall. Melanie, Stanley’s fur mom, was taking a vacation down there. It was very unlikely to form a friendship at the first meeting, but for Stanley and Aayla, it wasn’t the case. During their first meeting, Aayla approached Stanley by swimming straight up to the window.
It was Aayla’s way of greeting Stanley. The effort didn’t go to waste as Stanley greeted back his newfound friend. They spent approximately 20 minutes striking a pose together. Melanie was surprised by the instant connection between Stanley and Aayla.
Stanley, according to Melanie, could be mistaken for a seal because of his small stature. He was also wearing a fleece jacket and snood that made him look like a small seal. His outfit was enough to get Aayla’s attention. Aayla was fond of interacting with her furry friend, Stanley. When asked to pose for pictures, Aayla would tilt her head to get closer to Stanley.
Melanie thought that the seal was curious, and it was the reason she came up to Stanley. Melanie hadn’t seen anything like their pose. Even though Stanley had a lot of dog friends, it was the first time that she connected with a different animal.
The photo that Melanie captured showed that two different species could become best friends. Aayla was a resident of the sanctuary since 2018. Although one of her flippers was partially amputated, it didn’t stop her from having fun and making friends. The sanctuary is now Aayla’s permanent home, and she hoped that Stanley would return soon.
