This monastery adopted a stray dog, and he’s the cutest four-legged friar

27 February 2020, 15:09

One stray pooch, now known as Friar Moustache, has found his forever home – and it’s at a monastery.

You’ve heard of herding dogs and rescue dogs... now get ready for friar doggo.

One Franciscan monastery in the buzzing city of Cochabamba in Bolivia decided their community was missing a mascot.

So, the monks adopted Carmelo, a bearded, lively Schnauzer, from the rescue organisation Proyecto Narices Frias (Cold Noses Project).

To give Carmelo a proper welcome to the family, he was given his own set of traditional robes.

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“We had some puppets in the church that amuse children,” one friar told local television channel ATB. “And one of the puppets was wearing a habit, so we thought we’d use it.”

And what a perfect fit.

The inspiration behind their furry friend’s monastic nickname, Friar Bigotón – which translates to Friar Moustache – was sparked by the pooch’s adorable, and rather impressive, bushy moustache.

Even though Carmelo has some naughty tendencies (he’s partial to hiding things in the garden), the residents of the monastery say their pint-sized ‘brother’ has brought them plenty of joy.

Just from these heartwarming photos, it’s clear that Friar Moustache has found his perfect home.

By sharing the pictures, the monastery hopes it can encourage more people to adopt pets.

Read more: Curious and loving dog almost ruins a live orchestra concert >

The monks have clarified that Carmelo only wears his traditional dress on special occasions. We can’t imagine the mischievous creature would keep them on for any longer anyway.

Saint Francis was known as the patron saint of animals, so it seems only natural that a Franciscan monastery would welcome a four-legged member to the community...