At WildSide Exotic Rescue in the West of England, Lindsay McKenna spent a long time trying to find the right place for George. The capybara arrived at the sanctuary in 2023 but never seemed to feel at home.
The sanctuary manager first did what seemed most natural: she placed him with the five other capybaras in a large enclosure, complete with a pool and grassy areas perfect for socialising. But things quickly went wrong.
“They were making aggressive sounds and would all start chasing him,” Lindsay McKenna told The Dodo. George just wasn’t fitting in and didn’t seem to enjoy the company of his own kind at all.
A capybara who thinks he's a dog
The team then tried a different approach, pairing him with just one other capybara. After all, these animals are known to be very social, usually living in groups of up to 50. But once again, it didn’t work out.
The keepers even started building him a completely separate space with a new pool, but to no avail. “He just kept jumping over five-foot fences to get back to the barn,” recalls the sanctuary's founder.
This behaviour was all the more surprising because capybaras aren’t known for climbing obstacles like that. And for good reason: George had never lived the life of a typical capybara.
Not native to the UK, he had been bought as an exotic pet when he was very young. After the authorities intervened, his previous owner was found to be unable to meet the required conditions for his care. That’s when Lindsay McKenna agreed to take him in.
While George's exact age is unknown, one thing is certain: he grew up in a house surrounded by dogs. It’s a detail that explains a lot.
“When he’s happy, he jumps and runs around a bit like a dog,” observes Lindsay McKenna. “He loves to lie on his back in the sun, ask for belly rubs… and if there are dogs on the sofa, he’ll make them get off so he can take their spot.”
After a year marked by seven spectacular escapes, the sanctuary team had to face the facts: forcing George to live in a traditional enclosure was only causing him stress.
An unlikely friendship blossoms
Since early 2024, George has been living mainly in the sanctuary's heated barn, free to roam as he pleases. In the mornings, he sometimes visits the meerkats for a massage. If they're not feeling cooperative, he turns to the raccoons, who are always happy to give him a back scratch.
But most of the time, he can be found lying next to Milo, a rescue dog at the sanctuary. “They're always together, either wandering around the yard or sleeping on the sofa,” says Lindsay McKenna. “Milo is truly his best friend.”
This canine companionship seems to deeply reassure George, providing him with a form of socialisation he can't find with the other capybaras. That doesn't stop him from having a cheeky side, though. “He’s a bit of a rascal,” smiles the founder. “He stands up on his front legs to try and steal food while it's being prepared.”
Rest assured, George is very well-fed on a suitable diet that includes pellets enriched with vitamin C, as well as peppers, broccoli, corn, and potatoes.
Although the whole team adores his quirky personality, Lindsay McKenna admits to a certain sadness. “Deep down, I would have preferred him to live outside with other capybaras, grazing,” she confides. “He was so domesticated, probably from a very young age, that he can no longer adapt to what he should be.”
So George will spend his life at the sanctuary, enjoying daily swims, naps on the sofa, and walks alongside Milo. A unique existence, but one that's perfectly suited to a capybara who never wanted to be like the others.
