While a full grown donkey can weigh anywhere between 180 and 1,100 pounds, Tiny Tim is stealing hearts with his small stature.
At only 70 pounds, Tiny Tim is what his family calls a miniature donkey. As far as they know, he's one of a kind. The adorable barnyard animal showed up in Jody and Ted Topping's life unexpectedly. The couple didn't know their two donkeys had bred, and one day Jody walked into the barn to find a newborn baby sprawled in the hay.
About the size of a cat, Tiny Tim wasn't doing well. His mother rejected him, and he needed immediate help to survive. Jody brought her new bundle of furry joy into the house after several unsuccessful attempts to encourage natural nursing.
For the first days of his life, Tiny Tim needed to be fed via bottle every 20 minutes. Eventually, he could go every hour. The little baby slept in a playpen in the Topping's bedroom for the first four months, and for everyone involved, the mini donkey was part of the family.
Donkeys are most known for being farm animals best kept in the barn, but Tiny Tim is not your average donkey. Now seven months old, he sleeps in the mudroom and weighs as much as a large dog - he acts like one, too! The Toppings told PEOPLE that he takes after their two family dogs in both behavior and personality. The donkey loves to play fetch and lick the dishes clean, and he's even house trained and sleeps on a dog bed with his canine siblings.
Most days, Tiny Tim either spends time with his loving family or goes out trotting around their 113-acre farm near Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He has a sweet personality, but that doesn't stop him from getting into his fair share of mischief. He's been known to pull all the couch cushions onto the floor and rearrange the patio furniture when no one is looking.
The Topping family is in love with their miniature donkey, and they think his sweet personality and adorable spunk may benefit others. They're working on getting him certified as an official therapy donkey so he can spread smiles in an official capacity. For now, he visits the local library to meet with fans of all ages.
Everyone who gets the chance to meet Tiny Tim falls in love. His Facebook page quickly earned over 120,000 followers, and the videos of the spirited cutie have surpassed five million views. The world seems to have fallen in love with the adorable little donkey, and it's easy to see why.
What do you think of Tiny Tim the Mini Donkey? Let us know in the comments.
WATCH NOW: Donkeys Make Great Therapy Animals
