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Service dog falls in love with Donald Duck at Walt Disney World

FILE PHOTO: A service dog recently melted the heart of a costumed performer portraying Donald Duck.
FILE PHOTO: A service dog recently melted the heart of a costumed performer portraying Donald Duck.
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Sept 24, 2019

They're nothing but big stuffed animals to some, but that didn't stop Nala, a 2-year-old service dog, from cuddling up to Donald Duck at Walt Disney World's Epcot park. The person in the duck costume took a liking to Nala, too.

Nala was visiting the park recently, as she and her handler Megan Leigh do frequently -- about two or three times a week, the Huffington Post reported.

They live in Orlando.

Leigh said "They (the park castmembers) love it when Nala comes to visit them," the Huffington Post reported.

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Nala, who is named after "The Lion King" character, also not only loves the character meet-and-greets and cast members but also the rides at the park, the media outlet reported.

"She loves the breeze that some of them give and she also loves the boat ride like Pirates of the Caribbean!" Huffington Post reported.

Leigh and Nala have been together since Nala was 8 weeks old. Leigh got Nala to help with various conditions, including, what Leah describes as high-functioning autism. Nala helps keep a buffer around Leigh in crowds, Huffington Post reported.

To follow Nala and her adventures, Leigh maintains an Instagram page and a YouTube channel for Nala.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hey everyone! I’ve gotten a lot of DM’s asking if they can say hi if you see us in the parks. I just wanted to make a post and share! • If you see us at Disney, and want to say hi, you can! • I *may* or *may not* allow you to pet or interact with Nala. It depends on a few things: how I’m feeling, if Nala is actively trying to task/do her job, and what we’re doing. It is not always a convenient time to stop, but sometimes it is OK! Totally depends on what’s going on for us. • However until then, I just ask that that you respect a few boundaries: • ✨ Please don’t call out to Nala to try to get her attention and please don’t talk to her (I know it can be hard to remember) ✨ Please don’t bend down to get on her eye level ✨ Please don’t pet her without asking first (I know she looks very soft!!) • At the end of the day, please remember that Nala is a working pupper. She has a big job and helps me with a lot. Disney is only required to allow service animals in the park, as while she does have fun, she gets to be at Disney because she’s a working dog! ✨

A post shared by ✨Disney’s Favorite Dog✨ (@helperdognala) on

About the Author

Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

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