A North Carolina animal rescue group says a donkey and an emu who've bonded with each other can stay together, thanks to actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays the villainous Negan on the TV zombie thriller "The Walking Dead."

The Charlotte Observer reports Carolina Waterfowl Rescue Founder Jennifer Gordon says Morgan is adopting them Tuesday.

Jack and Diane were rescued from Kershaw, South Carolina, when their owner vanished. Gordon says they cuddle and sleep together, but cried and became frantic when they were separated.

Gordon says a post about the complexities of adopting them out together sparked more than 2,000 inquiries, including Morgan's. She says Morgan was the best choice since he has resources to care for the pair and they can roam free on his Hudson Valley, New York, farm.