Police officer rescues kitten and raccoon found cuddled together in dumpster

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A Knoxville, Tennessee police officer has been receiving a ton of praise after he discovered a kitten and a raccoon cuddled together in the corner of a dumpster keeping each other warm. On the Facebook page for the Knoxville Police Department, Animal Control Officer Nick Powell had been responding to a report of an animal stuck in a dumpster. Oh my! When the officer arrived, he found the unlikely pair snuggled together as if they had been friends since birth.

Knoxville Police Department Animal Control Officer Nick Powell responded recently to a call of an animal stuck in a dumpster at the E-911 Center on Bernard Avenue. When Officer Powell looked inside the dumpster he located tow unusual companions – a kitten and a baby raccoon – cuddled in the corner keeping each other warm. Both animals were rescued by Animal Control Officer Powell.”

The department did post a happy update on Thursday; the kitten has been transported to Young Williams Animal Center and the baby raccoon was relocated and released.

(Photos of kitten and raccoon rescued via Knoxville PD)

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3 teens accused of stoning a swan to death in Italy

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Three teenage boys from Denmark, aged 16, 17, and 17, have been accused of killing a swan after pelting the animal with rocks during a school trip to Lake Garda in Italy.

“It was very violent and happened in front of a lot of people. So we want to make an example,” stated police officer Frnacesco Milardo in the town of Peschiera del Garda, reports the Local.

According to the police report, the boys had been walking along the lake when a swan hissed at them and puffed out its chest. With witnesses present and outraged, the boys threw stones at the swan and didn’t stop, even when the animal ran away and tried to hide in the tall grasses. The swan died as a result of its injuries.

A youth court in Venice has been informed of the incident, and it is expected Italian authorities will be in touch with the teens even though they have returned to Denmark. Animal cruelty convictions in Italy can result in prison sentences ranging for four months to two years, however it is unlikely the teens will receive such a strict sentence. More than likely, they will face fines.

Such examples of animal cruelty by teenagers send shivers up all of our spines.

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Sleepy badger found napping in cat bed in a house in Scotland

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On Wednesday, the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) were called to a home in the Beecraigs Country Park section of Linlithgow where humane officers couldn’t help but smile when they spotted a badger fast asleep in the resident’s cat bed.

According to the Scottish SPCA Facebook, Animal Rescue Officer Connie O’Neil said,

“I got a surprise when I arrived at the property and saw a badger having a nap! He had gotten in through the cat flap and had eaten all the cat food before going for a sleep on the cat bed. He didn’t seem too happy when I tried to move him, but I was able to slide the cat bed round and it was then the badger noticed the back door was open so made a run for it.”

Superintendent of the humane organization explained it was very unusual for a wild badger to enter a house and encourage residents to call the helpline before attempting to approach any animal.

“Lie all wild animals, badgers can be aggressive when injured or cornered so we would advise not to go near them without giving us a call first.”

Still it was, without a doubt,  an adventure to bring a smile to our faces. No humans nor animals injured in this encounter.

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Watch a joyful reunion between a soldier and her ecstatic dog

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‘A thousand souls’: Safari West lost his own home protecting wild animals from Tubbs fire

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Peter Lang, the 77-year-old owner of Safari West, a wildlife preserve located in Santa Rosa, lost his own home to the fire after making the immediate decision to save the animals. The 400-acre facility located on Porter Creek Road was in the fire’s direct path. One-thousand animals were at risk of perishing in the fire; Lang, however had no intentions of giving up.

According to the Press Democrat, Lang stated:

“I have a thousand souls I’m responsible for,” stated Lang as he walked the grounds, dense smoke still shrouding pens and other outbuildings. “It wasn’t even a decision. This is what I had to do.”

As the fire approached, Lang’s wife, employees and 30 guest were ordered off the premises. Armed with garden hoses, Lang began spraying the hot spots threatening the safety of cheetahs, giraffes and rhinoceroses. By daybreak, Lang’s home had been destroyed by the fire, but every animal was safe. Staff from the Oakland Zoo were on standby to attend to the animals just in case. Fire departments were there to help. Small animals, that could have been affected by smoke, had already been evacuated and had left in the employees vehicles on Sunday evening.

An update on the fire and the status of the preserve was posted on the organization’s Facebook page Tuesday evening:

“Thank you for all the messages of love and support. So many of you have offered to donate money or establish funds in our name and we are stunned and humbled by your generosity. Please, if you do feel compelled to make a donation, direct it to a charity or organization that benefits all the victims of this terrible event. Our Safari West family has suffered but we are not alone and our fellow citizens of Sonoma, Napa, and surrounding counties are all dealing with the same heartache and loss. Thank you again for thinking of us.

Today we were able to get some core staff back on site to tend to animals and deal with some of the damage. We are still working to assess the situation and won’t have a full idea of where things stand for some time. Towards the end of the day we evacuated most of our personnel back beyond the fire lines. Tonight a skeleton crew including some keepers and a veterinarian will continue to tend to the animals and do what they can to defend the preserve.

At this point our fences are still intact with all animals contained, accounted for, and safe.”

Tragically the fire has yet to be contained, and dangers still exist. The fires have already burned 27,000 acres and has been blamed for 11 deaths.

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(Photos screenshot from video and Safari West Facebook)

Video:

 

 

 

Teens arrested for beating opossum with baseball bat as they held it over a dog

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In Summerville, South Carolina, four teens have been arrested in connection with the beating of an opossum with a baseball bat as its torturers held the terrified animal by its tail over a dog. The egregious deed had been recorded on video and then shared on Snapchat. 

According to the Journal Scene of Summerville,  David Lucas, spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, said two adults and two juveniles have been charged with misdemeanor ill treatment of an animal. Those charged are Bethany Polutta, 18, and Austin Kizer, 19. The other two suspects involved are minors and have not been named.

An investigation began in September after screenshots of the animal abuse circulated online. Agency officials received still shots from a Snapchat video allegedly showing the individuals beating the animal inside a garage. There was such outrage at the intentional cruelty, Renate Hartland, a wildlife volunteer in Seattle, started an online petition addressed to Dorchester County Solicitor David Pascoe demanding the suspects be charged with felony animal cruelty which would carry a harsher punishment of at least 180 days in jail for the abusers. The Change.org petition, which has since garnered nearly 35,000 signatures, is asking for the more serious punishment than the misdemeanor abuse charge which carries a maximum 90 days in jail/$1,000 fine.

“The animal suffered repeated, persistent, merciless pain. The pain and suffering inflicted upon the opossum goes far beyond anything tolerable in a decent society. This is not ‘generic’ animal suffering, this is specific torture and torment,” the petition reads.

Opossums are not dangerous animals as long as they are not cornered. The marsupials help to eliminate snakes, rodents, insects and carrion. They are efficient at getting rid of ticks responsible for Lyme Disease.

A Facebook page A Light For Hope was developed – the tortured opossum  named “Hope,” urges the solicitor to prosecute the case.

“The first signature is as important as the last and every signature in between! The Petition is printed and on it’s way to South Carolina…….4.5 lbs worth of overnight mail! Beth Sparks will be hand delivering it to the solicitors office on Tuesday……..Monday is a holiday. Here it is……every single voice calling for justice for Hope…..from all around the world!
Our team thanks every single one of you for your support. Stay with us, this fight is just beginning.”

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You can’t help but smile at these fuzzy calves!

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Ten-year-old girl revels in the attention after shooting her first black bear

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In Hartman, Arkansas, a ten-year-old girl has been garnering a lot of attention – much of it critical, after killing a black bear just days after hunting season began. Ayla Highfill has already hunted and killed deer, squirrels and other animals and looks forward to hunting more prey.

According to News5, Ayla and her father Cory went on a hunting trip over the weekend. When Ayla heard noises of leaves crunching, she soon spotted the huge black bear walk by.

“When I shot it, it just kind of ran towards us and then in a big circle and it went down a hill,” Ayla stated.

According to her father, he set his daughter up for the shot.

“In the culmination of a hunt like that, you’re 19 yards from a grown black bear with a kid. You know they’re learning a lot about poise and self-control and self discipline. For me, that was a big deal to share all of that with her and see it materialize into something she is proud of,” Cory told reporters.

Ayla has been hunting since she was six-years-old and says it is one of her favorite hobbies. Her father said the family did eat the bear meat, and Ayla intends to use the bear’s fur for an area rug in her bedroom.

If you are wondering about a minimum age for hunting with guns, Arkansas laws are as follows:

No age limit under the direct supervision of a hunter w/ valid hunting license & 21+ yrs old.
· Hunter education is required if born after Dec. 31, 1968
· At 16 years of age a Arkansas hunting license is required
· http://www.agfc.com/

Some states have no hunting age requirements for big game hunting, but most states have a minimum hunting age. Most states require some sort of hunter education course and firearms safety instruction is a must. Every youth hunter should be familiar with the firearm and it’s safety before venturing out to hunt. For more information about your state, click here.

Thoughts about youngsters hunting? Please weigh in.

(Photo of black bear killed via screenshot News5)

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Family’s rescued dog ballooned to dangerous weight – now she is getting life saving help.

Sneaky horse gets stuck in window – watch the video of the rescue effort here

Alaska man wakes up to family of eight Lynx playing on his porch

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In Anchorage, Alaska, photographer Tim Newton woke up to a noisy party on his front porch last week. And there they were; a family of eight Lynx playing on the deck – momma kitty with her seven little ones. On Newton’s Facebook, he posted many of the delightful photos and described his experience:

“Tim was awakened by noises on our deck last week – and looked outside. In astonishment, he grabbed his camera.. and can you believe it? Mama Lynx and her SEVEN kits!! She called to them and they all lined up right outside in front of where he was standing (he was inside the screen door!) Amazing ALASKA WILD LIFE!!! (They proceeded to run and play on our deck, and then in our yard!)”

It had been on September 19 when the family gathered on Tim’s neck. They had been running back and forth in playful kitty antics when Tim heard the strange noises. Pulling back the curtains, Tim originally thought the visitor he first spotted had been a domestic cat, but as the youngsters played, he noticed the long tufts on their ears and their huge paws.

What could be cuter than the litter of kits frolicking in the early morning hours – mom watching over her babies very carefully, but enjoying their carefree antics? In a few minutes the family disappeared towards the northern side of the home. It was then Tim heard the mother’s distinctive Lynx meow. Apparently she had been calling the kittens, and as  the tall grass moved, tiny camouflaged little ones ran towards their mom.

Clicking away with his camera, Tim could hardly believe his luck. One click did alert the mom, who momentarily checked the photographer out from behind the screen door, but no worries there, and the kittens turned the deck back into their playground. It had been an incredible 40 minutes of having a close encounter with one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful creatures just enjoying being free.

 

” You can now view Tim’s photos and buy prints of your favorites at:

https://tim-newton.pixels.com/ – thank you for your interest and following me. I am so happy you all are enjoying them so much!”

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Special dogs help little girl who lost her leg to infection

Russian fishermen rescue two drowning bear cubs from lake

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In a heartwarming video showing us the kindness and compassion of humans, fishermen plucked two drowning bears cubs out of Lake Vygozero in the Karelia region of Russia. The film shows the amazing trust the two babies placed in the tourists as they clung to the side of the fishing boat.

According to the Daily Mail, the cubs may have lost sight of their mother as they crossed the lake and weren’t able to swim the distance needed to get to the other side. The frightened little ones were sinking and would have surely drowned without the intervention of the kind tourists. Their eyes and expressions of fear showed on their tiny faces.

“They had swum across the lake with their mother,” stated Rusian Lukanin, a tourist from Moscow, “but she overestimated her strength and swam away. The cubs began to sink. We picked them up and dragged them to the island to which their mother had swum.”

Knowing they were taking a chance rescuing the cubs because who would know the reaction of a mother bear if she couldn’t understand the tourists were trying to save her babies, along with the cubs still being dangerous, but despite their razor sharp clubs, the men spoke softly to the cubs encouraging them to just hold on to the side of the boat.

“Take a rest, little one, take a rest. Hold on, hold on, But what if he bites us,” one man said.

“No, he won’t,” replied the second man, “he’s just clinging on for his life.”

“Hold on, Hold on. Look he uses his paw to hold. Need to help him, to hold his bum,” the men decided.

The fishermen placed a net under the rear ends of the cub to help him keep a hold of the side of the boat, and even though they admitted the babies were quite heavy, the men finally reached the other side of the lake. Once they arrived, the exhausted rescuers struggled to lift the babies using the netting and helped the weak little ones to the edge of the forest hoping their mother would find them.

(Photos and video via YouTube)

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Could you say no? Would you risk your own personal safety to save the cubs if placed in the same position?

Check out the video for the heartwarming story:

Chinese villager arrested for capturing and later gutting rare white dolphin

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Witnesses in Ningde City in China’s eastern Fujian Province used a cellphone to video a local villager capture a rare white dolphin, tie it to his boat and later gut it – uploading the disturbing viral video to social media.

According to the Daily Mail, the video has garnered more than 20 million views. The dolphins, (Sousa chinensis) affectionately known as “mermaids”  and “the pandas of the sea” are endangered species. It is believed to have been captured in the East China Sea and not identified by fishermen  as the rare breed. It is not known if the animal was caught by accident or intentionally, but instead of notifying officials, the villager tied the dying animal to his boat and brought it back to shore where he gutted it.

The villager claimed the animal was dead when he found it and brought it on shore. The man was arrested by the Fujian Ocean and Fisheries Bureau for failing to alert authorities. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the dolphin as “near threatened,” and it remains on the “Red List.” Chinese white dolphins are protected in China; the same status given to giant pandas, Siberian tigers and snow leopards.

An investigation continues.

(Photos of the rare animal via YouTube screenshots)

Graphic Video: Contents may not be suitable for all viewing audiences

Coyote in Alabama snatches three-month-old puppy from backyard

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In Mobile, Alabama, a family is mourning the death of the their three-month-old Jack Russell and Chihuahua mix puppy from their back patio by a coyote. Multiple pet owners have recently reported their pets missing, and last week small traps near the Yester Oaks neighborhood had been set up. Since then, one coyote has been trapped.

Charles Buford never expected any predatory animal to sneak into his yard, and when he discovered his family’s puppy missing in the morning, was sure someone had stolen the pup. In West Mobile, in an area where most families have their backyards fenced, a coyote managed to sneak into the Buford yard and snatch the family’s puppy named “Spot” from his little bed. A home surveillance video confirmed the attack, and as the coyote ran off, Spot could be seen in the animal’s mouth.

Buford’s young daughter Destinee cried as she told reporters from Fox News how she would play with her puppy the moment she came home.

Rest in peace Spot. Why didn’t your family keep you inside their home at night?

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(Photos via screenshots from video and Fox News)

Video can be viewed by clicking here.

 

 

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