Stray Dogs Show Up at Funeral Home: Attend Funeral of the Woman That Always Fed Them

Margarita Suárez, a humble woman from Mérida, Mexico, did not run a shelter or work with a registered animal organization.  She was not rich and only earned enough money to get by, however, she never hesitated to help animals in need. Suarez fed over 20 stray cats that came to her door every morning, and whenever she went out, she carried food to feed the stray dogs she met on the streets.

At the beginning of March, Suarez relocated to Cuernavaca, Mexico, for health reasons. There, she continued to feed and look after the homeless animals in her community. Sadly, Suarez’s health took a turn for the worse and she passed away. Family, friends and stray dogs attended her funeral.

Patricia Urrutia, Suarez’s daughter, said that on March 15, 2015, stray dogs started arriving at the funeral home early in the morning. At first she thought they were area dogs welcomed at the funeral home, but then she noticed the animals were entering the room where her mother’s body was resting. Urrutia asked workers if they knew the dogs and everyone said they had never seen them before.

When Suarez’s body was moved to the church, the dogs followed behind the funeral car, and when the body returned to the funeral home, so did the dogs.

Urrutia believes the stray dogs were some of the pets her mother fed and they came to show their respect. The dogs were respectful and some even played with funeral attendees. The pets only left once Suarez’s body was prepared for cremation.

Family members cannot explain how the dogs knew where they could find Suarez, but they were happy to see the dogs Suarez cared so much for, also loved her.

Washington, DC - Meet Mayni and Muniri, The Two Andean Bear Cubs at the National Zoo

On Thursday morning as zoo officials announced the bears’ names, they played in their yard. The zoo said in a Twitter message that they “just heard their first helicopter fly overhead and headed to Mom for comfort.”

After the public voted, the two Andean bear cubs were named, Mayni and Muniri

Mayni is a moniker that means “unique” in the Aymara language. Muniri means “loving” in the Quechua language. The names are meant to reflect the cultural significance of the indigenous peoples of the Andes region, to which the bears are native.

The 19-week-old cubs will go on display to the public, at 10:00 a.m.,  Saturday, Marcg 28th, weather permitting. The brother bears were much celebrated when they were born in November.

Telling the two black balls of fur apart is a bit tough, but zoo officials said the two cubs have distinctive facial markings. Muniri has a slightly longer light brown line in between his eyes; Mayni does not have such a pronounced line.

They definitely have different personalities. Zoo officials have said Mayni is a bit more rambunctious and “seems to need Mom’s attention a bit more than his brother.” His brother, Muniri, is described as playful and “likes to wrestle but is more laid back.”

Zoo officials said that now that the bears have been named, it will help staff members as they teach them certain behaviors like opening their mouth, showing their paws, getting up on a bench and lying down. These learned behaviors are necessary, zoo officials said, to help staff give them vaccinations and care for their health.

The cubs are trained one-on-one, and zoo keepers will call the cubs by their respective names into different enclosures, officials said. Every time a bear does one of its new, learned behaviors, the keepers will use positive reinforcement and call them by name. And they’ll get a treat — either grapes or peanuts, which are their favorites.

Animal Rescuing Really Does Work: Look At These Before And After Pictures of Rescued Cats

A pet cat will bring love and joy into any home that accepts them with open arms and hearts, but that love gains a special meaning when the cat is a rescue from the streets.

Many of these adopted cats have been saved from the brink of death. If you're considering getting a cat, we hope that this list will convince you to to adopt. They need your love!

David McCandless' New Book Knowledge is Beautiful, Ranks 87 Dog Breeds

This chart is from, from David McCandless' fascinating new book Knowledge is Beautiful, ranks 87 dog breeds and compares those rankings to the actual popularity of the breeds in the US.

The ranking is based on a number of factors: trainability, life expectancy, lifetime cost (including the price of food and grooming), and suitability for children, among others.

The result: Border Collies, according to McCandless, are the finest dog breed in existence. Labs, Beagles, and Golden Retrievers, while not at the very top, are other popular dogs (at the top right of the chart) that he rates highly.

On the other hand, the formula seems to penalize big dogs. German Shepherds, Great Danes, and Saint Bernards, all in the top left quadrant, are in McCandless' words, "inexplicably overrated." The formula also uncovers some overlooked breeds, at the bottom right, that should be more popular, like Border Terriers and Pointers.

Finally, on the bottom left, the chart shows the breeds that are unpopular and properly so: Old English Sheepdogs, Borzois, and Afghan Hounds.

To view larger image click here: Dog Chart