Caitlyn, The Pit Bull Who Was Found with Her Muzzle Taped Shut Will Be in Shirtless Firefighters Calendar

Is it getting hot in here, or is it just some shirtless firefighters cavorting on the beach, alongside a formerly abused pit bull?

Caitlyn the pit bull was discovered with her muzzle taped shut in late May, in North Charleston, South Carolina.

She was so badly injured at the time that staff from the Charleston Animal Society, which assumed Caitlyn's care, worried she might not make it.

But after a lot of medical treatment, and a whole lot of love, Caitlyn is doing great. (Her alleged abuser was arrested and charged with animal cruelty in early June.)

She's now recovering in a foster home, where she has a new best doggie friend.

And in her spare time, Caitlyn is starring with area firefighters in a really, really ridiculously good-looking calendar -- the proceeds of which will help other abused, abandoned and neglected animals also get medical care.

"I do have a fun job, don't I?" says Charleston Animal Society's Caroline Eller, who organized the calendar and took some of its especially memorable behind-the-scenes shots.

Eller says that on top of raising much-needed funds -- medical care costs the Charleston Animal Society some $500,000 per year -- she hopes that this calendar encourages folks to adopt their next pet.

"I'm a firm believer that an animal knows they have been rescued," she says. "I hope these images show the true bond between a rescue and their rescuer."

And hey, you don't need to commit arson to get these guys coming to your home.

The Charleston Animal Society has lots and lots of adoptable animals who'd love to be loved by you.

And if you're burning up for the 2016 Charleston Animal Society Firefighters, you can pre-order HERE.

You can read previous stories on Caitlyn here: Caitlyn the Dog Who Suffered Grotesque Injuries After HerSnout Was Taped Shut with Electrical Tape is on the Mend

Dogs and Fireworks Don’t Mix: Did You Know that More Pets Go Missing During the Fourth of July Weekend than Any Other Time of the Year?

Washington, DC – Flashing lights and loud booms may be exciting for some during the Fourth of July weekend, but for pets, it can be a nightmare.

The unfamiliar noise, rush of bright lights, swarms of people, strange smells and sometimes firework debris falling, can prove to be too much for your beloved pet, sending them leaping over, through or under the fence.

More pets go missing during the Fourth of July weekend than any other time of the year, according to the American Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

“Every year we see several more pets get loose and run the neighborhoods during the Fourth of July weekend,” Scott Giacoppo, chief of field’s services for Washington Humane Society, told WJLA in an interview.

“We anticipate this will happen and thus, have extra personnel and patrol staffed.”

Giacoppo went on to say that this situation isn’t much different than the reaction you would see with pets and thunder, but with fireworks, it can be nonstop.

Sadly, when pets run away in fear, they cause not only a safety threat for themselves, but also for others. Sometimes, pets run in front of cars, causing major accidents, unexpectedly being struck and killed.

Giacoppo said it is important to keep your pets inside, in a safe and secure location this holiday weekend, but if they are otherwise anxious, it may be worth talking to your vet about alternative solutions.

David Wright, dog trainer in Los Angeles, lists some dos and don’ts to keep your pet(s) safe, and your sanity:

DO

• Get collar IDs and microchips.
• Use a crate or keep animals in a room where they can't flee.
• Crank up music or the television to mask the sound of fireworks.
• Provide water and food: Fear makes dogs pant, and unfamiliar food makes them anxious.
• Offer chewable toys or treats as a distraction.

DON'T

• Take a pooch to see fireworks unless it's a noise-trained police K-9 or guide dog.
• Leave them outside, where they jump or dig to escape the yard.
• Approach dogs who look scared because they can attack.

Man Scales a Four Story Building to Rescue a Dog

A dog was rescued from the roof of a four-storey building in a dramatic video posted online.

The incident took place in Russia and was captured on camera by a local resident, who filmed the dog barking anxiously from a rooftop in Saratov.

In the clip, a man can be seen bravely scaling the building in an attempt to get to the dog and rescue it from the huge drop.

While it is unclear whether the man is attached to a harness, he does appear to receive help from an additional two men who stand on the roof with him.

After approaching the dog, the man attaches a lead to it and begins pulling it away from the edge of the roof and towards safety.

But despite his best efforts, the frightened animal fights against the man and makes it difficult for him to complete his rescue operation.

Eventually the man is able to maneuver the dog towards his two accomplices who pull it to safety.

The video concludes with the rescuer lying on the roof as the other two men continue to tend to the dog.

According to video maker, it is unclear who owns the dog and how it was able to gain access to the roof.

Mutilated Animal Carcasses Found Around Sacramento, California

It started when someone left a 120-pound cow head in a park.

At first, investigators in Sacramento wondered if that someone was a hunter, one who had accidentally left something behind. Then another cow head appeared nearby not long after, followed over the next few months by a series of gruesome packages containing dead goats, chickens, rats, fish, lambs and even a tortoise, according to the Sacramento Bee.

In most cases, the carcasses being left around California’s capital city are headless, but strangely blood free, aside from one instance in which a package contained bowls of what was described as “bloody oatmeal,” the Bee reported.

Since the first cow head was discovered in December, authorities have logged at least a dozen instances of mutilated animals being found around the city, often near train tracks, according to NBC affiliate KCRA.

The killings almost always involve livestock, and never cats and dogs, investigators say.

In March, the Humane Society offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the mutilations.

“These animals were mutilated and killed for no apparent reason and discarded as though they were trash,” the Humane Society’s Eric Sakach said at the time. “We are hopeful that this reward will bring forward anyone with information about these disturbing crimes.”

But more than six months after the killings began, authorities say they still don’t know who, or what, they’re dealing with.

Gina Knepp, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento Department of Animal Control, told Reuters that some packages have included bloody dollar bills, oil and seeds that are known to be used in some Afro-Caribbean religions.

And yet, she admits, investigators are stumped.

“It’s bizarre,” Knepp said. “We don’t know if it’s religion; we don’t know if we have a sick individual in our community that simply likes to cut the heads off animals and dump them where people can see them.”

On Monday, the city released surveillance footage that appears to show a woman dropping off bags that included a beheaded goat carcass, as well as red hens, a rat and a catfish.

The woman, who struggled with the weight of the object, can be seen getting out of a white van and dropping off the packages before getting back into the vehicle less than a minute later and driving away.