Meet Frederik the Great: A Gorgeous Friesian Stallion

Frederik the Great is a gorgeous and beloved Friesian stallion and it's not difficult to understand why after watching the majestic animal gallop and prance, showcasing his signature power and grace. In a video uploaded to YouTube on July 21, 2012, Frederik's owners at Pinnacle Friesians reference his worldwide appeal, describing the striking physical beauty and playful "showy" personality that make him such a captivating horse to behold.

Reminiscent of the stallion in Anna Sewell's classic book, "Black Beauty," Frederik the Great is the standing stud at Pinnacle Friesians, a renowned Friesian breeder located in the Ozarks of the United States. It's there that breeder Stacy Nazario selects their stallions in an effort to preserve the bloodlines of this remarkably magnetic horse. Nazario feels particularly passionate about Frederik, telling Twin Springs Equestrian Center that the horse is like her "guardian angel." She specifically recalls Frederik's tender and attentive behavior after she broke her foot several years ago, demonstrating their deep emotional bond.

According to the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA), the Friesian horse's roots originate in the Netherlands. Eventually exported to other parts of the world, it risked being crossbred and losing its purebred pedigree. (Pinnacle Friesians notes that the Friesian has almost gone extinct three times throughout history.) Yet the horse association states that thanks to the efforts of a small group of Friesian enthusiasts in the early 20th century, the breed has managed to endure.

The Friesian horse, which the association notes is known for its "high knee action" that makes it an excellent trotter, is undeniably special. Whether because of the breed's resilience over the centuries or its strikingly handsome appearance, the Friesian is mesmerizing to watch — even for individuals who know nothing about horses. However, Frederik the Great truly stands out as an equine treasure thanks to video footage like this, and Nazario's anecdotes on his tender-hearted disposition make him that much more lovable.

FOLLOW US!

A Family in Laguna Beach Says a Coyote Attacked Their Dog in Their Home

Los Angeles, California - A family in Laguna Beach says a coyote attacked their dog in their home.

Dog owner John Fischer says the coyote must've ran up the steps in his front yard to get inside his house and snatch his Chihuahua.

Fischer says when he heard the commotion in the middle of the night, he hurried down the hall and was stunned at what he saw.

"I saw him [the coyote] bolt and he definitely had something in his mouth, and it was white," Fischer told CBS Los Angeles.

The Fischer family's little white chihuahua Eloise was gone.

Surprisingly, this is not an uncommon story in the Laguna Beach area.

In the past, police have warned Laguna Beach residents to keep their small pets inside, after a series of small dogs were attacked by coyotes.

No matter what, Fischer says, pets in his neighborhood are getting attacked on a weekly basis and he is demanding the city step in to help.

"I'd hope that they'd be removed safely, but taken to where they belong," Fischer said.

"It's like two worlds colliding and it's just not working," he added.

Fischer says he will now keep his doors closed at all hours of the day, and is warning other residents to do the same.

We tried talking to animal services, but no one was available.

"We feel victimized at this point and it's to where I don't feel safe in my own house," Fischer said.

FOLLOW US!

Two Brothers Hunting in the Canadian Woods Free Bald Eagle and Take Epic Selfie

Two brothers, Michael and Neil Fletcher were hunting in the Canadian woods when they found a bald eagle caught in a hunter’s trap.

Instead of letting it suffer there, they covered the bird and freed it.

"It was attached to a stake and the eagle was trying to fly up, but it only had a foot of slack in the chain," Michael told the Sudbury Star.

Michael put his hoodie over the eagle's head while they worked to release it from the trap.

Once the bird was free, they went to set it loose, but first ... they took a selfie to capture the unforgettable moment!

"I was surprised by the size, and that it's such a beautiful bird," said Michael. "When you see the eyes up close, they're really amazing."

FOLLOW US!

Tennessee Bride and Groom Lets Dog Film Wedding Video

Most couples spend a fortune on wedding photographers, but one Tennessee bride and groom went a different route.

Addie and Marshall Burnett strapped a GoPro camera to their beloved Siberian Husky, Ryder, and let her capture their special day - and the results were doggone good!

A two-minute YouTube video of Ryder's footage has been viewed nearly 3.5 million times since it was posted earlier this month.

"On November 2nd, 2014, Addie and I got married on the top of Roan Mountain, TN, in 2 feet of snowy wonder," Marshall wrote in the description for the video. "It was cold and magical. Our dog, Ryder, insisted on filming the wedding video, so we let her do her thing. She took a while to edit the footage, but we think she did a great job."

On "Fox and Friends Weekend," Addie explained that they love Ryder like a child, so they knew that she was going to be a part of their special day.

Marshall said that they decided using Ryder as their photographer would be a fun way to include her. They didn't have any expectations for how the video would turn out or how incredibly popular it would prove to be.

"It's been really touching to see people's comments on the video ," Addie said. "A lot of people have been emotional and said it's brought tears to their eyes. So it's really cool just across the board to see different people's perspective and take from the video."

Watch the "Fox and Friends Weekend" interview  and see Ryder's handiwork below:

FOLLOW US!

Family Sues ‘People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) for Euthanizing Pet Chihuahua

A family is suing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals after workers for the nonprofit snatched a pet Chihuahua off their porch and killed it.

Wilber Zarate and his daughter, Cynthia, seek more than $9 million. They each sued the Norfolk-based animal rights group Tuesday in Norfolk Circuit Court for $2 million and are asking for $5 million in punitive damages. Zarate and his daughter also are suing PETA workers Victoria Carey and Jennifer Woods for $350,000 each.

A PETA official declined to comment on the suit Tuesday, saying the group hadn’t read it yet.

Carey and Woods went to the Zarates’ trailer park home in Accomack County in October 2014 and took the young girl’s 3-year-old Chihuahua, Maya, off the family’s porch, according to court documents.

Carey was a contract worker for PETA and had been the nonprofit’s human resources director. Woods is PETA’s senior communications administrator and had volunteered to go with Carey on her own time.

Maya was euthanized that day, but state law required her to be held for five days.

Cynthia was distraught after Maya was killed, Zarate said of his daughter in the lawsuit.

“She cried for weeks, became lethargic, lost sleep, refrained from eating and lost weight,” he said. “Maya was irreplaceable.”

Carey and Woods had come to the park before Maya was taken. The trailer park’s manager had contacted PETA after a group of residents moved out, leaving behind their large dogs, Zarate said in his lawsuit. The PETA workers developed relationships with residents and promised to find good homes for their dogs once they caught them.

A security camera shows two children trying to lure Maya off the porch, according to the lawsuit. When they fail, Woods plays lookout while Carey snatches the dog. Carey and Woods paid the kids to coax the Chihuahua, Zarate said in the suit.

Four months after euthanizing the dog, PETA admitted it euthanized Maya and apologized.

In February, Daphna Nachminovitch, a PETA senior vice president who oversees the team that was responsible for the euthanization, said Carey mistook Maya for another Chihuahua.

Zarate said Carey met Maya during one of her visits and promised to get her vaccinated, Zarate said in the suit, adding that she never did.

The state conducted an investigation and determined that PETA violated state law by failing to ensure that the animal was properly identified and failing to keep the dog alive for five days before killing it, according to the notice from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Because of this “critical finding” and the “severity of this lapse in judgment,” the agency issued PETA the organization’s first-ever violation and imposed the largest fine allowed, $500.

“We were pretty devastated that this happened for obvious reasons,” Nachminovitch said after the investigation’s results were made public. “It shouldn’t have happened. It was a terrible mistake.”

PETA has made several changes to prevent such an incident from happening again, Nachminovitch said in February. Field workers who pick up animals now must complete a form to verify that all proper steps have been taken. Supervisors also must approve unscheduled “animal surrenders” in the field.

Carey’s contract was terminated, and Woods kept her job.

FOLLOW US!

A Photo Posted to Facebook of a Dog with its Muzzle Taped Shut has Gained Worldwide Attention

A photo posted to Facebook of a dog with its muzzle taped shut has gained worldwide attention and created a social media frenzy.

The photo with the caption "This is what happens when you don't shut up!!!" was posted to a Facebook page belonging to a woman named Katie Brown, who according to her page lives in South Daytona.

Brown's post was shared more than 260,000 times since it was posted Friday morning.

The South Daytona Police Department received hundreds of calls from around the state, country and world including people from Canada, Germany and Australia, which spurred them to investigate the case.

Police learned the woman was out of state with the dog when the photo was posted.

"Police will be contacting this person once she returns to our city," police posted on the City's Facebook page. "Rest assured that a full investigation will be done and appropriate action will be taken. Again, thank you for the outpouring of concern and sharing of information."

Police later confirmed Brown has not lived in South Daytona for more than a year.

Police are now asking people to stop calling, sending emails and Facebook messages because their system was overwhelmed.

"Our email server has gone down, our station computers have gone down and out phone lines are having issues due to all the attention," said South Daytona Lt. Daniel Dietrich on Saturday.

After hearing the woman wasn't found, activists on social media then took it upon themselves to continue investigating.

Soon tips started rolling in to South Daytona police that the woman could be in Connecticut. Dietrich said the woman's family confirmed she had moved to Avon, Conn. about a year ago.

Calls then started flooding into agencies there including the Connecticut Emergency Animal Response Service (EARS) with tips about the woman's possible whereabouts.

"It has amazed us at how quickly this story is spreading and how many people are aware of it," said Jon Nowinski, Director of Operations at EARS. "It's great to know there are so many who care about the welfare of animals in situations like these. It's important people know their voices are heard and make a difference."

Nowinski said they received 70 calls within a few hours Saturday afternoon with tips. He said they're working with law enforcement to locate Brown.

"Her residence is listed as Florida, but apparently she has family here and that's why it is believed she may have been in our state," he said. "She apparently has family in Avon and Torrington and recently posted things from that area."

Brown posted again to her Facebook page shortly after people began to comment on the photo: "I can't lie. I did it for sixty seconds. It was time out and no more barking."

Then after the post garnered more attention she posted again.

"Don't panic everyone it was only for a minute but [the dog] hasn't barked since... POINT MADE!!!" the post read.

Dietrich said officers checked the woman's previous address in South Daytona and spoke to her son.

"He said the dogs are in good health and cared for," Dietrich said.

Brown could not be reached for comment.

FOLLOW US!

New Toy for Senior Citizens: Robotic Cats

If a real cat isn't an option for you, this could be a way around that.

The toy company Hasbro is offering a new adult toy, Companion Pets, targeted specifically for seniors. The "Joy for All" pets are robotic cats that "look, feel and sound like real cats," Hasbro says.

There are three different-colored cats to choose from on the website. 

FOLLOW US!

An Autistic Boy Finds The Meaning of Love…Through a Pit Bull

Humans often face a lot of difficulties. Whether it’s financial, emotional, or physical, life is rarely easy. Joey, a boy with autism, had a hard time adjusting to many things. He especially had a hard time expressing love and affection, but that all changed once he met Roxy. Watch their amazing story unfold right here.

FOLLOW US!