"Lucky" might not be the first word you'd use to describe a dog left abandoned, starving and abused in a rough neighborhood near Miami, a dog whose front paw had been cut off. But on Wednesday, the year-old pooch trotted happily on her new plastic and carbon-fiber limb, seeming quite pleased with the odd path her life has taken. In only her first year, "Little" Debbie, a now-65-pound, gray-and-white pit bull named after the snack-food treats has gone from abused pup to media darling, earning the attention of "Good Morning America," the staff of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and dog-lovers across the country who wanted to help her. "She's lucky," says Chaya Springer, the 24-year-old Oviedo engineering student who was selected from a pool of applicants to adopt Debbie. "In fact, we're all just lucky that everything worked out. … She's going to be a track star now." She's also something of a celebrity these days at Orlando's ABC Prosthetics and Orthotics, which has donated its services to Debbie. The place sees her when appointments for human clients have finished for the day. "When Debbie comes in, everybody here gathers around her and makes a big fuss," says office manager Laurie Saunders, who has a three-legged dog of her own, named Tres. "She is the sweetest girl. All she wants to do is give you kisses." It's especially noteworthy considering the dog's wretched start in life. A couple of children playing in a Hialeah neighborhood where county law prohibits people from owning pit bulls found Debbie last spring when she was only a couple of months old. She was lying on the ground, her front paw severed, her leg infected, her body gaunt from starvation. The kids carried the pup back to their mother, who bandaged the paw and promptly called Animal Services which, in turn, took the dog to Michelle Rodriguez, co-founder of 1 Lucky Dog Rescue. "She was very scared but very sweet," Rodriguez says. "We don't know what happened to her paw, but because it was taken off so cleanly, it looked like it was intentionally cut." Prosthetics for dogs and cats and horses and even whales, have been around for more than a decade. But though costs are considerably less than for humans, the fitting and molding still run several hundred to several thousand dollars per device. And a dog is likely to need a series of replacements during its life span, both from changes in weight and normal wear and tear, not to mention errant chewing. "Because dogs and cats bear about 60 percent of their weight on the front legs, they adapt pretty well to missing a back leg," says Longwood veterinarian Dr. Rick Marrinson. "But if it's a front leg, the problem you have is that eventually the other front leg is going to break down. The joint will likely become arthritic and degenerate from the extra pressure and compensation." Rodriguez knew this. She also knew that a little media attention on Debbie's predicament might bring the offer of a prosthetic limb that her nonprofit rescue group couldn't otherwise afford. Around and About Inc. in Plantation answered the call, and by late May, Debbie had her first prosthetic leg. That's when ABC's "Good Morning America" and several Florida stations picked up the story. And that's when Chaya Springer, who happened to be looking for a second pit bull to add to her little family, happened to see it. Springer and her boyfriend, who were house-hunting at the time, had already adopted an 85-pound pooch named Chopper from the SPCA of Central Florida. "When I saw this story, I just knew she was perfect," Springer said. "I instantly knew that she was meant to be ours." But it would take two more months for them to bring Debbie home. First they had to apply. Then they had to drive to Miami for a meet-and-greet, one of about a dozen applicants, and they had to bring along Chopper. "I instantly loved Debbie, Michael instantly loved Debbie, and Chopper acted like she didn't even exist," Springer said. "I told him, 'You're hurting our chances!'" He was. Rodriguez worried the dog's aloof reaction might turn to aggression when Debbie moved in on his territory. But after prolonged pleading by Springer, and a move from Plantation to Orlando by a one of the prosthetic fitters on Debbie's team, Rodriguez was swayed. On July 12, Springer met Rodriguez at a toll plaza along the Florida Turnpike. That night, Chopper curled himself protectively around his new roommate and even shared a toy. And now, Debbie has her fourth , and perhaps final prosthetic, at least for a while. ABC donated the labor and new limb, as it has for other dogs. The latest model, with its molded plastic, cushioned liner and hinge-shaped carbon-fiber foot, is worth about $600. "We just have to watch her when she has it on," Springer says. "We have to make sure she doesn't eat it."
A young horse who escaped her handler in France did not give customers at a nearby bar a good punchline, but she did give them quite the scare. Guest saw the horse approaching the establishment but did not expect the animal to come through the door. When she did the patrons were shocked. Security footage captured the moment that drinkers had to flee in a panic as the horse burst into the bar. The horse's trainer, Jean-Marie Beguigne, said the horse had dumped her rider at the Chantilly race course stables, less than a mile away, and made a run for it. Mr. Beguigne said the horse had a tendency of trying to escape but said it was “exceptional” that it had made it as far as the bar. The “parched” racehorse ran to the nearest watering hole, which happened to be a sports betting bar near “Chateau de Chantilly.” While the horse’s bar visit happened last month, video of the equine encounter quickly went viral after appearing online this week. “There was quite a panic. I still can’t quite believe it happened,” said the owner, Stephanie Jasmin. There were no injuries and the horse showed no signs of anxiety or trauma.
Lions, tigers, and leopards tend to get most of the attention when it comes to the world of wild cats, and for good reason. These big cats are pretty amazing—but they’re not the only ones who should steal all the limelight. Why’s that, you ask? Well, it’s because there are some other unique wild cats out there that are just as deserving of our adoration—and it’s about time they were recognized for it. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the caracal. Not only does this russet-hued wonder have a fascinating history, but it’s also absolutely stunning to behold! This magical creature is called a caracal, and even if you’re a huge fan of animals, chances are you’ve never seen one before. Look at those crazy ears! Can you honestly say that you wouldn’t remember seeing a kitty as cool as this one?
While caracals are technically considered to be “small cats” in the animal kingdom, that kind of classification depends on your definition of “big” versus “small.” The truth is that they’re actually quite large, weighing up to nearly 50 pounds in some cases!
Caracals’ coats can range from pale beige to bright red depending on their region of origin. For example, if a caracal lives in a place that is covered in yellowish sand, it’s more likely to boast a yellow coat. That is evolution at work!
Caracals are usually solitary animals, but they can sometimes be found in mated pairs. With their short tails and tufted ears, the caracal resembles a desert lynx or a bobcat if you’re looking to make comparisons to other wild cat species.
Caracals can easily climb trees, but that’s not the only place in Mother Nature’s domain that they might take refuge. These curious creatures also dig burrows where they raise their kittens until they’re able to venture out on their own.
Caracals actually have a fairly good rapport with humans and are sometimes kept as pets in areas of the United States where exotic animal laws allow it. Can you imagine shooing a cat this size away from your computer?
Their name is derived from the Turkish word karakulak, which means “black ears”—and you can see how fitting that is. While everything about this cat is beautiful in its own way, those striking black ears are definitely its trademark.
Caracals can survive with very little water. In fact, they get most of their water from their prey! (Thanks again, evolution!) Because these animals have limited access to fresh water most of the time, they have been biologically designed to thrive without it.
Caracals typically consume rabbits and rodents, but like most cats, they have a real taste for birds. The fact that they can climb up trees and grab one as a snack means they can enjoy one of their favorite treats whenever the mood strikes them.
Just like your own house cat, caracals are diurnal animals, meaning they are most active at dawn and at dusk. You know how your cat can get a case of the “midnight crazies” on certain occasions? That’s their diurnal nature at work!
In ancient Iran and India, caracals were used as trained hunting animals. If you were to come across one posed in an aggressive position like this particular caracal, you can easily understand why they might have been put to work on such a task.
As exceptionally high jumpers, they were especially useful when it came to hunting birds. While other cats might bat at birds and hope to bring them down, the caracal can usually jump up and pluck them from the sky.
Their babies, while not the best hunters, are also adorable. Some day these kittens will grow up to become fearsome hunters just like their parents, but for now, their full-time job is simply being fuzzy and cute! They seem to be nailing that requirement, huh?
Human teenagers might go through an awkward phase, but for a growing caracal, there is simply no such thing. They just go from teeny, tiny wild cats to slightly larger ones! It’s almost as if they have to grow into their ears, too.
Just look at this guy! Can you see the appeal? Their unique look is exactly why someone might think it’s a good idea to own a pet caracal if they ever got the chance. Those expressive brows are just too much!
While they might be big cats, at heart they are just like house cats. Like the rest of the small cats out there, caracals may purr when content. They make a variety of other mews, growls, and hisses to express their moods, too.
Caracals aren’t afraid to go after bigger game, either. They won’t hesitate to kill large prey like the adult springbok, which is a type of antelope that can grow to over six feet tall! When was the last time you ate something bigger than your body? (Never!)
The caracal is a fast animal, too! They can move at a speed of 50 miles per hour, and sometimes more. They can outrun animals such as antelopes and ostriches, which might explain how they manage to hunt down prey larger than they are.
Don’t worry: even if the caracal can’t finish an entire ostrich, it doesn’t let anything go to waste. Just like leopards, caracals sometimes store their leftovers in the trees and bushes for the ultimate midnight snack.
Now that you’ve been introduced to the caracal cats, you’ll probably want to do a little bit more research on them for yourself. Just look at those faces and try to resist them. It can’t be done!
These guys are just so adorable, it’s impossible not to love them! Can you believe that you went this long without even knowing this wild cat existed?
According to pet insurance companies, ear infections are one of the top reasons people visit a veterinarian. This painful condition could be alleviated if dog owners were more consistent about caring for their dog’s ears, such as frequent inspections, and weekly cleanings. These 21 Breeds Are At The Highest Risk of Ear Infections If your dog has floppy ears, in other words, the ear itself folds down over the ear canal, they are at a higher risk than other dogs for infections. The following breeds (and their mixes) are particularly prone to ear troubles: For more information, click here:If Your Dog Is One of These 21 Breeds, It’s Vital To Clean Their Ears Weekly
In a world that relentlessly enforces limits, the love of a pet is a refuge for unconstrained emotion, especially for a child. Here’s the moment when I knew. Juliet — the wiry lab-mutt we’d recently adopted from the pound — raced into our bedroom. In her enthusiasm, her gangly paws entangled a loose rug and she lost her footing. She catapulted through the air, an ebony mass of fur soaring toward the bed where our three-week old infant was lying flat as a Kansas pancake. It happened so quickly that all I could do was watch in fear as she plowed toward our 7-pound baby. It was over in a split second. Somehow, in all of Juliet’s airborne frenzy, she managed to retain awareness of that speck of life beneath her and landed four paws safely around the baby. That’s when I knew everything would be fine. We parked the baby’s bassinet atop Juliet’s crate — our earliest iteration of bunk beds — and the love affair began. A dog is both Rorschach and receptacle, a two-way highway for love unbounded and unadulterated. In a world that relentlessly enforces limits, the love of a pet is a refuge for unconstrained emotion, especially for a child. It became even more apparent as Juliet aged. That infant on the bed is finishing high school, with two other teenagers right behind. While adolescents tend to be blithely self-centered in all manner of human interaction, when it came to Juliet, my three were solicitous, tender and concerned. They treated her as a treasured child whose every fault could be forgiven and whose every personality quirk was lauded like a work of Mozart, retold with the pride of parentage. To read more on this story, click here:Nursing Juliet
Most of the world’s leather comes from India, where animal-protection laws are blatantly ignored. Cows like these are forced to march for days to their own slaughter, and they do so without food, water, or medical attention. In India, it’s illegal to slaughter calves or milk-producing cows—but this, like so many other laws, is often disregarded. To read more on this story, click here: 25 Images That'll Make You Never Want to Wear Animals
Artificial insemination isn't new, but the technique is still breaking new ground -- and it might just save one of the world's better known species. South Africa's University of Pretoria has successfully used artificial conception with lions for the first time, producing two cubs (Isabel and Victor, above) who've been healthy since their birth on August 25th. This wasn't a simple case of repeating familiar methods, either. The researchers relied on a new approach that could represent a breakthrough for species conservation. After collectiong sperm from a male lion, the team gauged the hormone levels of eligible females through blood samples to see when they would be well-suited to carrying the cubs. The only requirement was training the lionesses to rest next to a fence so that they could readily provide samples. Previous methods would have required moving the lions out of their existing habitat. Here, the females could stay in their existing environment. To read more on this story, click here:Artificial Insemination Used to Breed Lions for the First Time
Our pets are the sunshine of our lives. Their affection, their love, and sometimes, just them being themselves, light up our entire day. But there are moments when even these love- showering creatures do not come to terms with us. Just like this cockatoo, who, in the video below, is not just upset from her dad. She is so furious that she can be heard swearing all her anger away. Pebble, an angelic looking bird, is a beautiful cockatoo who seems to be very calm. However, the reality is far from that. She seems to be completely unable to express her anger vocally. Recently, Pebble’s dad had asked her to get inside her cage, which she clearly wasn’t happy about. That is why she started swearing her heart out at him. As she screamed the nasty words, she flapped her wings and puffed her crest to make sure her dad notices her rage. To see more pictures and the video, click here:Angry Cockatoo Starts Cursing At Her Dad After He Asks Her To Go To Her Cage
"Lucky" might not be the first word you'd use to describe a dog left abandoned, starving and abused in a rough neighborhood near Miami, a dog whose front paw had been cut off.
