Quick-thinking man plucks cat out of canal

This weekend marked the long May Day weekend in England, and Felix, an office cat from around the London Royal Docks, decided to wind it down by getting into a fight with another cat. However, the spat got a little out of control, and Felix took a spill into the Thames.

This could've been a real cat-astrophe, but a man identified by the Guardian only as a Royal Docks Management Authority employee saw Felix slip into the water and dashed to retrieve him. Luckily, Felix had crawled part-way up the side of the dock and the good human was able to grab Felix by the scruff and gently toss him back to dry land.

Apparently, neither one wanted to make a big deal out of the rescue. After a quick look back at Felix, the human retrieved a bag and walked off frame. Felix decided to sit quietly on the nearby stoop, recovering from his ordeal, perhaps contemplating whether this counts as one of his nine lives or not.

Source : mnn[dot]com

Maine Animal Welfare Advisory Council Meets to Revamp Draconian “Dangerous Dog” Laws

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A statewide animal welfare program in Maine called the Animal Welfare Advisory Council met today to begin discussions on reworking the “dangerous dog” laws in the state.  The board will meet regularly for an entire year to review the wording of the laws, in an effort to shift the burden of punishment away from the dog and onto the dog owner.

Along with holding the owners more accountable for their dog’s behavior, the board will also discuss having a statewide database pertaining to dog attacks, complaints and bites.  There have also been a lot of other early suggestions overheard pertaining to mandatory signage on properties with dogs and requiring additional insurance to be carried by dog owners should problems arise.

“Over the past two to three years, there have been some extraordinary bite cases in places throughout the state where the law just does not meet the situation,” said Liam Hughes.  Hughes is the director of the Animal Welfare Program.  “The most difficult case I’ve worked on recently is the case in Corinna, where the child died.”

According to Hughes, he plans on contacting other states and other state animal control officers for input on the laws as well.  He’ll be looking for examples of what works well and what seems to cause more problems.  They won’t simply be compiling a list of what others have done and just go with that, but the additional information is beneficial in ensuring that the best decisions are made.

“We don’t have to copy directly off of somebody else’s work, but we can use that to inspire us,” he said.

The uplifting journey of a dog as she travels from the harsh streets to a caring …

Kapone’s Favorite Part of the Day Is When His Humans Come Home from School

Kapone loves to greet everyone he meets, but when his favorite humans come home, he gives them a great big hug.

 

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Leave Some For The Rest Of Us, Would Ya?!

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Okay, the little guys look well-fed enough, so we’re sure they’re getting what they need (and the Lab may well be getting overfed!) but this video, in particular the tight shot of the sad pug, is pretty darn amusing.

When a passerby in Baltimore, Maryland heard moaning sounds coming from a …

Pit Bull Mama Gives Each of Her Puppies a Kiss (or a Sniff) as They Are Rescued

 

It was during the worst storm California has seen this year that a stray pit bull went into labor.  She had escaped rescue for months, but when she sought refuge from the deluge, rescuers were finally able to get her – and her little ones – to safety.

When Hope for Paws was tipped off about the dog, they immediately made the 3.5 hour journey to find her.  Neighbors had been trying to rescue her for months, but she was too fast.  But now she was vulnerable and wouldn’t leave her puppies.

Eldad Hagar crawled down into the den she had made to keep her babies safe.  She looked terrified that something bad would happen, but Eldad offered a gentle hand and earned her trust with food.

Mama likely hadn’t left her litter to find food for herself, and eagerly accepted bits of cheeseburger.  Once she realized that he wasn’t there to harm her, she allowed him to take her puppies out of the den.  As he scooped them up one by one, she gave each of them a reassuring sniff or kiss.

When all the puppies were taken out, then it was her turn.  She was reluctant to leave, but eventually the team was able to get her in the van and to the vet’s office.  The storm had knocked the power out, so they had had to work by flashlight.

Mama, named Rainbow, was happy to be safely reunited with her five girls and three boys, named Bolt, Breezy, Droplet, Flash, Misty, Raindrop, Stormy, and Thunder.  It was clear that Rainbow had not been treated well in a long time, but she eventually came around to being touched and loved on by people.

To adopt this lovely lady or any of her babies, please click here.

The feel-good story of a saved dog that moved and united throngs of animal …

Kids Build a Doghouse for Georgia City’s Newest Police Dog

The city of Lilburn, Georgia has just acquired a new K-9, and to give him the best welcome possible, a class of fifth-graders built a dog house for him.

Ajax, a one-year-old Belgian Malinois, will be on the force soon, but first will complete a training course in North Carolina with his handler, AJ Ajanovic.  A group of students from Parkview Christian School presented him with Ajax’s new digs on Tuesday.

“I believe these fifth graders have learned some life lessons they’ll never forget,” Principal Cindy Nation said at the unveiling ceremony. “And to quote one of them, they will never look at a police officer the same way, and I think that’s due to the relationships that your officers have built with these students.”

She believes the project has helped the students develop a positive relationship with local law enforcement.  The Lilburn Police Department thanked the kids for their generosity.

“Even though this is the end of a project, it’s actually the beginning of bigger works to come, because these fifth-graders are going to continue to do things to help other people,” Community Relations Officer Mike Johnson said.

How doe a dog get a ball back that's been stuck in a tree?  He climbs up that …

Maverick Is an Interesting Mix of Breeds Resulting in a “Pocket Version” of the German Shepherd

To take one look at a picture of Maverick, you would be forgiven for thinking this dog is 100% German shepherd.  However, take a closer look, and you’ll see that there’s much more than meets the eye.  Maverick is our featured LWD Adoptable Dog of the Day, and he comes to us from the Shenandoah Shepherd Rescue out of Virginia.

Let’s let Shenandoah introduce Maverick:

Our little pocket puppy is in search of a forever home.  Maverick is 6-8 months and 45 lbs.  He looks all shepherd, but he’s a true low rider and looks part corgi!

Maverick was an owner surrender in south Texas and lacks any manners.  His foster has noticed a few issues with him (food aggression), so he needs a firm hand in his forever home.  He isn’t getting along too well with his foster sibling, but his Texas foster had zero issues in any manner with him.  He got along great with her dogs and didn’t show any food aggression.  He is currently being fostered with a cat and hasn’t paid much attention to it.

He isn’t for the novice, but someone who is patient and familiar with the breed can help show him the ropes.

He is being fostered in Berryville, VA

www.shenandoahrescue.org/adopt

To see the Shenandoah Shepherd Rescue’s Facebook page, click here.

Ty: Labor Day has passed, so some beaches that are closed to pets during the …