The Maricopa County Animal Care and Control started an experimental program called ‘Calming Companions,’ where they invited the public into their shelters to sit with the dogs and cats, during fireworks. The idea was loudly appreciated by the animal lovers, as almost 200 kind people came out to the event, visiting either of the control’s shelters. 

They even brought their own chairs and blankets. According to the One Green Planet, they read, played music, and entertained the dogs. 

Staff at the shelters provided treats, toys, and games that helped keep the dogs and cats occupied, and the joint effort led to a great experience for everyone involved. “Ever thought about bringing your dog to crowded places? Even worse, crowded places with fireworks? I promise you dogs don’t like it. 

Some people sang to them, some people read to them, some people just sat there and gave treats! it was so so awesome because the dogs absolutely love the attention and were focused on the people and not the fireworks going on outside,” Amy Engel, one of the volunteers said. 

This Calming Companions’ initiative was a really successfully one. As it is less than a month until this year’s event, it is likely the event will be repeated. 

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control works tirelessly to care for the animals in their community, helping pets be reunited with their families and finding stray animals loving new homes. 

If you are looking to adopt, volunteer, or help in any other way, please get in touch.
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  With the mother not anywhere to be seen, it was up to a few good Samaritans to save her. They led her to them and picked the baby up before taking it to safety. The people who saved the deer called Monika Melichar from the Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary to get some advice on what to do, and she instructed them to leave the baby deer in a quiet area not too far from where it was found. 

But then, a few hours later the deer began to bawl again and it had walked up to the cottages close-by where the people who had saved her before were staying. She was looking for help as her mother wasn’t around, she was so young she could barely walk! So at this point, they called Monika back and she told them to bring the baby deer into the sanctuary for care. You could tell she was ecstatic to be rescued and was a very thirsty baby, they named her Ivy. She was lonely though so the sanctuary gave her a little giraffe toy to make her feel more comfortable and use as a security blanket. They were waiting for another orphaned fawn to show up so Ivy wasn’t alone. Then, lone and behold, another poor orphaned buck showed up. They clicked straight away and were both very happy to have a friend in their time of need. They spent many weeks together before even more deer had arrived. The group of juveniles then made their own little pack together and were eventually let out into the wild together. 

See the full video of the events here:

 
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Despite the obvious discomfort and the inability to eat or drink, the vulpine youngster remained wary of human interference and avoided contact. 

With some patience and the use of humane tools, the woman was able to remove the jar and reunite the little fox with mom.

 

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A peanut butter jar almost killed this baby fox. I spent 3 days trying to capture him since he couldn’t get the jar off himself. 

I had about 20 failed attempts and it was breaking my heart to see him suffering. Without food and water for 3 full days, I was worried he wouldn’t last much longer. 

Luckily, I was able to borrow a net on the 3rd day and finally catch him. This adorable litter of foxes lives underneath Adleman’s deck.

 

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A post shared by Jenny Adleman (@jennyadleman)

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We’ve seen many stories of couples including their beloved pets in their big day, even making them the “best man.” But one story will truly tug at your heartstrings: a dog dying from cancer hung on just long enough to see his owners down the aisle. 

Kelly O’Connell, a veterinarian, was just 19 when she laid eyes on Charlie, a black Lab mix. The dog had been found abandoned in a shopping cart in the middle of winter. While Kelly wasn’t planning on adopting a dog at the time, she knew it was love at first sight. 

“I don’t know what it was. I was just like, ‘Yeah, this is my dog. I’m taking him home,'” she told the Denver Channel. Kelly and Charlie soon became best friends, and he changed her life. The very active, playful dog inspired the owner to take up running. 

Her dog was so important that when she met her future husband James Garvin, also a veterinarian, one of her biggest concerns was if he and his kids would get along with Charlie — thankfully, they hit it off.

“Charlie doesn’t like everyone. But he immediately loved them,” Kelly said. “He grew to love him just as much as I did,” she told CNN. “Charlie was a symbol of the coming together of the family.” But after 15 years together, Charlie started slowing down. 

He wasn’t his usual active self, and after he suffered a seizure, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. At the same time, the couple was preparing for their wedding day. “It broke my heart, he had five seizures the week before the wedding,” Kelly told People. “We considered putting him down, but he seemed to get better, so we waited.” 

It was as if Charlie was holding on just long enough to see his owners get married — so when their big day arrived, Charlie was there. 

Despite being weak from cancer and near death, Charlie found the strength to walk Kelly and James down the aisle for their vows. Sadly, he was too weak to walk back, but Kelly’s sister helped him out. 

“My sister, being my sister, scooped him up — all 80 pounds of him — and carried him back down the aisle,” Kelly told the Denver Channel. It was an emotional moment for everyone, and even on her big day Kelly could only think about how proud she was of her beloved dog. 

“We literally ignored everybody. We just dropped to our knees and we just kept saying, ‘You did it, buddy. You made it. You’re here. You’re here.’ Everybody was crying.” It turned out to be one of their last memories together: Charlie died just nine days after the ceremony. 

But while she was heartbroken to lose her best friend, Kelly was grateful Charlie was able to make it, and that the sweet moments were captured by their wedding photographer Jen Dziuvenis. “Those memories. That moment — I was just happy to have him, for him to be there and for the years I had with him,” she said. “And in the pictures he is smiling. You can’t deny it. He is smiling.” “I’ll miss Charlie, he was my best friend,” she told People. “But he’ll never be forgotten. And we’ll always have the wedding photos to remember him by.”

What a beautiful moment. It’s sad that Charlie passed away but we’re glad he held on long enough to be part of their big day.
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