Back in November 2018, Boronia Veterinary Clinic and Animal Hospital in Australia introduced its newest resident. It was an unusual-looking possum with yellow smooth fur instead of the usual greyish black scratchy fur. People immediately noticed the striking resemblance between the possum and Pikachu. Both rodent-like creatures have yellow fur, long upright ears and dark button eyes. The possum’s similarity to the Pokemon character made it an instant internet celebrity. Dr. Stephen Reinisch from Boronia Veterinary Clinic and Hospital revealed how the popular possum came to the clinic. The yellow-colored female possum was found on the ground supposedly after falling off her mother’s back. She was 5-months old when she was brought into the clinic to be taken care of. 

“She was a bit shy at first, as expected, given the strange situation she had found herself in, but was otherwise in good spirits and health.”, Dr. Stephen Reinisch said.

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But when a pup is in dire need of help in order to survive, it puts all that hard work into perspective. A tiny puppy named Sweetpea struggled to survive. Her little body couldn’t sustain itself. Weighing only 6 ounces, the Cavapoo, a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle, wouldn’t have survived without the assistance of a professional. A breeder reached out to a rescue group seasoned in helping animals like Sweetpea. When a rescuer first brought her home, the puppy could hardly keep her eyes open. 

She was weak and dehydrated, requiring IV fluids. She also needed frequent feedings. After 36 hours, the puppy made some improvement and this gave her rescuer hope. This routine continued for several weeks. Sweetpea began to look forward to her meals and eagerly awaited the delicious food. Soon, she developed a playful side, having just enough energy to paw at her rescuer and try to hop about. 

After another week, Sweetpea ran around but still lacked coordination. It was time for extensive medical testing. The tests revealed that Sweetpea has hydrocephalus, a condition where fluid builds up on the brain. The pup underwent treatment and improved a bit but the condition is a lifelong ailment. Still, the little warrior has grown and can now play and wags her tail non-stop when she’s happy or excited. 

She will be up for adoption soon and will hopefully go to a loving caring home where her family will overlook her challenges.

 
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The singer and drummer is known to be a BBQ master. And he regularly shares his talents with those in need. His latest charitable act was this past Sunday when he dedicated more than a day to preparing pork butts for people at the Woodlands Family Shelter in Woodland Hills, Ca.

 

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“Dave and his pals BBQ’d 70 pork butts for 24+ hours,” the shelter shared on Instagram. “Right now we are here at The Woodlands Family Shelter sharing this delicious meal with our participants. Thank you to Dave and his friends from his studio for hanging out with us and spreading love through a hot meal.” 

“#foofighters turned into #foodfighters,” it concluded. Dave Grohl Has Donated Countless Hours to Helping Those in Need Dave Grohl has donated his time to homeless shelters dozens of times over the years. 

This past May, he manned the barbeque for 18 hours to feed 500 families in LA. Three months prior, Dave braved a massive storm to prepare meals for people living in Hope Mission shelters.

 

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Dave even took a day off when he was touring to prepare pork ribs, pork butt, and beef brisket for homeless families in Melbourne, Australia. “It will be a day ‘our friends on the streets’ will never forget as they brushed up against a rock legend and one of the nicest guys on the planet who genuinely cares for people in need. No words can fully capture the impact of this positive experience,” reads an Instagram post by The Big Umbrella. 

Share this story to give Dave Grohl props for the hours he spends helping those in need. Because if it weren’t for shoutouts from the organizations he’s helped, the deeds would go completely under the radar.
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  The pet store owner agreed to his offer, and Alwyn brought the egg home. He placed the egg in an incubator, where he carefully monitored it until it showed signs of life – a heartbeat – after four days. From then on, Alwyn had to turn the egg three times a day. 

Nineteen days later, the egg began to hatch. Inside, he glimpsed the tiniest of chicks he had ever seen. As the little chick emerged from its shell, Alwyn could see that the little one had a good chance of survival. Alwyn fed the tiny chick with milk, and it eagerly pecked away. 

As soon as the parakeet began to grow and develop feathers, Alwyn realized that the creature was truly something special. It was the smallest and most beautiful parakeet he had ever seen. When the little parakeet was big enough to fly, it was time for a reunion with its father. Alwyn brought the parakeet home to meet its father, and the two immediately bonded. 

Alwyn believes they recognized each other. He thought they recognized each other – just as a human parent would recognize their child, even if they had just met. Now we understand why this is one of his viewers’ favorite videos. 

He took a chance on caring for a little egg, and it paid off when he saw how it grew and reunited with its father.

  As we reflect on this heartwarming tale, let it serve as a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can lead to remarkable outcomes. And in the end, it’s the love we share with our fellow creatures that truly makes life beautiful – share this article on Facebook if you agree!
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Together, they navigated through adversity, offering each other unwavering support and companionship. Their heartwarming tale serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of compassion and the profound connection that can blossom between individuals, regardless of species. Through their shared experiences, Eric and Peety exemplify the resilience of the human-animal bond and inspire others to find strength and hope in unexpected places. Eric was struggling with his health. At 51 years old, he weighed 340 pounds and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. His doctor warned him that if he didn’t make significant lifestyle changes, he wouldn’t live much longer. Feeling desperate and alone, Eric sought help from a nutritionist, who suggested he adopt a rescue dog to help him get active and lose weight. 

That’s when Eric met Peety, a middle-aged, overweight dog who had been abandoned by his previous owners. The two instantly connected, and Eric knew that they were meant to be together. As they embarked on their journey to better health, Eric and Peety became inseparable. They went on daily walks, gradually increasing their distance and pace. Eric also switched to a plant-based diet, and both he and Peety began to shed the excess weight. 

Over the course of a year, Eric lost an incredible 140 pounds, and Peety lost 25. But their transformation went beyond just the physical. Eric’s newfound confidence and happiness radiated from within, and he found himself making new friends and even falling in love. Peety, too, blossomed into a happy, loving dog who brought joy to everyone he met. Sadly, in 2015, Peety passed away from cancer. But his legacy lives on in Eric’s continued commitment to health and wellness. Inspired by their journey together, Eric became a certified running coach and now helps others achieve their fitness goals. He also advocates for animal rescue and adoption, sharing his story to encourage others to open their hearts and homes to animals in need. 

In 2016, Eric and Peety’s story was featured in a short film called “Eric & Peety” as part of the Mutual Rescue initiative. The film highlights the incredible bond between the two and the transformative power of love and companionship. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, the best medicine is the love of a furry friend. So, if you’re feeling down or struggling with your own health journey, consider adopting a rescue pet. Not only will you be saving a life, but you might just find the support and motivation you need to turn your life around. 

After all, as Eric and Peety’s story shows, the love between a human and their pet can truly be a mutual rescue.

 
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The pup’s owner shared some photos on Twitter showing little Kuu-chan covered with moss-like snowballs. Her owner explained that the cute dog jumped into a huge pile of snow and played for hours, jumping in excitement and frolicking around. When it was time to get back inside, they noticed that her belly down to her paws are covered with snowballs. The hilarious transformation of Kuu-chan from an adorable pup to a half-dog and half-snow-creature made everyone’s day on Twitter. Kuu-chan’s owner said that after the ‘not-so-abominable snowman’ brought her snowy mess inside their house, they immediately gave her a warm shower to clean her up. And it indeed helped transform her back to her usual cute self. 

But we’re guessing it won’t be long until she goes out to play in the snow again. And we’re excited to see her transform again into the cutest little yeti. Image source: kuu_chan_0109

Hans Forsberg works with industrial applications of artificial intelligence. The idea of a bottle cap bird feeder occurred to him when he noticed a pair of magpies that just decided to reside in his backyard. He often catches them trying to pick a lock on his outdoor lanterns in order to steal the glowing candles inside. Forsberg thought that if the magpies are smart enough to pick a lock, they could definitely pick something else. 

And that’s how the idea of training them to collect bottle caps in exchange for foods popped into his head.

  The bottle cap bird feeder project relied on mechanical design, electronics, software, and 3D printing technology. In other words, the ambitious project was no easy feat. Furthermore, there wasn’t any other similar devices that he can look up on the internet. 

So, he had to come up with his original plan and design for his one-of-a-kind invention. It took him several years to complete the project. But all the effort and time he spent on the device was all worth it. Forsberg used a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B as the main unit for the device. It controls the mechatronics of the food dispenser as well as the input/output from the sensor and actuator. A unit called Arduino Uno is used as a sensor and actuator interface within the device. The bottle caps are detected with a metal-detector based on Arduino code. 

Forsberg created a simple GUI for the Raspberry that allows the unit to control a vibration feeder based on a rotating feeder screw. The GUI also allows him to attach a wide angle camera to monitor the experiments.

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  At just 8 years old, Xóchitl has designed and constructed a solar-powered device to heat water, using only recycled materials, Cultura Colectiva reports. 

For many, this device may seem totally unnecessary. But, in Xóchitl's community, where resources are scarce, "people don't have the money to buy heaters, so they chop down trees to get firewood [to heat the water]," says Xóchitl. Her device not only functions to provide hot water to low-income families in her community, it also saves trees! Xóchitl's family helped her set the device up on their roof and have been using it to heat water to bathe. 

Xóchitl says she always bathes quickly though, "so [the hot water] will last for my little brother." If this is what Xóchitl is doing at 8-years-old, we can only imagine what the future holds. Chiapas is home to the ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque, Yaxchilán, Bonampak, Chinkultic and Toniná. It is also home to one of the largest indigenous populations in the country with twelve federally recognized ethnicities. 

Much of the state's history is centered on the subjugation of these peoples with occasional rebellions. The last of these rebellions was the 1994 Zapatista uprising, which succeeded in obtaining new rights for indigenous people.

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  It took three days of searching off Norway's Svalbard archipelago before Sarikhani happened upon polar bears. After the expedition vessel changed course, he happened upon two polar bears in the water. The male then climbed aboard the sea ice and, using his strong claws, created a bed for the evening. 

“I am so honored to have won this year's People’s Choice award for WPY, the most prestigious wildlife photography competition,” he says. “This photograph has stirred strong emotions in many of those who have seen it. Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face, I hope that this photograph also inspires hope; there is still time to fix the mess we have caused.” 

Director of the Natural History Museum, Dr. Douglas Gurr, couldn't agree more. “Nima’s breathtaking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet. His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat and serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss.” 

In addition to Sarikhani's winning image, four other photographs were revealed as top vote-getters with a highly commended status. This includes Tzahi Finkelstein‘s charming photo of a happy turtle balancing a dragonfly on its nose and Daniel Dencescu‘s image of a bird-shaped starling murmuration in Rome. 

The five images will be displayed both online and in the accompanying exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London, until June 30, 2024. See the top vote-getters of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award.

“The Happy Turtle” by Tzahi Finkelstein, Israel. Highly Commended, People's Choice Award. Location: Jezreel Valley, Israel “A Balkan pond turtle shares a moment of peaceful coexistence with a northern banded groundling dragonfly in Israel’s Jezreel Valley. Tzahi was positioned in his hide in Israel’s Jezreel Valley, photographing shore birds, when he spotted a Balkan pond turtle walking in the shallow water. 

At first, he wasn’t interested in it and carried on watching the birds. It wasn’t until a northern banded groundling dragonfly flew past his lens in the direction of the turtle that his focus changed. 

The dragonfly unexpectedly landed on the turtle’s nose, but instead of snapping up the insect, the turtle appeared to be experiencing pleasure from the interaction as they shared a moment of peaceful coexistence in the midst of the swamp’s murky waters.” “Shared Parenting” by Mark Boyd, Kenya. Highly Commended, People's Choice Award. Location: Maasai Mara, Kenya “A pair of lionesses devotedly groom one of the pride’s five cubs in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. 

Early in the morning, Mark watched as these lionesses groomed one of their five cubs in their territory in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. The evening before, they’d set off to hunt, leaving the cubs hidden overnight in dense bushes. Returning from their unsuccessful mission, they’d called the cubs out onto the open grassland. 

Females raise each other’s cubs as their own, sharing parenting duties. Here the youngster was clearly enjoying the moment of affection and attention.” “Aurora Jellies” by Audun Rikardsen, Norway. Highly Commended, People's Choice Award. Location: Tromsø, Northern Norway “Moon jellyfish swarm in the cool autumnal waters of a fjord outside Tromsø in northern Norway illuminated by the aurora borealis. 

It’s common for this species to gather in their hundreds under the aurora borealis. Sheltering his equipment in a self-made waterproof housing, Audun used a single exposure as well as his own system for adjusting the focus and aperture during the exposure. 

This enabled him to capture the reflection of the sky’s colors on the surface of the water and, at the same time, light up the jellyfish with flashes. Moon jellyfish are common in all oceans and are easily recognized by their four rings, which are, in fact their genitals.” “Starling Murmuration” by Daniel Dencescu, Germany/Romania. Highly Commended, People's Choice Award. Location: Rome, Italy “A mesmerizing mass of starlings swirl into the shape of a giant bird on their way to communal roosts above the city of Rome, Italy. 

Daniel was mesmerized by the movements of the starlings as they formed colossal organic shapes in the sky. Each day, as they returned from foraging, they would gather in large numbers and perform spellbinding aerial shows, known as murmurations, on their flight home to their communal roosts. In a bid to locate the best roosting sites at which to capture the spectacle, Daniel spent hours following the starlings around the city and suburbs of Rome. 

Finally, on this cloudless winter’s day, the flock didn’t disappoint, swirling into the shape of a giant bird.”

These orphanages serve as havens where these innocent creatures can receive the care, love, and protection they need to thrive despite the challenges they face in the wild. Ellie was born with a slew of ailments that severely impaired his chances of survival. He was taken to a sanctuary by workers who, for days and nights, fed Ellie and nursed him until his health started to recover! 

However, because elephants are very social beings who cannot typically thrive outside of their herd, even when Ellie regained his health he was still a depressed and lethargic baby with no will to live. Seeing the elephant’s condition, workers tried to help him find solace with former service and sniffer dog Duma, who is a German Shepherd. In this moving video, we see how Duma helped Ellie, a K9 with a good ol’ Southern country strut after struggles to survive against all odds. Ellie developed a yearning for life under Duma’s loving and gentle care. Ellie still has a long road of recovery ahead of him, but with Duma by his side, that road doesn’t seem so lonely anymore! 

 Click the video below to watch this incredible story!

 
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  All dogs deserve a loving, stable family environment where they will be treasured. Sadly, not all dogs are fortunate enough to get this kind of happy experience straight away. It is heartbreaking to think that there are many dogs who will live their lives alone on the streets, completely unloved. The abandoned pup was spotted by a tourist sleeping in front of the hotel. Completely on her own, the little female dog was having a tough time, having to sleep outside in the cold. 

However, the tourist who did spot the sleeping dog in the snow felt bad for the pup and decided to step in. At the time, the weather was pretty cold, dipping as low as minus 14! The tourist brought the dog, later named Indy, food and water. He even managed to source a crate and a blanket for her so that she would have a way to keep warm during the very chilly nights. 

But he knew that he had to do more if he was going to ensure the dog’s survival long term. Knowing that he couldn’t adopt her himself as he already had several pets of his own, he reached out to a local rescue for help.

Knowing that he couldn’t adopt her himself as he already had several pets of his own, he reached out to a local rescue for help. That is when he got in contact with Howl of a Dog rescue, who were more than willing to help save Indy. 

The rescue was even touched by the kindness of the stranger when he offered to bring Indy from the mountain resort to their shelter for them – which was a whole 310-mile drive! The vet examined her and concluded that she was young, maybe not older than five years. 

But her teeth were already chipped. If her teeth are already so worn down at such a young age, it can only imply that she lived a rather depressed and carefree life before she was rescued. When she was taken to the shelter, she may have been a little scared and hesitant, but after so much love and care, she soon blossomed. 

 Check out her video:

 
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At that moment his relaxing family day out turned into a dramatic situation and one that Michael and his family won’t forget. Michael and his family floated next to it for several minutes observing no signs of life. Then the whale rose slightly in the water and exhaled and Michael knew there was at least a glimmer of hope, so he jumped into the water to investigate further. 

“I quickly realized that the whale was severely entangled in a gillnet, of the type used by local fishermen. As I swam alongside the animal, our eyes met. There were no words we could share but I wanted to let the whale know we were there to help,” Michael said, according to The Dodo. 

The animal was weighted down with so much fishing gear it was stuck 15 feet below the surface, unable to breathe properly. Michael saw the seriousness of the situation and knew he had to act fast. Both of its pectoral fins were trapped alongside its body and it was “freaking out” as Michael tried to free it. 

Michael managed to free one fin but then decided he had to radio for help only to be told it would probably be an hour before anyone could reach him and by that time it might be too late. He returned to the boat and with his helpers on board they started cutting at the net as fast as they could to free the desperate animal. The whale sensed some freedom and started swimming under the boat giving her heroes a whale ride. 

When she tired they continued cutting at the last of the net and finally she was free at last. The lucky whale swam away but stopped at a safe distance from the boat and gave the family that freed her a beautiful reward. For almost an entire hour, the whale offered a spectacular show throwing herself up and down and spinning around celebrating her freedom and showing her gratitude. It’s an emotional sight. The moment that Michael and his family celebrate freeing the whale followed by the beautiful display she puts on is a truly remarkable and heart-warming sight.

 See for yourself in the clip below!

 
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According to the New York Post, Sam weighed about three pounds when he was discovered by firefighters. His mom left a note explaining why she needed to surrender her baby at the fire station. She made it clear that she was doing this out of love for her child. Since the state’s Safe Haven Law allows a parent to legally and anonymously give up their baby at specific locations, she hoped to offer him a chance at a better life.

Chris and Brittany were more than ready to give Sam just that! They had already provided a caring home to 15 other foster children, two of whom they’d adopted: Judah, now 8, and Calvin, now 5. They wanted nothing more than to do the same for the Safe Haven baby who’d been surrendered at the fire station. 

“So I read an article that had been posted online about him, and I knew that Safe Haven babies went to foster homes,” Brittany told Good Morning America. “And so I prayed and hoped that we would be the home chosen.” When they got the call that Sam would be coming to live with them, they were more than thrilled. “They told us about him, and it took no thought. ‘Yes, we’ll absolutely take him,'” Chris recalled to WAVE News. This former Safe Haven baby has finally been adopted. 

After spending 581 days in foster care, Sam is officially a Tyler! His new parents are so excited to call him their son. They even took him to Build-A-Bear to celebrate the occasion, getting him a firefighter bear in honor of the first responders who found him as a Safe Haven baby. 

“He was with us in one home the entire time,” said Brittany. “So he didn’t bounce around in the system. It just took a while to get the paperwork done.” Sam has grown into quite the curious toddler, according to his parents. His favorite words are, “What’s that?” When this inquisitive child starts asking about his birth mother, Chris and Brittany already know what they’re going to tell him. In their minds, Sam’s mom did the right thing by surrendering her baby at the fire station. 

“She’s a role model, she’s a hero,” said Chris. “That will be something that we let him know about as we talk to him about character as he grows.” For now, the Tylers are just glad to watch their Safe Haven baby grow into a healthy, happy boy. These parents deserve all the credit in the world for opening their hearts to the little boy. So does the fire department for making sure the babies surrendered to them go to great homes!
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