Nature Knows

Wounded veteran gets his service dog to be the best man at his wedding

Everyone knows that dogs are a man’s best friend… but sometimes, they’re more than that: they’re your best man.

That was the case for one veteran and his beloved service dog, who have such an unbreakable bond that when it came to his wedding day, he had to have his dog involved in a special way. Justin Lansford is a US Army veteran from Silver Spring, Maryland. In 2012, he was deployed as a paratrooper to Afghanistan and suffered an accident.

“We struck an IED and it flipped my truck completely,” Justin told ABC News. “I had bilaterally severed femurs which resulted in the amputation of my left leg.”

But while recovering at the hospital, Justin got an opportunity that would change his life. A group called Warrior Canine Connections pairs wounded servicemen with support dogs.

Justin was paired with a golden retriever named Gabe.

Gabe was invaluable in helping Justin readjust after losing his leg.

“The less I use my wheelchair, the more I need his help in smaller tasks and the more he is there,” Justin said. “It has been very comforting to know that.”

“He helps me with one thing to the next. I can use him as a stable surface to lean on, as I get to and from the ground.

If I fall, he’ll come up running next to me and I can use him to push off of to get up off the ground.”

But Gabe did more than just help him around. He quickly proved to be a source of emotional support and friendship. “Since day one, we’ve been joined to the hip,” Justin told the New York Daily News. “He’s there for me all day, every day.”

The dog made a big impact not only on Justin, but on his longtime girlfriend Carol, who worked for Warrior Canine Connections and knew the deep connection they shared.

“You have to make sure a support dog is always happy and that they’ll love the person they’re with forever,” Carol told Buzzfeed.

“The second Justin walked into the room when they met, Gabe was wiggling, crying, and rolling on the floor.”

So when Justin & Carol got married in 2015, it felt only right to have Gabe be part of the ceremony. But while some people have their dogs act as ring bearers or just as guests, Justin wanted his beloved dog by his side on his big day and gave him a position of honor: his best man.

“He goes everywhere I go,” Justin told the Daily News. “He’s certainly there to pick me up emotionally when I need it. Why would the wedding be any different?”

The bride certainly had no objections to Justin’s unique choice. “Justin and Gabe go everywhere together and our wedding did not seem like it should be any different of an occasion,” Carol said.

“He is a huge part of our life and deserves to share in the moment with us.”

“It was really cool to have him right by me,” Justin said. “I don’t think there was a dry eye at that point. It was a pretty steady ‘aww’ throughout the entire wedding.”

Your wedding is a very special day, a time when you want to be surrounded by the friends and family who have supported you the most. It seems only natural that Gabe be at the heart of their big day.

This story shows how deep our relationships with animals can really be. Sometimes they’re more than just pets—they’re our best friend.
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Animals

Zoo celebrates birth of critically endangered gorilla, first in their 139-year history

It’s always a great day at a zoo when a new animal is born. There’s nothing cuter than a newborn baby animal. It’s even more special when the animal is part of an endangered species: every new birth is a step towards recovering a struggling animal population.

Recently, one zoo had extra reason to celebrate: not only did they see the birth of an adorable newborn western lowland gorilla, but it was the first born at the zoo in their 139-year history.

The baby gorilla, a male, was born at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on October 26 to 23-year-old mom Nneka and 34-year-old dad Mokolo, according to a press release from the zoo.

While the mom did not show “appropriate maternal care,” the baby gorilla was instinctively cared for by Fredrika, a mother of four and the eldest female in the troop.

“Over the past several days, Freddy has been bringing the newborn to be bottle fed by Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s animal care team,” the zoo wrote.

“The team worked with the gorillas using positive reinforcement training techniques, through a protective barrier, to facilitate cooperative participation in the supplemental feeding of the infant. The technique allows the infant to stay with the gorilla family at all times to allow proper physical development.”

The zoo has been home to many gorillas over the years, and is considered an “international leader in gorilla research,” but this is reportedly the first time a newborn has arrived at the zoo.

“We’re thrilled to announce the birth of this gorilla, the first in our history, as we also look ahead towards the future at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo,” said Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian M. Zimmerman.

The western lowland gorilla is a critically endangered species, threatened in the wild by illegal hunting and habitat loss due to deforestation, and in-captivity breeding programs like this can go a long way in helping a species repopulate.

According to their press release, the zoo helped spearhead the Gorilla Species Survival Plan and work closely with Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.

Every new birth is a great step forward for this at-risk species, ensuring that the western lowland gorilla will be around for generations to come.

Plus, this adorable newborn will be sure to delight visitors to the zoo, hopefully inspiring them to get involved with the conservation effort.

The zoo announced plans to get the public involved, including an opportunity to help name the baby. They also said they will continue to post videos and updates about the gorilla’s development.

Congratulations on the historic birth of this beautiful baby gorilla!
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