The surgical removal of a cat’s claws was once commonly done as a way to prevent scratches and furniture damage, but it has been increasingly viewed as painful and inhumane to cats. Thankfully, more and more legislatures throughout the US have been enacting bans on declawing cats, from major cities like Pittsburgh to whole states like New York. 

 Now, another city has joined the effort against declawing: Madison, Wisconsin recently passed a new law that will ban elective declawing surgery. 

 According to WMTV, the Madison Common Council voted on the new law on Tuesday night, and it passed with unanimous support.

The Madison Common Council approved a ban on elective cat declawing in its meeting Tuesday night, putting an end to the practice in the city. https://t.co/DpFhu96MkF

— NBC15 News (@nbc15_madison) December 8, 2021

The move was celebrated by supporters of the ban, including Madison Alder Lindsay Lemmer, who called declawing “cruel and outdated” and hoping their city will set a good example for others. 

  “Today, every cat in Madison lands on its feet as we set an example for the rest of the state and join the numerous cities throughout the country that have already banned this archaic practice,” Lemmer said, according to WMTV. 

We are ecstatic,” added Colin Steinke, executive director of the Madison Cat Project. “This is a big step forward toward a better world for cats, and to see Madison take this step to join the other cities and states who have done so before us is really exciting.” The practice of declawing cats has been one of the most controversial medical treatments for pet owners. 

While there are occasional humane reasons to declaw a cat, such as removing cancerous nail beds, it is more often an elective procedure to prevent scratches and protect furniture. 

 It was once commonplace, and seen as relatively harmless — but activists and vets have warned that it is more like losing fingers than getting a nail trim. 

  “Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe,” the Humane Society writes. 

“If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.” “It is an unnecessary surgery that provides no medical benefit to the cat. Educated pet parents can easily train their cats to use their claws in a manner that allows everyone in the household to live together happily.” Due to this, it has been outright banned in many countries around the world, though the US has been slow to adapt: it’s estimated that 20 to 25 percent of American cats have been declawed, and it is still legal in the vast majority of the country. 

 It has been up to individual cities and states to ban declawing themselves, and Madison, Wisconsin is the latest to join the cause.

At least 88 people have died due to the destruction, making it the deadliest December tornado storm on record in the US, and countless others have suffered from property damage. 

 But in the wake of this tragic disaster, survivors are now picking up the pieces and looking for signs of hope. For one Kentucky woman who narrowly escaped death, that sign is her dog. MAYFIELD, KY – DECEMBER 11: Heavy damage is seen downtown after a tornado swept through the area on December 11, 2021 in Mayfield, Kentucky. Multiple tornadoes tore through parts of the lower Midwest late on Friday night leaving a large path of destruction and unknown fatalities. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) 

 Mayfield, Kentucky was one of the worst-hit cities during the tornado outbreak, and resident Deanna Badillo just barely escaped from her home in time, along with her friend. 

  “My friend and I both said we’ve cheated death,” Deanna told WHAS11. 

“I think it’s because of God’s grace and I’m not done on this planet.” She says they were able to escape by crawling out of a hole, but the experience was too sudden and surreal to fully recall. 

  “I didn’t see anything… but what I felt I can’t explain that to you. I can’t explain what it feels like to stand here and tell you what I went through.” While Deanna and her friend miraculously, just barely escaped in time, others were not so lucky. 

Her neighborhood experienced great loss and destruction: according to WHAS, a four-year-old boy died just two blocks away after being trapped under rubble. 

 But in the aftermath, all the survivors are looking to regroup and see signs of hope — and Deanna got one in the form of her own pet dog. After the tornado hit, Deanna assumed that her dog didn’t make it out alive. But two days later, a neighbor found it, and the pet returned home. 

 In the wake of natural disasters like this, the unexpected survival of pets can provide an unexpected sliver of hope. And for Deanna, it meant the world. 

It’s the little things that matter–that little dog every bit of her matters,” she told WHAS11.

  We’re so glad this dog is alive and safe — a little bit of a silver lining during this ongoing tragedy.
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For the love he carries for his soulmate, this faithful bird is making an over 5,000 miles journey every spring – for the last 20 years – only to reunite his injured lifelong partner. 

With his incredible devotion, the bird named Klepetan, proves everyone that love is the strongest power in the world! It all started back in 1993 when Klepetan’s partner – Malena, got injured after being hit by a hunter. 

The bird had been found lying in the mud by Stjepan Vokin, a school teacher from Slavonsky Brod, a small village in Croatia. 

The kind hearted man fixed its wing and take care of her. He even built her a nest on his roof. It was there when Klepetan first spotted her, 20 years ago. 

Since then, the pair baffles the world with their incredible love story. While Klepetan spends the winters in South Africa, his soulmate is enjoying the warm of her caretaker home. As the teacher explained, the bird is already part of the family. 

But since 2001, locals – and recently a massive online community – wait with excitement the early of March, for Klepetan’s return. 

And for nearly two decades now, the loyal stork has never failed them. Every season, the pair bring up chicks and after they raise them together, the male is teaching the to fly and then he’s leading them to South Africa, during the winters. The locals are so excited about their famous lovebird and they’re all waiting the early of March for Klepetan to return. So far, the oldest recorded living stork was 39 years. 

However, the locals are hoping this special relationship to live much longer. 

 More about this incredible love story, in the video below!

 
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 The story began when a thin, stray Pit Bull was found alone on the streets in Maryland in late November. Fortunately, the dog had a microchip, and the Caroline County Humane Society was able to reach his owner, who lived 1300 away in Wichita, Kansas. 

 “We called the number and spoke to his mom. The story is as follows: His mom’s boyfriend left Kansas to come to Maryland for a brief stay with their dog. However while he was here, the couple broke up. 

And the ‘now ex-boyfriend’ abandoned Zimba. He would not return her phone calls,” the Caroline County Humane Society (CCHS) related to KSNT News. 

 The animal shelter tried to arrange to get Zimba home because his mom could not make the drive because of her children and her job. They contacted airlines, the original Humane Society where his mom had originally adopted him, but couldn’t come up with a solution. 

That’s when Zach Holt stepped up. Zach used to work for the CCHS and he offered to drive Zimba back home! “I’m a bartender,” he told WJZ Baltimore. “I strictly work, you know, the weekends and Monday and I have Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday off. 

That’s when Zach and Zimba’s Great Adventure began and was chronicled by the Humane Society. 

The community pitched in donations to help pay for gas and lodgings and Zach posted pictures and videos of their road trip.

  Finally, several weeks after he was found, Zimba reached his destination and was back in his mother’s arms. “Zimba – safe and content, wrote CCH, sharing a picture of Zimba reunited with his mom. “We would like to once again thank all of you who have followed, supported, donated and cheered on Zach and Zimba during their awesome adventure. 

“Hopefully we can all take a lesson from this,” CCH wrote. “As Zach said in his interview, using the words of his friend Ben Cahall…we should all JUST TRY. We can all make a difference. 

No matter how large or how small.” They added, “And remember: microchips do work! Zimba would never have found his way home without his…and his mom had properly registered it and kept information current!” 

 Here is a video of Zimba’s reunion with his family shot live as it happened (note: reunion begins at 14:59).

  Happy life, Zimba! Safe travels home, Zach!
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