Bowling Green, KY – More than a dozen dogs have been rescued from unimaginable conditions inside of a dilapidated camper in Bowling Green. On Thursday, the Bowling Green/Warren County Humane Society shared images of the deplorable conditions the dogs had been forced to live in, writing:

What is more sad than seeing a dog in a shelter kennel? Seeing them in a home where they would rather be absolutely ANYWHERE else. When “home” is a nightmare, the word “shelter” takes on a whole new meaning. We recently assisted Animal Control officers with a situation where 14+ dogs were living (partially with their owner) in a travel camper. The conditions were beyond belief and the dogs desperately needed to be rescued ASAP.

All of the dogs were surrendered by their owner and taken to the animal shelter for care. One dog was in such poor condition that she could not be saved. The animal welfare agency said:

she did spend her last bit of time with us and we made sure that she was spoiled rotten and made to feel so loved that maybe, just maybe, she could forget her sad past for a while at the end of her journey.

The rescued dogs are suffering from a variety of maladies, including fleas, skin infections, malnutrition and more. The shelter is hoping to raise funds to help get them the care that they need.

The shelter has addressed the dogs’ prior owner, writing:

Although there is NO excuse for allowing this situation to happen, the point of this post is NOT to dwell on the owner. They are being dealt with according to the law and we hope they are given the tools to create a healthier environment for themselves while not being given the responsibility of any more lives.

You can follow the animal shelter at this link to Facebook.

Fort Myers, FL – As Hurricane Ian lashed Fort Myers, a good Samaritan trudged through turbulent water and whipping winds to rescue a dog and cat who were on a sailboat.

Brian Entin, with NewsNation, was broadcasting as the man cradled the brown and white dog in his arms and walked to a safe area.

Dog rescued from sailboat in Fort Myers. He went back and got a cat too. pic.twitter.com/JFcWl4972g

— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) September 28, 2022

According to Entin, the man went back to the tethered boat and rescued a cat too. On Thursday morning, Entin Tweeted a photo of the dog, writing: “She’s doing well today!”

In Bonita Beach, Megan Scavo captured a video of her boyfriend venturing out into the storm to rescue a cat who was trying to escape the flood waters.

My boyfriend saving a cat from flood waters near Bonita Beach. #HurricaneIan #Naples #Bonita #FortMyers pic.twitter.com/BlBC9P1rdy

— Megan Cruz Scavo (@MeganScavo) September 28, 2022

Residents were warned to keep their pets inside as the massive hurricane approached, but not everyone heeded the advice. Fortunately, there are good Samaritans willing to go above and beyond to help the vulnerable.

(Images/video via Twitter)

Calaveras, CA – A curious bear broke into a woman’s SUV and proceeded to completely trash the vehicle’s interior before escaping nearly seven hours later. The strange incident took place earlier this month when 49-year-old Vicky Costantini was at a vacation home, celebrating a bachelorette weekend with friends.

Costantini believes that the bear accessed the inside of her Range Rover through an unlocked passenger door, and then got stuck when the door closed. Nobody knew that the bear was in the SUV until early September 12, when the car’s alarm system started going off.  She told KTVU News, “There were lots of lights going off, the hazards were on. The car was honking.”

The windows of the SUV were so foggy that nobody could see what was inside…using a FOB to unlock the hatch, the intruder was released from afar and quickly ran away, leaving a trashed vehicle interior in his wake.

The vehicle was destroyed, but nobody was hurt. Costantini plans to keep all of her doors locked in the future…and park in a garage whenever she can.

Watch a video of the bear jumping out of the SUV below.

@vickycostantini1

The peep has been identified! Mugshot and wanted posters! #bearbreakin #bear #rangerover #arnoldca

♬ Bad Boys (Theme From Cops) – Inner Circle

Grants Pass, OR – On September 21, Josephine County Sheriff’s deputies received a tip that malnourished dogs were locked inside of the Pawsitive K9 Solutions Board and Learn facility in Grants Pass. According to a release from the authorities, after receiving a search warrant, deputies entered the locked business and found 13 dogs in various states of malnourishment.

The news release states:

Some of the canines required immediate care from veterinarians who helped after hours to see them in a timely manner. The living conditions of the animals revealed they had been neglected for some time. The canines were transported to the Josephine County Animal Shelter.

Prior to the police raid on the business, at least one of the dog’s owners posted a video on TikTok, stating that his dog was inside and the owners would not respond. The man alleges that the business owners left on vacation, with no one to care for the dogs inside.

@thejunglenook

#duet with @lawless_customs #dogtok #dogtrainer #animalcruetly #stopanimalabbuse #redflags #abuse

♬ original sound – Butcher Douglas

According to the news release, the owners of the business were not present, but they have been identified. The authorities are forwarding the case to the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Donations for the dogs’ care can be made to the animal shelter. They have specifically requested donations of hoses, bleach, laundry detergent, and nitrile exam gloves. You can donate funds directly on the shelter’s website here.

Las Vegas, NV – The second dolphin in a month has died at the Mirage Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat in Las Vegas. The 11-year-old bottlenose dolphin, named K2, died on Saturday. He had been receiving treatment for a respiratory illness.

On Sunday, the resort’s Interim President Franz Kallao send a note informing staff about K2’s passing:

I am devastated to share with you that K2, an 11-year-old bottlenose dolphin at The Mirage Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, died Saturday. He had been receiving treatment for a respiratory illness. All of us are heartbroken over this tragic loss, especially our amazing animal health and care teams who love and care for our animals on a daily basis.

Kallao described K2 as “vocal, (and) energetic,” and noted that he “loved his toys.”

Earlier this month, 19-year-old Maverick died at the same dolphin habitat. Prior to Maverick’s death, the resort lost Bella to a gastrointestinal illness. The dolphin habitat has been temporarily closed for an investigation.

Kallao said:

I cannot stress enough that nothing is more important to us than the health, safety and welfare of the animals entrusted in our care. We are temporarily closing the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat to focus our efforts on ensuring that we have the safest possible environment and the best care possible for our dolphins and to give our team the time they need to process and grieve.

(image of K2 via screenshot)

Would you feed your pets insects to help save Earth from a climate crisis? As reported by CNN, researchers have stated that our pets are a major contributor to the climate crisis because of their meat-heavy diet.

While these researchers have not made the radical suggestion to get rid of pets, they have suggested that people should consider changing what is being fed to them. Angela Frimberger, a veterinarian with Vets for Climate Action, said:

“Insect-based pet foods can be nutritionally complete and are starting to come onto the market around the world. They can also be a solution for some pets that have food allergies to traditional protein sources.”

Other climate-friendly suggestions from researchers include cutting back on “consumerism.” In other words, avoid buying your pet costumes and unnecessary toys. Gregory Okin, the UCLA professor who authored the study, also suggests that people avoid large pets with a bigger carbon pawprint.

He said:

“Small rodents and birds are great options. Snakes, turtles and reptiles can have a really low impact, too, for those that are into it.”

What are your thoughts? Would you get a small pet and feed him/her insects to help fend off a climate crisis?

Boston, Mass – A tragic slip caused a beloved carriage horse to die at a woman’s funeral last weekend. The 28-year-old horse, named Mr. Bee, was waiting outside of the Sacred Heart Church to pull a carriage hearse on Saturday morning when he got fidgety and slipped on a manhole cover.

When he fell, he struck his head on a curb and died shortly after. Mr. Bee’s owner, John Frost, with Remembrance Hill Carriages, believes his horse had a heart attack. He tells MassLive:

“We were waiting alongside the road for the funeral to be over. Bee was kind of fidgeting and he slipped on the manhole cover, his legs just kind of went out from under him, and he hit his head on the curbing. It happened in a matter of seconds. He didn’t suffer.”

After Mr. Bee’s death, Equi Evolution shared a social media post about the horse, who had been a part of their program in the past:

I am incredibly saddened to share news that a horse who was formerly a part of the Equi Evolution program, Mr. Bee, passed tragically over the weekend.

Sharing heartwarming insight:

Most often paired to drive with his best friend, Action; Bee absolutely loved his job! He was a fairly shy horse when it came to hands-on interaction with people so any of you who have had the pleasure of sharing intimate moments with him know what a special experience that was. I have so many fond memories of hanging with him on the farm and working together doing weddings.

Frost considered Mr. Bee to be part of his family, telling the Boston Globe, “He will be deeply missed.”

Rest in peace Mr. Bee.

(Representative images/not Mr. Bee or Remembrance Carriages)

Tasmania, Australia – On Wednesday, Australia’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment Marine Conservation Program said that an estimated 230 whales were stranded on Ocean Beach, along Tasmania’s West Coast. Officials believe that about half of the whales, presumed to be pilot whales, are deceased.

According to the agency, a team from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania Marine Conservation Program (MCP) is assembling whale rescue gear and heading to the area. The team will pair up with staff from the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Tasmanian Police at Strahan. An assessment of the situation will be made by Marine wildlife experts who will determine the appropriate response.

According to the release, if the general public’s assistance is needed, a request will be put out through “various avenues.” The release outlines the complexity of the situation because the whales are protected:

Whales are a protected species, even once deceased, and it is an offence to interfere with a carcass.

Exactly two years ago, the worst whale stranding in Australia took place in the same area. 470 long-finned pilot whales got stranded on sandbars in the same area; teams were able to rescue 111 of the whales, but the majority perished.

Pilot whales are the species most susceptible to mass strandings.

Erie, PA – The Erie Zoo has announced the loss of one of their Amur tigers, who passed away shortly after undergoing surgery to remove an ingrown claw. On September 17, the zoo issued a release about the death of 17-year-old Viktor, a tiger described as an ambassador of his species.

According to the zoo, Viktor was sedated to remove the ingrown claw and to undergo a general physical. Though the veterinary team closely monitored Viktor’s condition while he was under anesthesia, he declined shortly after the surgery concluded. The zoo said:

Viktor was exhibiting mild but unusual behaviors of lethargy and lack of appetite along with discolored urine prior to the procedure, all of which seemed to worsen after the exam, leading veterinary staff to begin medical treatment immediately.

Though the exact cause of death has not been determined, it is believed to be linked to Viktor’s age, and an underlying illness that may have been causing his unusual symptoms.  Erie Zoo Head Veterinarian Dr. Jenna Epstein, D.V.M. said:

“We make a commitment to ensure that all of our animals live the healthiest and most comfortable lives throughout all stages of their life. As a geriatric animal, we had to weigh the risk of sedating Viktor, but ultimately determined it was best for his wellbeing and comfort to move forward with the procedure to remove his ingrown claw and perform the necessary diagnostics. Sadly, despite our best efforts, he ultimately succumbed to what appears to be a preexisting condition. We will be conducting further tests and a necropsy to determine the cause of death.”

Viktor was an engaging tiger who had endeared himself to caretakers who called him “Mr. Floofy,” and noted that he had a charismatic and affectionate personality.

Viktor’s death comes in close proximity to the death of the elderly tiger named Nala, who was euthanized just a week earlier because of her diminished quality of life. Roo Kojancie, Chief Operations Officer said:

“This has been a very challenging time for our Zoo family with the passing of both our elderly lioness, Nala, and now Viktor, especially so close together. Over 60 of our 300 animals have surpassed their average life expectancy and these elderly animals continue to live comfortable and enriching lives in their senior years. Every team member here commits to daily and personalized care for every animal. Strong bonds are created and when an animal passes it is felt to the same magnitude of losing a loved one. Viktor and Nala are true testaments to this bond and will be deeply missed.”

Rest in peace Viktor.

(Images via Erie Zoo Facebook page)

Ardmore, Oklahoma – In mid-September, an overlooked mixed breed dog named Tiffany finally got her chance to live out the remainder of her life as a beloved companion. Tiffany’s big break happened because of a woman named Patsy who walked into the Ardmore Animal Care Center, making a special request to the staff.

Her request?

“I want the dog that’s been here the longest, or a black one; someone that no one else wants.” 

The staff knew which dog perfectly fit the bill…Tiffany. According to the animal welfare agency, Tiffany had been passed by dozens of times. They said that the “young, black Pitbull that would’ve been walked past 100 more times.”

The long-time shelter pup seemed to know what was happening; the shelter writes:

I’m pretty certain Tiffany knew what was going on; she clung to her new owner, behaving like such a good girl and giving tons of sloppy kisses, wagging tails and so proud of her new status: “adopted,” “wanted” and “loved.”

Patsy’s excitement mirrored Tiffany’s – she was ecstatic to bring her new friend home. And the shelter staff? They are joyous as well, writing:

We need a million more Patsy’s in the world!
We had several adoptions today, but this one tops my list. I have no doubt that Tiffany is going to be nothing short of loving, loyal and grateful.
Our hearts were overflowing in this moment.

And saying the words that mean the most:

Thank you for adopting a shelter dog and most importantly, saving a life! ❤️🐾

An exhausted seal pup, who was harassed by people who repeatedly chased him away from a Northumberland beach, died. According to BBC News, the pup was trying to rest on the beach, but people kept chasing him back into the water.

It is not believed that the people were purposefully trying to harm the pup. Medic Jane Hardy said:

“I don’t think people are intentionally chasing the seals back in the sea to do harm to them,” adding, “they assume, wrongly, that ‘seals need to be in the sea’, and drive them back in.”

It is important to remember that seals hunt in the sea, but they live on the land and need the beach area to rest and digest their food. Experts warn that distressed seals will sometimes fling themselves from rocks or cliffs just to escape from humans.

(Images via Pixabay free images)

New York – A cat who had been missing for four days returned home and rang her family’s doorbell to be let in. The clever cat, named Lily, surprised her family, who gasped in joy and surprise when they realized who the unexpected night visitor was.

Lily’s owner, Stephanie Whitley, tells PIX 11 News:

“We all gasped. We were laughing. We were emotional. We were crying. It was a great moment.”

When Lily disappeared, Whitley feared that she might be gone forever – her family had only lived in their home for two weeks when their adventurous cat vanished. Whitley tells the news agency:

“Normally she comes home, but this time felt different and I didn’t think that Lily was coming home.”

But the clever cat was apparently just checking out the new neighborhood. Her surprising return home was captured on Ring video, something her owner claims the cat knows all about. “I don’t know how she found us, but she definitely knows what the Ring camera is,” Whitley said. “Every time the notification goes off, she’ll look toward the door. She knows what she’s doing.”

Hardeman County, TN – Earlier this month, 33 animals were rescued from a dilapidated trailer in Pocahontas. The conditions inside of the residence were described as “horrible” by members of the Animal Rescue Corps who were on site to remove the cats and dogs who were living in squalor.

In a news release, the animal welfare agency described the horror that responders were met with upon arrival:

“they found 29 dogs, including a litter of puppies, and four cats. The cats were living in small feces and maggot-filled crates; the dogs were loose both inside and outside the trailer. Because of the lack of veterinary care and the unsanitary, inhumane living conditions, the animals are suffering from a range of medical issues, including broken bones, severe anemia, high ammonia exposure, mange, severe and painful dental disease, overgrown nails, fur loss, skin inflammation, ear and eye infections and injuries, and severe internal and external parasites (including fleas and ticks).”

“We arrived just in time,” said Tim Woodward, ARC’s Executive Director. “This was a life and death situation for some of these animals; we didn’t have a minute to spare.”

All of the animals were surrendered to Animal Rescue Corps and they were immediately transported to a veterinarian for care.

When the animals have recovered from their maladies, they will be put up for adoption.

Find the Animal Rescue Corps‘ website at this link.

On September 9, a woman issued a public warning via social media to alert dog owners about a terrible mistake she made that caused her dogs to become sick. Facebook user Tonya Campbell purchased a plug-in wall diffuser from Bath and Body Works for her home. She wanted nothing more than a house that smelled pleasant for autumn, but what she got was four “very sick” dogs.

She explains:

I bought Bath and Body Works wallflower plug-in diffusers and put them throughout my home filling it with the wonderful “Leaves” scent. Two days later I began to notice, one by one, my dogs having vomiting and diarrhea episodes. It was two more days before I realized the wallflowers were making them sick.

Her Dalmatian, Woodford, suffered the most. Not only did he have diarrhea and vomiting, but he developed oral burns and was “drooling profusely.” The dogs were rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital in the middle of the night and Campbell’s home was aired out and wiped down. She said:

The oils are sprayed out of the diffusers and stick to every surface in your home including dog toys, linens and surfaces so everything had to be cleaned. It was an ordeal! Plus the agony of seeing my dogs suffering from a mistake that I made was heart wrenching.

Thankfully, all of the dogs are expected to recover. Campbell learned that it was clove oil in the “Leaves” oil that made her dogs sick. She detailed the impact the oil has on dogs, writing:

Mild exposure causes gastric disruption and dehydration but prolonged contact causes oral & esophageal burns plus kidney & liver failure.

Campbell not only took the opportunity to warn dog owners about the dangers of the plug-in oil diffusers, but she reached out to Bath and Body Works to request that they add a sticker to the product stating “not safe for pets.” In the meantime, she hopes that people will do their research before bringing a diffuser into their home that could possibly make their pets ill.

(Image via Facebook public post)

Lisbon, IA – An Iowa-based horse sanctuary is struggling to cover the veterinary expenses necessary to save a retired racing Thoroughbred’s eye. The horse is I Am Awesome, and the non-profit organization is Unbridled Spirits. The 17-year-old gelding, who retired from racing in 2016, recently suffered a significant injury to his eye and he now has a deeply infected stromal corneal ulcer.

I Am Awesome has been receiving treatment at Abraham’s Equine Clinic in Cedar Rapids for weeks and the associated expenses are expected to top $4,500. Dr. Jeremy Servantez said:

“We are doing everything possible to prevent the ulcer from rupturing, and to save his eye.”

But the veterinary expenses for I Am Awesome are crippling the sanctuary, which pays an estimated $400-$500 per month, PER horse, to feed the animals at the rescue property. Currently, there are approximately 35 horses in the sanctuary’s care. Unbridled Spirits celebrated its 10-year anniversary this month, but without support, their amazing work cannot continue.

Founder and Executive Director Christina Norris said:

“We take great pride in providing a safe haven for equines whose racing and/or breeding careers have ended. But none of this would be possible without the contributions from our devoted supporters.”

If you are interested in supporting Unbridled Spirits’ efforts to provide retired horses with the comfort and care that they need in the twilight of their life, you can make a donation at this link to the organization’s website.

If you would like to help I Am Awesome specifically, you can call  319-471-3545 to make a tax-deductible contribution. Checks can be mailed to:

PO Box 663
Lisbon, IA 52253

Follow Unbridled Spirits on Facebook here.

Bali – Three dolphins, rescued several years ago from a small pool at a resort hotel, have been released to the sea. On September 3, the bottlenose dolphins, Johnny, Rocky, and Rambo, were allowed to swim to freedom after being nursed back to health at the Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center in Banyuwedang Bay, West Bali.

The emotional moment was beautifully described in a release from the Dolphin Project. According to the agency, the dolphins were released on a calm, sunny morning while the Minister of Forestry and Environment for the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Ir. Siti Nurbaya, M.Sc, and her delegation looked on.

The dolphins were initially hesitant to swim into the open sea, but the oldest dolphin, Johnny finally took the initiative and swam into the bay. With Johnny’s coaxing, the other dolphins soon followed his lead and swam away from the pen. But before leaving the area completely, the dolphins made one return swim to the pen.

They turned back around and came back to us one more time, almost to say thank you and good-bye. And then they headed straight out to open ocean and disappeared.” ~ Lincoln O’Barry, Campaigns Coordinator of Dolphin Project

The team intends to monitor the dolphins for the coming year to ensure that they are acclimating to their new life. The floating sea pens at the rehabilitation center will remain open and staffed if the dolphins decide to make their way back.

Read more about how these dolphins were saved from a traveling circus, a resort hotel pool, and then rehabilitated before being freed at this link to the Dolphin Project.