A stowaway cat who shocked TSA workers at John F. Kennedy International Airport days before Thanksgiving was able to be home for his holiday meal. On November 22, the sneaky cat, named Smells, managed to crawl into luggage that was being checked in for a flight to Orlando, Florida.

Bits of Smell’s orange fur were visible outside of the zipped bag, and ultimately an x-ray machine revealed the fact that the bag was holding a stealthy cat.

Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson, Tweeted:

New Jersey – A viral social media post about a “very sad and depressed cat” at a New Jersey animal shelter resulted in the cat’s adoption. The five-year-old cat, named Fishtopher, hit the adoption lottery when someone Tweeted his Petfinder bio and wrote, “i swear to god. if one of you doesn’t go get fishtopher…”

And on November 26, the Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center shared the news that Fishtopher’s fans were hoping to hear, “FISHTOPHER HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!”

Explaining the amazing response he received from people who viewed his biography:

Fishtopher went viral online with his sad, fat face. We literally had hundreds of inquiries from people who wanted to adopt and people were waiting out front this morning in line!

As reported by NBC News, Laura Folts, 22, and her partner Tanner Callahan, 24, were the lucky people who got to bring Fishtopher home. The couple said that they drove two hours to get him, and were in line before the shelter even opened. They are hopeful that he will enjoy their quiet apartment.

Given the Tweet’s viral response to Fishtopher’s biography…perhaps others might spend some time looking for interesting Petfinder biographies to share on social media. You never know when you might help some shelter pet hit the adoption lottery too!

New York – An emaciated Great Dane and her seven puppies were rescued last weekend from a known animal “torturer.” According to the NYPD 104th Precinct, the canine family was discovered during a traffic stop in Queens. The agency Tweeted:

Last night your 104 NCOs rescued this malnourished mother & her 7 puppies, after discovering the dogs inside a vehicle during a car stop on Woodhaven blvd. The owner was charged with several animal cruelty offenses.

Mom & puppies are currently in the care of an animal hospital.

As reported by the NY Post, the man arrested is identified as Ravon Service. Service was arrested last year after 20 neglected dogs were found in a filthy Brooklyn apartment. He faced 20 counts of torturing animals, and 20 counts of neglect of impounded animals for last year’s offense.

City Councilman Robert Holden Tweeted about the incident, saying:

This seems to be the same individual caught last year torturing animals and assaulting a landlord. People like this should never see the light of day, yet we release them back to the public to continue their crimes.

The holidays make the plight of lonely shelter dogs all the more distressing to those who hurt for their sad predicament. But numerous shelters across the nation went above and beyond for the animals in their care on Thanksgiving.

The Idaho Falls Animal Shelter made an adorable TikTok video of pups receiving their tasty turkey.

@danyelleharker

#animalshelterlife #adoptme #thanksgiving #idahofallsanimalshelter #idahofalls #turkey

♬ Treats – Laurel Canyon Animal Company

And the Bloomfield Animal Shelter in New Jersey created beautiful meals and tasty enrichment treats for their shelter pups, and tuna treats for the kitties. Donors helped make the meals possible. The shelter said:

A very Happy Thanksgiving to all of our staff, volunteers, adopters and supporters of the Bloomfield Animal Shelter. We are grateful to have each and every one of you to care for these defenseless animals.
We had a full house in the shelter this morning to make sure all of our animals were well cared for today and every day.
Each of our dogs enjoyed home cooked chicken breast, carrots, butternut squash and rice while our cats chomped on delicious tuna courtesy of our generous donators!

In Georgia, staff and volunteers ensured that the day was special for the animals in their care. Ellijay Paws In Need wrote, “The dogs celebrated Thanksgiving at the shelter!!
Thank you to the volunteers and staff who made this possible!! 💛🧡🤎” and shared images of the festivities.

In Arizona, the feast was rolled in on carts. Pinal County Animal Care and Control shared photos of the meals, writing: 🍁🦃Thanksgiving enrichment for the Pinal County animal care and Control shelter pups🧡🧡

Similar scenes of heartwarming love and compassion played out at multiple animal welfare agencies across the nation. Thanks to everyone who helped brighten the day for the sheltered animals!

Earlier this week, a Connecticut-based rescue group posted a hilarious description about their discovery of the “most adoptable dog on the planet,” and it has gone viral on social media. One More Dog Rescue outlined the glowing attributes of the senior dog, fondly named Lord Herald.

The organization’s post begins:

“We have found him. *THE* most adoptable dog on the planet. There is a not a soul on earth who will not want to apply for him. We have won the game of rescue.”

The group said that Lord Herald is about 10 years of age and he has a “severe heart murmur.” The old boy is a “big biter,” who “loves to bite,” but potential adopters fear not…he has no teeth, so recipients of his bites get a “sad gummy kiss.”

Lord Herald gets so excited by “latching on” to his victims that he tends to fall into a coughing fit. They assure readers that it is okay to laugh, and reassures those worried that they will not be euthanizing him for his questionable behavior. In fact, they are confident that he can “bring someone to peak TikTok fame.”

The cheeky post garnered nearly 2000 comments and was shared almost 5,000 times. People love the description of the rescue’s grumpy old man, aka their ‘toothless wonder.” You can follow the comical rescue agency at this link to Facebook.

Moscow, ID – A dog who was inside the house where four University of Idaho students were brutally stabbed was spared by the killer. On Monday, the Moscow Police Department revealed the presence of the dog inside the house where Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed on November 13.

The authorities said:

“On the night of the incident, officers located a dog at the residence. The dog was unharmed and turned over to Animal Services.”

The dog has since been turned over to a “responsible party.” The dog is believed to be Murphy, who belonged to Kaylee Goncalves, one of the murdered students. Her on-again/off-again boyfriend, Jack DuCoeur, is said to have taken custody of the dog following the vicious attack.

Friends, family, and the local community have been frustrated by the lack of information about the brutal murders. To date, there are no suspects, no murder weapon, and no known motive. The authorities were quick to state that it was a “targeted” attack, but they have since admitted that there is reason for area residents to remain vigilant, given the brutality of the murders. The authorities believe the students were sleeping when someone came into the home and killed them. There were other people in the home at the time who were unharmed; they have said that they did not hear anything.

Recently, the police have indicated that one of the victims may have had a stalker, though that information has not been verified. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call 208-883-7180 or email tipline@ci.moscow.id.us.

Dalton, GA – On Monday, an adorable dog named Autumn was dressed in her pretty seasonal sweater…prepared to go home with an adopter who chose her to be their new companion. But things did not go as planned.

In fact, the person who said they were coming to take Autumn home did not even bother calling shelter staff to let them know that plans had changed. Instead, they just stood her up. The Humane Society of NWGA said:

This gorgeous girl was all set to go home today and got stood up.😢 She was all dressed up in her pretty sweater waiting patiently for her new family.

The sad post hit the shelter’s Facebook followers hard. Who could do such a thing to such a deserving dog? But that dismay prodded people into action. The shelter’s post about Autumn was shared 1.6k times and garnered over 300 comments.

And social media did what social media does…Autumn’s information was shared virally and in short order, the shelter let everyone know that a new adopter had been found. The shelter said:

Thank you everyone for all the shares and offers to adopt Autumn. I have a wonderful family lined up to get her tomorrow.

Enjoy your new life Autumn!

San Diego, CA – Last week, a dog who has been waiting for a home for two very long years was treated to a wonderful birthday party by staff with the San Diego Humane Society. Dana was taken in at the shelter as a stray in 2020. Sadly, years have passed and nobody has chosen Dana for adoption.

But none of that mattered during her big celebration. On November 15, the shelter shared a video of the birthday bash, writing:

We gathered the official Dana fan club to create a birthday blowout worthy of this amazing mutt — and her reaction made it all worth it! Dana had the time of her life as we (rightfully) spoiled her silly.

Dana’s party was full of presents, snuggles, pets, treats, and adorable decorations – everything this sweet shelter pooch deserves.

The shelter is hopeful that someone out there will finally choose Dana to be their forever companion. They expressed their desire for Dana to be adopted, writing:

There were no candles on her pupcakes, but we know that Dana’s deepest wish is to finally find the home where she can feel this same joy every day. Perhaps with just a teensy bit less fanfare. Can you help make this wish come true? Adopt Dana (704609) at our Oceanside Campus, or help spread the birthday cheer by sharing her video!

Read more about Dana at this link to the shelter’s website, and please, share her story to help find her a loving home!

Scranton, PA – A cat who was picked up as a stray, and taken to St. Cats and Dogs of Nay Aug Zoo to be neutered, will soon be reunited with his family. The handsome tuxedo cat, Bob, vanished seven years ago when his family was making a cross-country trek in their RV. Thanks to his implanted microchip, the veterinary team who was going to neuter him as part of a local TNR program (Trap/Neuter/Release) discovered that he was not an ownerless stray and the microchip information enabled his family to be located.

According to the animal welfare agency, Bob’s owners said that they were moving from Oregon to Massachusetts when they stopped for maintenance on their RV. A worker left a door open and Bob escaped. They put up fliers in the area, hoping that he had been found, but their efforts were fruitless.

Today, Bob’s family lives in Arkansas, and they are “super excited” to bring their long-lost cat home.  The organization said:

Who knows where Bob was or what he was doing all this time but we can tell you one thing he is the sweetest guy.

On Thursday, the agency alerted Facebook followers that Bob found a ride to his family:

Bob has become somewhat of a celebrity! He is a very chill guy and was a little shy with all the attention today. He will be leaving for his journey home in two weeks with Twilight Furry Friends Transport! His owners will be sharing his reunion!❤️🐾😻

Wichita, KS – A newborn chimp was reunited with his mom, Mahale, two days after being delivered by c-section. The baby had to be whisked away after the delivery because he was struggling to breathe on his own.

The Sedgwick County Zoo captured the beautiful reunion on video. It the sweet segment, you can see the moment that baby Kucheza moves, catching his mom’s eye. She races to pick him up from the blue blanket he is bundled in and gently cradles him in her arms.

The zoo Tweets:

Excuse us while we continue drowning in happy tears.

Shortly after, the zoo said that mom and baby are doing well:

Just in from the keepers: Mahale and Baby are doing amazing and our boy now has a name!
Kucheza (koo-CHAY-zuh) means “play” in Swahili.

You can follow along with this sweet family at this link to Facebook.

Excuse us while we continue drowning in happy tears. https://t.co/0T7EjWnHoC

— Sedgwick County Zoo (@SedgwickCoZoo) November 18, 2022

Kanawha County, W.Va. – Nearly 20 puppies were abandoned in a ball field near an elementary school in South Charleston. Fortunately, the eight-week-old puppies were found and rescued before they fell in harm’s way.

On November 10, the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association alerted Facebook followers about the intake of 19 puppies, writing:

19 puppies just arrived 😳 Our intake team is working on exams, vaccinations, microchips. deworming, and flea/tick treatment!

They will be showing up on the website soon! About half of them are in so far ❤️

Because the pups were found in November, they have all been given names related to Thanksgiving dinner:

The community quickly stepped up to help the shelter provide food and supplies to the puppies and the adoption applications poured in. On November 14, the shelter said that just four pups were still in need of homes: Squash, Pumpkin, Rolls, and Stuffing!

You can follow the shelter on Facebook at this link.

Del Mar, CA – Two racehorses died during the opening weekend of fall racing at Del Mar. The first horse, a five-year-old gelding named Kazuhiko, died Friday shortly after the conclusion of the fifth race, collapsing while being walked back to the barn.

On Sunday, Coast of Roan, a six-year-old gelding, collapsed and died after the conclusion of the third race. Coast of Roan was visibly tired as the race drew to an end, finishing last as he was “eased to the wire.”

Both horses died “suddenly” and neither suffered an injury while running in the races.

Dr. Dana Stead, Del Mar’s chief veterinarian, was the first to reach Coast of Roan, telling the Del Mar Times:

“He had a faint heartbeat when I reached him, but it was quickly gone.”

Necropsies will be conducted on both horses to help determine their cause of death.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – Dozens of rescue dogs on a plane destined for animal shelters in Wisconsin survived a frightening crash onto a snow-covered golf course on Tuesday, November 15. According to multiple sources, three people and 56 dogs were onboard the twin-engine plane that crashed near the fifth hole of the Western Lakes Golf Club in the Waukesha County community of Pewaukee.

According to WISN News, the plane struck trees, spilled 300 gallons of fuel, and lost both wings, but everyone onboard survived with non life-threatening injuries.

Members of the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County (HAWS) had been waiting for the plane’s arrival at the Waukesha airport. After learning of the accident, the group headed to the site of the crash to help collect the dogs who are now being evaluated for injuries. HAWS said,

All the animals were triaged at HAWS by staff veterinarians. Some remain at HAWS while others went to our partner shelters. All are expected to be placed up for adoption as planned in the coming days.

Find HAWS on Facebook at this link.

Lee County, FL – A teenager who had been living in squalor, with 13 dogs, was so desperate for help that he called the police for a welfare check on himself. The tidy exterior of the Lehigh Acres home belied the horror hiding behind closed doors and hid the sad reality of the squalid conditions inside from neighbors living nearby.

As reported by WINK News, the 16-year-old boy who called for help had resorted to using a respirator because of the overwhelming smell of ammonia and feces inside the house. He told the authorities that he had been living in terrible conditions for years and that his mother frequently left him home alone to clean the house, but it was too overwhelming for him to continue doing it himself.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office seized all of the dogs from the home. No word on the fate of the 16-year-old boy.

The boy’s mother, a board member for Cat Tails and More, has not been charged yet and her name has not been released. The non-profit organization has stated that the woman has had no “meaningful contact” with the agency in eight months and that she has no authority to take in dogs for them.

Nevada – Days ago, hikers discovered a family of dogs who appear to have been abandoned in the desert near Las Vegas. According to the Southern Nevada Animal Rescue League, the mother dog appears to have given birth after she was abandoned; by the time they were discovered, two puppies had already died. On the day the dogs were found, the rescue agency said:

EMERGENCY SITUATION⚠️⚠️‼️
This morning some hikers came across a family of cattle dogs abandoned out in the desert. It seems as though mom delivered the pups while out in the desert. Two puppies were already deceased when help arrived, 5 still alive but not out of the woods as the desert nights are near freezing in temp. We hope we got to this family in-time.

As reported by 8 News Now, a male dog actually led the hikers to his family. And he was thankful that help had finally arrived, licking the rescuers’ faces to show his gratitude. It is a miracle that any of the dogs survived given the frigid night temperatures and the presence of desert predators.

The male dog is already in a foster-to-adopt home, but the mother and her newborn pups will not be ready for approximately eight weeks. If you are interested in adoption, you can complete an application at this link.

Find the rescue group on Facebook at this link.

Port St. Lucie, Florida – On the morning of November 4, opportunistic thieves broke into a residence in Port St. Lucie and stole 19 French Bulldogs while the homeowners were not home. The local authorities reported the burglary on the day it happened and reached out to the public for help, writing:

JUST OCCURRED – 19 Bulldogs Stolen During House Burglary
At 11:21am this morning, PSLPD responded to the 1000-BLK of SW Fenway Rd in reference to a residential burglary. Please contact PSLPD with any information pertaining to this case.

According to the authorities, the suspects entered through a bedroom window, grabbed the dogs (who are valued at more than $100,000), and left the scene in a silver sedan that has front bumper damage.

Port St. Lucie contact information at this link.

Update 11/17/2022: Some dogs have been recovered and several people arrested. Read more here.

(Feature stock image of French Bulldogs via Pixabay)