This Week at Rescue TV

One last push to help WAF!

Cat Who Was Shot By Cruel Human and Left to Die Needs Our Help. When people welcome a companion animal into their lives, they usually have so much compassion and affection in their heart, that they want to share it with another being. They will go to the shelter and pick out a pup or kitty to pour all of that love into. Alternatively, there are some people out there who treat animals as a way to release their aggression, and sadly, homeless animals with no guardian to protect them, tend to be the target of this anger. We’ve heard stories where stray animals are abused by people living in the area who are simply annoyed by their presence. We’ve heard of stray animals getting run over by cars and no one bothering to stop and see if they’re okay. And, sadly, we’ve seen dogs get picked up off the street and turn into bait or aggressive opponents for dogfighting circles.

Just recently, the residents of a mobile home park in Calera, Alabama found a cat who had been shot in the back and was dragging herself through the park. At the time they found her, the bullet was still lodged in her spine. The fact that this little kitty was pulling herself around the park, likely looking for food or help, shows that this cat had a clear will to live. The folks who found her immediately called The Purrfect Love Cat Rescue. The kitten, now named Jackie, seems to be permanently paralyzed and the employees at the center are skeptical as to whether she will ever be able to walk, control her bowels, or her bladder. According to the veterinarian on board, it appeared someone put the gun up against her back, then fired, almost certainly intentionally.

Why anyone would harm such a precious creature is beyond us. This kitty’s only crime was existing in the same space as a cruel human..
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Sadly, Jackie is too weak to undergo any surgery, so all that’s left to do is hope that this sweet kitten can somehow pull through the ordeal.
Kitty 1
Despite the fact that Jackie cannot undergo surgery, the rescue center employees are determined to do all they can for her and hopefully find the horrible individual who did this to her. They have set up a Facebook page and hope to get donations for what will likely be a very costly recovery program for Jackie. 

We can all play a role in helping prevent animal cruelty, check out these resources to learn more:
All image source: Justice for Jackie/Facebook

Urgent Help Needed to Save Hungry Homeless Cat Who Was Attacked by 4 Dogs. Hunger is an ever-constant threat and worry for the many homeless animals in Bulgaria and other countries throughout the world. Without a loving home and caring guardian, every day for stray animals is a battle for survival – and sometimes that desperation for food can lead to devastating consequences. Sadly, this was the case for Kitty.

Kitty is a homeless cat who lives on the streets of Bulgaria. Only about a week ago, she was searching for food and found herself on the balcony of a second-floor apartment which was the home of four dogs. Whether Kitty was unaware of the dogs’ presence or too desperate to care is unknown, but in either case, things ended poorly for this cat. Within minutes, all four of the family’s dogs leapt in to attack the cat, leaving her severely injured.

A Phone Call to Remember
The morning after the attack, the guardian of the four dogs called Desislava Stoyanova, an animal rescuer and founder of the ‘’Save Me’’ Facebook page, which aims to raise money for needy animals she rescues. The woman was very distressed as she is an animal lover and her dogs have never had an issue with cats before. Given the poor state of the cat, she was desperate for help, so Desislava immediately stepped in.
Hungry Homeless Cat Gets Attacked By Dogs When Searching for Food. Now There's A Chance She Could Be Left Disabled...Will You Help Her Recovery?
Kitty was bleeding extensively due to the severe bites all over her body. After an examination, the vets determined that the cat’s muscles were torn, her backbone was broken, and she had an abdominal hernia. This is a very serious prognosis for such a small creature.
Hungry Homeless Cat Gets Attacked By Dogs When Searching for Food. Now There's A Chance She Could Be Left Disabled...Will You Help Her Recovery?
Because Kitty was losing so much blood, vets suggested euthanasia, something Desislava couldn’t bring herself to do if there was still a chance the cat could pull through. With that resolution made, it was decided that Kitty would stay at the clinic for a long period of time and receive close monitoring. Once she stabilizes, she will also undergo an operation that will set her spine and hopefully allow her to regain use of her back legs.

Will You Help Kitty?
Kitty’s injuries are severe and there’s a chance she could be left disabled as a result of the horrific attack. Right now she’s in the veterinary hospital, waiting for her operation, and Desislava is hoping and praying her back and legs can be saved. As you can probably imagine, this treatment doesn’t come cheap and the bill is getting higher every day –  a bill that Desislava is struggling to pay off all on her own.

If you would like to help fund Kitty’s treatment, please send a donation through Desislava’s ‘’Save Me’’ Facebook page. Anything counts, no matter how big or small! Image Source: Save Me
Rescued Horse Who Was Forced to Wear Painful, Stacked Shoes Finally Gets to Run! In today’s society, animal welfare is sadly not prioritized over entertainment and profit. Our current system chooses to keep animals in captivity to gawk at them instead of observing them from afar in their natural habitat. We choose to exploit animals for our own selfish advances in medicine and beauty products. And we choose to use horses as props and call it a “sport."

One of the most popular competitive events that exploit animals are equestrian sports. This includes but is not limited to endurance writing, show jumping, polo, horse racing, and rodeo. To participate in these events, horses are typically equipped with stacks which are built-up pads between shoe and hoof, usually held on by a band over the front of the hoof. These stacks can be painful for horses and often lead to swelling, bruising, and sometimes, significant wounds.

Thankfully, there are a number of organizations in existence who are fighting to give horses forced to participate in these so-called sports a better life.

A few months ago, the Horse Plus Humane Society, came across a severely injured “walking” horse that appeared to have hair loss, injuries on his hooves, and was chained and being forced to stand on stacks at an auction.

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Knowing that the Horse Protection Act prohibits injured horses from participating in shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions, the humane society knew they had to save this horse.
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And they did! The horse, now named Dreams, is currently safe and away from his former life of competitive equestrian sports. 
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Over the past few months, Horse Plus Humane Society workers have been slowly transitioning Dreams off from his stacks.

What a relief that must have been! 
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In fact, just recently, he was given a wonderful gift: a heavy flat shoe that would allow him to walk and frolic like a regular horse! 
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Dreams was very patient and let the farrier do his work. He must have known the end goal would be worth it!
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And it was! Dreams’ hooves are looking way more normal and while there are still a-ways to go before they are shaped right and in the proper position, he is definitely more comfortable with his new shoes!
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Tawnee, an employee at the shelter, helped Dreams get accustomed to his new shoes. He’s been walking on stacks for so long that he was confused as to how to walk! Poor thing.
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Things got even more confusing when Dreams was given a wide open field to walk around in. Typically, stacked horses need to stay in pens so they do not hurt themselves. 
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Eventually, Dreams started getting more accustomed to the whole walking thing. Having some friends to follow around also helped. 
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He is even partaking in typical horse activities like munching on hay and grazing. What a beauty. 
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We’re so glad that Dreams is finally getting to live like a horse should. He is walking freely, he’s not as clumsy, and he seems comfortable in his own skin. Yay, Dreams!
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While it’s true that not all competitive sports operations involving horses abuse animals to this extent, any sport that involves exploiting animals is unideal in our book. If you think that all horses should be able to live in peace without being forced to compete in sports, share this article! All image source: Horse Plus Humane Society.

Cutest Rescue Puppy and Kitten Are Best Friends. 
Ruggles and Chompers are two tiny friends who have amazing stories. And they couldn't be more adorable! Ruggles is a tiny shih-tzu who was rescued from a puppy mill bust last year. His kitty friend Chompers was found by herself under a porch when she was only two days old. The two became fast friends.

Despite their rough start to life, Ruggles and Chompers are both happy and healthy and were adopted to loving forever homes. Ruggles is now an official ambassador for the Cherokee County Animal Shelter, the shelter that rescued him from the puppy mill. He and his pet parent visit schools to educate kids on puppy mills and shelter dogs. 

UPDATE: For those wondering why they were not adopted together... that was the shelter's original plan, but Chompers (true to her name!) became too rough with little Ruggles, and due to his health problems, it was determined that it was in both of the animals' best interest to be adopted separately. They are both happy and very much loved!

Follow Ruggles' blog at http://rugglestheshelterpup.weebly.com, and see more great stories at www.positively.com and www.facebook.com/VictoriaStilwell.

Dog Who Survived On Rocks And Twigs Looks Completely Different Now. An emaciated Weimaraner was found looking about as bad as any dog could look. The dog survived only by eating rocks and twigs but made a transformation that is truly unbelievable.

Alex was found wandering the streets of New Orleans by Southern Animal Foundation. They knew he needed help and needed it fast.
Alex was found wandering the streets of New Orleans by Southern Animal Foundation. They knew he needed help and needed it fast.
Southern Animal Foundation
An x-ray revealed that his stomach was full of rocks and twigs, and required emergency surgery right away.
An x-ray revealed that his stomach was full of rocks and twigs, and required emergency surgery right away.
Southern Animal Foundation

34 Slow Lorises Whose Teeth Were Ripped Out so They Could Become Pets Need Our Help! Unless you happen to live in Southeast Asia, it’s likely that the only interaction you’ve had with a slow loris is through your computer screen – and chances are you’ve been thoroughly entertained by their adorable antics. After all, slow lorises are extremely cute, who wouldn’t enjoy watching them chow down on a banana or get tickled? Unfortunately, when we delve deeper into how a slow loris ends up domesticated in a house, the idea of having a slow loris as a pet suddenly goes from super cute to very cruel.

Slow lorises have been targeted by the exotic pet trade in recent years because of their undeniable cuteness. Sadly, acquiring these animals for the trade comes at a high cost. They are ripped away from their families, sold in hot, bright markets (despite the fact that they are nocturnal), and their teeth are removed (without painkillers) so that they do not bite their new guardians. All of this cruelty simply to fulfill someone’s dream of owning one of these exotic animals. 

Thankfully, there are organizations that are doing everything they can to keep slow lorises in the wild where they belong, and saving those that are already in commute within the illegal wildlife trade. Just recently, the organization International Animal Rescue (IAR) got their hands on 34 traumatized slow lorises who were confiscated from traffickers by the police.

The police got to these lorises just in time, they were about to be sold as pets on social media.
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According to IAR, some of the lorises have already had their teeth cut and several of them also have serious wounds. They are all showing signs of extreme stress.
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Now, the IAR team is working around the clock to stabilize the lorises’ condition and try to save as many of them as possible. 
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Although they are doing everything they can, they are in dire need of donations for lifesaving syringes that contain essential vitamins and nutrients for the animals. These syringes are the difference between life and death for these creatures.
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These sweet animals deserve so much more than to be carted from one place to another and sold to random people off the Internet. A background check is not administered for buyers and so it’s very easy for these innocent creatures to end up in the wrong hands. 
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We hope that a majority of these lorises are able to make a full recovery and return to their home in the wild, a place they should have never been taken from in the first place. 
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While some slow loris guardians claim that they treat their animals with respect and love, the fact of the matter is that these animals belong in the wild and no amount of coddling or care can make up for ripping them away from their families. We can all help slow lorises by raising awareness about the illegal pet trade (sharing this article is a good start!) and making sure that our friends and families know that the seemingly cute videos of slow lorises circulating around social media are actually cruel. To donate money and help International Animal Rescue acquire as many lifesaving syringes as possible, click here. All image source: International Animal Rescue/Facebook  
Husky Rescue
He was adopted a few days after this video was posted!!!!!

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If you are interested in helping with animals in the future, please visit our partners at http://www.abandonedpetproject.org to learn more and to donate if you would like. Abandoned Pet Project is a 501(c)(3), tax exempt non-profit organization. There is no shortage of pets in need, so every donation means more lives we can positively change. 

Cows Literally Jump For Joy When They See The Sun For The First Time In 6 Months


This Grateful Pit Bull Has Not Stopped Smiling Since He Was Rescued. When homeless dogs are stuck in the shelter, we think it’s safe to say they would rather be anywhere else. The cold kennel floor is no match for a bed, a quick walk outside is not the same as hours at the park, and being played with for an hour or two is simply not the same as having a forever family to call your own. Things get even more depressing when prospective adopters come through the shelter. Dogs are understandably heartbroken when they are not chosen and sadly, breeds like Pit Bulls have a harder time than most in terms of getting adopted.

That being said, when an animal realizes they are finally on their way to a forever home, their demeanor completely changes. We’ve seen dogs that were completely depressed suddenly burst with joy after realizing they were getting adopted. We’ve seen kittens express immense gratitude and love with just a powerful look. And of course, we’ve seen animals completely transform after spending time with their forever family. Take Meaty, for instance, a Pit Bull who was rescued from Fresno Bully Rescue and has not stopped smiling since…literally.

Meet Meatball, or “Meaty” – the smiling rescued Pit Bull who simply can’t contain his joy. 
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Since being adopted, Meaty has had nothing but fun times and is doing things he never got to do at the shelter! He gets to hang out in pajamas… 
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…play dress up…
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…practice his balancing skills…
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…goof around… 
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…and even enjoy the ocean’s breeze!
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Sometimes after a long day, Meaty kicks back and sips on a glass of wine. 
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We’re just kidding about that last one. Meaty’s parents love him too much to let him do such a thing. 
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Meaty has plenty of other things that make him smile and by the looks of it, he’s going to continue smiling for a while… 
Meaty 1
We’re so happy that these folks were able to look past all the negative stereotypes about Pit Bulls and give this darling dog the best gift he could have ever gotten. Unfortunately, not every Pittie is as lucky, and many of them will spend their days listlessly in a kennel, at constant risk of being put down. We can all do our part to help dispel the wrongful stereotypes about Pit Bulls by raising awareness about the true nature of these sweet pups. All dogs are individuals and deserve to be treated and viewed as such. If you agree, share this post and encourage others to give Pits a chance! All image source: loveabulllisa/Instagram 

This Baby Rhino Lost His Mom to Poachers, So Caretakers Are Giving Him All the Love They Can.  
When left to live peacefully in the wild, rhinos are part of tight-knit families and play a very important role in our ecosystem. Because of their large stature, rhinos are able to exert control over their environments, just like lions or elephants, controlling the type of plants present in a region which therefore impacts the types of smaller animals that thrive there.


Sadly, despite the role they play in creating their ecosystem, rhinos are ruthlessly hunted by humans for their horns. It is believed that rhino horns contain medicinal properties when in reality they are composed of keratin (the same stuff in our fingernails). Unfortunately, due to this myth, it is estimated that three rhinos are killed every day for their horns.

When rhinos are poached to supply the horn demand of the illegal wildlife trade, the rhinos that are killed are not the only ones affected. Often, babies are left behind but rhinos are just like human children and they rely on their mother’s care for survival. Just recently, The Rhino Orphanage (TRO) rescued a five-month-old white rhino bull after his mother was poached to death.

According to TRO, this rhino’s mother was poached along with two other rhinos, an act that took the lives of nearly all of this baby rhino’s family group.
Rhino Baby 5
To transport this traumatized orphan, TRO blindfolded him and placed earbuds in his ears to minimize external stimuli and sound and reduce the amount of stress this little one had to endure as much as possible. 
Rhino Baby 2
Upon his arrival, the ladies at the orphanage named him Nenkani. This translates to “stubborn” in Zulu, which they thought accurately described this voracious, independent, and sassy baby rhino. 
Rhino Baby 1
Nenkani was understandably tired, both emotionally and physically, but he’s been receiving around the clock care and nourishment from the orphanage staff. 
Rhino Baby 4
Nothing can bring Nenkani’s mother back, or the lifetime of  happiness they could have shared together, but at least Nenkani is safe and in capable hands, now. 
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Nenkani’s incredibly sad story is a reminder that we still have a lot of work left to do to truly save this species. Park rangers and wildlife protection workers are on the frontlines of the fight against illegal wildlife poaching, but we could all play a part in what happens to the magnificent white rhino. To begin, you can share this article to raise awareness for their plight. To learn more about what else you can do to help rhinos, click hereAll image source: The Rhino Orphanage/Facebook

Two Kittens Who Were Tied Together and Used as Bait for Dogfighting Get Rescued Just in Time. As hard as it is for us to wrap our heads around, dogfighting rings still exist in the U.S. and around the world. If you’re not familiar with the underground world of this so-called “sport,” it’s a dark one. Essentially, dogs, many times Pit Bulls, are trained by cruel humans to become aggressive, violent, and combative. Trainers employ a variety of tactics, including abusing the dogs, beating them with poles to increase jaw strength, keeping them in cages for days on end, and starving them. Despite the fact that dogfighting is considered a felony in all 50 states, humans who have a thirst for money and a gambling habit continue to support dogfighting operations. 

While dogs are obviously the most affected by this brutish practice, they are not the only animals who suffer. Oftentimes, small animals, like kittens, are used as bait to train the dogs. That’s right, living, breathing kittens are thrown at dogs as a way to practice for what will surely be a bloody and horrifying dog fight. Sadly, this still occurs in the world.

Just recently, two kittens were mysteriously dropped off at a Pet Food Express in Benicia, California and were eventually brought to a rescue center. According to veterinarians, the two tabbies, later named Will and Grace, were dropped off in terrible shape.

Will and Grace’s legs were bound together with rubber bands, a clear indication that these innocent creatures were going to be used as dogfighting bait. 
Bait Kittens 2
All that saw the kittens on their journey from street to rescue center were shocked. “It’s the first time I’ve seen our entire staff reduced to tears, everybody,” shared Pet Food Express store manager, Leona Edejer, in an interview with ABC 7 News. 
Bait Kittens 1
Both kittens had severe damage to their legs from being tied up. Despite efforts to nurse them back to health, Grace didn’t make it and had to be euthanized due to a severe gangrene infection. Now veterinarians are doing everything they can to help Will recover. 
Bait Kittens 3
Will is currently receiving around the clock care at Solano County Friends of Animals, a nonprofit rescue organization. In addition to helping Will, the organization is working with The Solano County Animal Control Division to investigate the situation, try to find out who dropped these kittens off, and unveil any dogfighting circles that may be congregating in the area. We hope justice comes for these kittens and that people see this situation as a lesson. Dogfighting trainers will often scour Craigslist and other classified ads online looking for free animals to use as bait – so it is incredibly important to be very wary if you ever need to find a new home for any animals. Together, we can help put an end to this outrageous cruelty, if you’d like to help Will with his recovery, click here to donateAll image source: Solano County Friends of Animals.


This Kind Rescuer is Fighting to Save a Dog Who Had His Paw and Ear Cut Off by a Cruel Human. Nobody knows how it happened or who did it. All we know is that Morty, a homeless dog in Bulgaria, is fighting for his life after someone cut off his front paws and one of his ears.

When his rescuer, Desislava Stoyanova, found him, she said the pup was covered in blood and almost unable to move.  He’d found refuge in someone’s backyard until they shooed him away.

Stoyanova, who has been rescuing animals off the streets of Bulgaria for over a decade, isn’t the kind of person who can turn a blind eye to suffering. When she sees a cat or dog in need, she does what she does best: she helps them. Some animals get happy endings, some do not, but what counts is that Stoyanova makes sure their life is not worthless. No animal is invisible in the eyes of Desislava Stoyanova and Morty was no exception.
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Running Out of Time
Morty was bleeding extensively and if he’d been left much longer, it’s almost certain that he would have died. Fortunately, Stoyanova got him to the clinic as soon as she could, where he was placed on IV tubes and given a blood transfusion.
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Things did not look good. Morty’s limbs were infected and he was severely dehydrated. The vets also discovered that Morty had anemia, which was really slowing him down and draining his energy.

Would he survive? Would Morty’s frail and mutilated body survive the torture it had endured? Poor Morty’s fate was extremely unclear and still hangs in the balance, but there is some good news to report.


While he cannot walk and he can only eat small portions of food because his stomach can’t handle much, he is still alive and vets say he is improving, if only slightly and slowly.


Every day the vets clean his wounds and feed him vitamins while Desislava floods him with love, care, and gentle touches. She says he is still scared and does not know what kindness is, but she hopes that will change the more he gets to know her and learns to trust people again. Given what this pup has endured, we can understand why he is so wary of humans altogether.

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While things are stable for Morty at the moment, he is still fighting and Desislava is committed to getting this noble dog all the help he needs. But there’s another obstacle we need to get through in order to give Morty the best chance of survival: the mounting veterinary bills.

How You Can Help Morty

With such severe injuries, Morty’s veterinary treatment has not come cheap and Desislava is struggling to cover the costs. If she can’t pay Morty’s veterinary bills, his treatment will stop. To help raise funds, she posted his story on her Facebook Page, Save Me, on which she often posts stories of animals in need. She can cover part of the bill but not all of it and to make it worse, with Morty still in the hospital and in need of constant veterinary care, the bill is going to keep increasing.

If you’d like to help this kind woman care for Morty, consider sending a donation through the ‘’Save Me’’ page. Share this post and encourage others to stamp out animal cruelty by saving Morty! Image Source: Desislava Stoyanova.


The self-releasing squirrel
Formerly Chained Dog Meets His New Family

Elephant Come To Rescue People

They See A Horse Unable To Stand But Realize What’s Going On When They Get Closer. Click to watch!

Street dog's ear devoured by flesh-eating worms, rescued. A street dogs ear was infested with maggots that were eating him alive. Within just a few more days they would have killed him. But luckily someone found him hiding in their bathroom and called Animal Aid to come rescue him. Watch Dylan's amazing transformation.
Donate to save animals who otherwise wouldn't stand a chance : www.animalaidunlimited.org/how-to-help/donate

Dog’s Fur Is Matted So Badly She Can’t Wag Her Tail, But Watch When They Start The Grooming. Juliebean was surrendered by her elderly owners as they could no longer care for her, but some damage was already done. Her fur was matted so badly, her tail couldn’t even move enough to wag. When you see her makeover and transformation, you’ll be amazed.
A dramatic rescue and a difficult catch

Dog sobs when she sees rescuer coming to save her.
We got a call that a dog had fallen into a deep well in a village outside of Udaipur. When we arrived we found a heartbroken dog desperate to be helped. Watch her amazing rescue! Please donate to save someone precious : www.animalaidunlimited.org/how-to-help/donate

Kind Woman Rescues a Baby Bird Who Was Knocked Out of His Nest in a Nasty Storm. There are certain situations that occur in nature where humans should not get involved. If two wild animals are clawing each other in a battle, you should probably keep your distance. If you see a family of ducks making their way across the highway and there is no impending traffic, let them be. And if you see a baby bird, we always suggest that you don’t pick them up or assume that they’ve been abandoned. However, in life, there are always special circumstances. There are times when animals are wandering around in dangerous places without realizing it, and without human intervention, they will surely get hurt. There are times when animals are stuck in random places and wouldn’t possibly be able to get themselves out of the sticky situation without a little help. And of course, if you see a stray animal that seems to be dying of thirst, there’s no harm in giving the innocent creature some hydration.

Recently, Imgur user wanderfarandlivewild, stumbled a baby bird that had clearly been knocked out of his nest after a bad storm.e
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After trying to locate his nest with no success, the Imgur user decided that since he was so young, the best course of action was to bring the little guy home.
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After a little online research, they determined the bird was a young robin who was not equipped to be out of his nest yet. He quickly set up a makeshift nest for the tiny bird to feel comfy.
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According to the Imgur user, the bird started to grow in feathers pretty quickly and was getting noticeably bigger by the day.
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“For a wild bird he was pretty docile,” shared the Imgur user. “He would just sleep on my hand or shoulder.”
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She also shares that the robin seemed to have no problem just hanging out inside and relaxing.
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The kind person made sure to give the birdie plenty of time outside, though. She didn’t want him to get too used to being inside so she would set him up on branches so that he wouldn’t forget his native home.
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The Imgur user knew it was time to let the birdie go when he was no longer interested in being hand fed and became hesitant to go back inside of the house. She left food out for him for the first few days while he became independent, but eventually he stopped coming back.
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While we encourage people to always contact a professional before stepping in to help a wild animal, we are grateful that this kind person was willing to go the extra mile to save this small baby. We hope that he is flying free in his natural habitat now and will never have to worry about being lost or scared again.

If you ever come across an animal in need of help, it’s always best practice to contact a wildlife rehabilitator, to find some that can help in your area, click here.

All image source: wanderfarandlivewild/Imgur

19 Pit Bulls Rescued From Horrific Conditions in Alleged Fighting Ring. The abhorrent crime of dog fighting may be illegal in the United States, but it is still an underground industry fueled by human greed. Behind closed doors, dogs are born into an industry that perpetuates a life of violence simply so that the humans in charge can make a dollar. Due to stigmas and negative stereotypes, Pit Bulls and other bully breeds are the most common type of dog subjected to the horrors of the fighting industry. These loving, loyal dogs are routinely subjected to horrible abuse at the hands of their so-called guardians in order to condition them to become aggressive dogs that will turn a profit in the fighting ring. Much like animals on a factory farm, they are not seen as sentient beings who experience pain, fear, and anxiety but are often left with the bare minimum in order to survive.

Recently in Brooksville, Florida, a man was arrested on charges of animal cruelty after police arrived at his home in order to investigate a report of a severely injured dog. According to WFLA, they found a severely injured male Pit Bull locked in a cage underneath the house. It was clear that his wounds had never been tended to by a veterinarian and that his food and water dishes had been empty for a long time. He had likely been used as a “bait” dog, which are typically smaller, more docile dogs that are used to train other dogs to be aggressive and often, to kill. Upon further investigation, officers found a total of 19 adult Pit Bulls and two puppies living in deplorable conditions. The man in question is now under suspicion of running a dog fighting training facility. Looking at the heartbreaking conditions, it’s all too clear that this man had no love for the dogs under his care.

The poor dog in this photo was likely locked up with their wound left untreated after a fighting session. While some dogs were left in the yard with heavy chains around their necks, others were completely isolated, locked away in small pens. No food source was present for any of them.
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A filthy bucket filled with algae-infested water was the only source for the dog trapped in this makeshift cage.
Heartbreaking Photos Reveal the Reality of Living Conditions For Fighting Dogs Outside of the Ring (PHOTOS)
Instead of warm beds and dishes full of fresh food and water, these dogs were left to live with heavy chains around their necks on hard concrete with only tiny, filthy dog houses to shelter them from the rain.
Heartbreaking Photos Reveal the Reality of Living Conditions For Fighting Dogs Outside of the Ring (PHOTOS)
Looking at the sweet faces of these dogs, who could ever think to subject them to a life of routine pain and abuse? It’s unthinkable.
Heartbreaking Photos Reveal the Reality of Living Conditions For Fighting Dogs Outside of the Ring (PHOTOS)
Multiple pieces of fighting equipment, along with several muscle builders used on dogs in the fighting industry, were found on the scene.
Heartbreaking Photos Reveal the Reality of Living Conditions For Fighting Dogs Outside of the Ring (PHOTOS)
All dogs on the property were seized and brought to Hernando County Animal Services. At last, they are all safe from this horrible industry.
Heartbreaking Photos Reveal the Reality of Living Conditions For Fighting Dogs Outside of the Ring (PHOTOS)
Once all the dogs had their wounds tended to by a veterinarian, they were each vaccinated, treated for fleas, and fed. The case of their abuse still remains open, as this is a recent discovery, but we can rest easy knowing that these dogs will never be forced to fight again.

If it weren’t for a report of an injured dog, these sweet pups may have never been saved. If you ever come across a yard that looks like this, the best thing you can do is to report it to the local authorities. Here are other ways you can help:.
  • Familiarize yourself with the issue.
  • Identify the signs of dog fighting — if a yard looks like these photos, report it!
  • Sign petitions.
  • Share this article to spread awareness and put a stop to all dog fighting
All image source: Hernando County Sheriff’s Office/WFLA

Photo of Little Boy Saving a Drowning Puppy Will Remind You Why Fighting for Animals is So Important. If you consider yourself an animal lover then you are probably familiar with that sinking feeling that comes along with hearing the news about an animal being harmed or abused by humans. Unfortunately, it seems that not a day goes by without a horrific headline about dogs found in fighting rings, farm animals faced with obscene abuse, or wild animals being harmed for the sake of a “selfie.” Let’s face it, when it comes to living in harmony with the world around us … humans are pretty much failing.

As heartbreaking as it can be to face this reality, we mustn’t forget that there is an entire other side of all this negative news – the positive side. For as many terrible stories we hear about people going out of their way to harm animals, there are many, many more featuring incredible people going above and beyond to help animals.

If you’re in need of a quick pick me up to restore your faith in humanity, look no further than this image.
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Although the little boy is clearly in danger in these weather conditions, he chose to pick up the soaked puppy. While we don’t know the fate of the puppy or this kind child, the gesture in and of itself is enough to inspire us all to be a little but more compassionate.

The world can be an incredibly dark place for animals but each one of us has the power to make it just a little bit brighter. Whether it’s something as small as helping a lost dog find their home or as big as risking your life to help an animal in dire straits, every small act of kindness adds up.

To learn more about how you can take action and help animals, check out these resources:
In Defense of Animals
Seven Lives Saved, More to Go! Thanks to generous donations from In Defense of Animals supporters from across the country and around the world, seven dogs have escaped the macabre deaths that awaited them in the bloody dog meat markets of South Korea. Without your support for our intervention in collaboration with dedicated Korean activists, all seven would have been brutally killed and consumed for meat and folk-medicine 'health-tonics' consumed in misguided attempts to increase virility and cope with the summer heat. PLEASE HELP
In Defense of Animals
Caring College Student Saves Pup. Shweta Sarkar was on her way to college when she saw a little puppy by the side of the road. When she looked closer, she saw the poor dog had a big wound. Student Shweta stopped to tend the puppy, who was clearly in a lot of pain. Shweta’s father took her call for help, and soon they were headed from Bhandup to the In Defense of Animals India’s Center at Deonar, nine miles away. READ MORE