Animal Lovers

UPDATE: Lizzie and Phantom are currently recovering in an outdoor koala ward within the  Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital . They’re doing swimmingly; Phantom is both gaining weight and exploring his temporary habitat. And of course, mama and baby are sharing more adorable cuddles! For most species in the animal kingdom, the bond between mother and baby is incredibly strong. That's pretty much inarguable. But last week, two koalas in Australia further proved it. After they were hit by a car, Lizzie and her joey, Phantom were welcomed into the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Six-month-old Phantom had escaped the accident unscathed. Lizzie, however, wasn’t looking so good, what with facial trauma and a collapsed lung. In order to survive, she needed to go under the surgeon’s knife. But this marsupial mama wasn’t alone during the life-saving procedure. Phantom accompanied her and clung to her as she received treatment. The vets let them be; Phantom was too y...

It’s one of the most sorrowful sounds you’ll ever hear, but it’s also a sad reality check for anyone who thinks protected species are safe from illegal poaching. In a video released this in July, a baby rhino named Davi cries for his mother after she was shot and killed by poachers. Most rhinos spend at least three years with their mothers before weaning,  the Dodo  reports, but Davi’s childhood was cut short at just 8 months old. The baby rhino stood close by his mother’s lifeless body until rescuers arrived. They fitted her with earplugs and a blindfold to calm his anxiety on the way to The Rhino Orphanage in South Africa. Source: YouTube/Terrence Daniels Davi huddles close to his mother’s dead body. It was there that Davi spent the night crying. “His calls for mom echoed deeply and urgently throughout the night, but two carers have been with him every step of the way,”  caretakers posted . “At least he is in good physical condition [and] has no injuries...

For the first time in 200 years, a pack of wild wolves was living in Denmark. That was until a hunter shot dead  the only known female last week. The tragic event took place in the farming region of Jutland, and was caught entirely on camera, sparking outrage across the country at the seemingly senseless killing. Two local wildlife photographers happened to be watching three of the wolves as they played and wandered across the fields, when a green vehicle pulled up and a man leaned out of the window. The two carried on filming, unaware that the person in the car had a gun until they heard the shot ring out, and watched in horror as the lone female wolf fell to the ground. The car then drove off, leaving the photographers to call the police. Wolves had not been seen in Denmark since 1813. Then in 2012, four males turned up. It was only last year that hopes of a pack were born after a single female walked 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Germany and joined the male...

There’s no specific answer to explain how or why any dog ends up living on the street. Without the ability to tell us their past—and without knowing what they’ve been through—rescuing them can pose a challenge, to say the least. This is something the team at Hope For Paws know all too well. When the Los Angeles-based rescue group recently received a call about two dogs living under an abandoned house, they knew they would have to handle the situation with caution. Yet, even with all their experience, nothing could prepare them for the startling truth about these dogs… It’s important for animal rescuers to approach each case with its own specific care. This is something the Los Angeles, California, rescue group Hope For Paws took into consideration when the team recently responded to a call concerning two stray dogs. The caller, who wished to remain anonymous, warned the rescuers of an abandoned home where two dogs had recently taken up shelter. Not knowing much about their ...

A rescue team from Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection saw the saddest sight in Kakata, Liberia. After receiving an anonymous tip, they went to a supply shop and found a little baby chimpanzee sitting inside a cardboard box, heartbreakingly clinging to an old, tattered piece of clothing. The 1-year-old chimp, named Chance, was being kept as a pet for the past few months. The rescuers didn’t know how the ‘owners’ acquired Chance, but they had an idea. “We know her mother was killed,” Jenny Desmond, founder of LCRP, told The Dodo. “One cannot acquire a baby chimpanzee without first killing his or her mother and other nearby adult family members. The adults are butchered and sold on the black market for bushmeat and the infants are kidnapped and sold into the live pet trade, both locally and internationally.” Since Chance was just a baby when her mother was killed, she had no one to properly take care of him and provide her the nutrition he needed. Sadly, her new owners didn’t...

Four white tigers living in Houston haven’t see the sun for 12 years. These same tigers haven’t been able to feel grass or earth under their feet either. In 2004, the four tigers, who were bred in captivity, sold to an indoor aquarium in Texas. The aquarium is called the Downtown Aquarium and has a second-floor restaurant, and the aquarium is on the first . Image Credit:  FACEBOOK / DOWNTOWN AQUARIUM HOUSTON The tigers are all between the ages of 12 and 13, their names are Marina, Coral, Reef, and Nero. They live in the “Maharaja’s Temple” attraction. Image Credit:  FACEBOOK / DOWNTOWN AQUARIUM HOUSTON Inside the exhibit are concrete floors, and their only view of the outside world is through the glass wall that separates them from the visitors. The indoor exhibit looks more like a movie set than a tiger habitat. When the tigers are not on the exhibit, they are kept in the holding areas in the back and are held in cells, with more concrete and still...

Animal abuse runs rampant, no matter where you go. There are always some people who are going to continue seeing animals as being beneath us and undeserving of the same freedoms and attention that humans want. Seeing animals suffer in such a way can break your heart. Image Credit:  Furry Nation Salvation That was the case for Holly Peppermint the tabby cat. She was forced to live outside in a bird cage, infested with fleas, and covered up so that she could be ignored by those that kept her. Food and water were being provided, but all this feline wanted was a little love. Image Credit:  Furry Nation Salvation When Furry Nation Salvation in Florida received a tip about a cat being kept in a birdcage, they didn’t hesitate to jump to the cat’s rescue. The conditions the cat was living in was deplorable, and her state was even worse. Image Credit:  Furry Nation Salvation She was missing patches of fur due to scratching at the fleas, as well as suff...