Humans who overcome significant trauma often become inspirational platforms for others.

A Beagle named Champ is learning that animals too can be motivational.

Upon seeing the puppy who was doused with acid by his owner, veterinarians and animal workers worked to restore the pup to normal dog health.

The puppy, who was found nearly dead with over 85 percent of his body burned, has since become a source of comfort for wounded Iraq veterans, says the website ChamptheMiracleDog.org.

Champ has appeared on a talk show and received more than 11,000 letters a day from fans who were inspired by his story, according to NorthJersey.com.

Champ’s new owner, Mike Martin, has been taking the dog to various forums to talk about how a person’s external appearance has no bearing on their good nature, just like Champ.

“This dog was wounded and he has scars left over from it, and yet, he’s still showing unconditional love,” Martin said.

Glen Lurie’s dog will likely be among the first to find his way home if he ever gets lost.

Lurie, the president of AT&T Emerging Devices, Resale and Partnerships is excited to have recently paired up with Apisphere which creates location technologies, to develop the first-ever location-smart dog collar.

"The peace of mind that a wirelessly connected collar will bring my family and pet owners across the country is long overdue," Lurie said of the device.

Not only will this dog collar, which is expected to launch in 2011, allow pet owners to track their pets via phone or computer, but the collar features a SIM card that may help keep animals out of danger by alerting their owners of where they are before they get themselves into sticky situations.

"There are few things as important to my daughter as knowing the whereabouts of our dog," Laurie said. "We’re extremely excited about this product and its possibilities."

Jackson and his wife noticed that Peaches’ cat health was deteriorating when the pet stopped eating and began breathing irregularly.

Unfortunately, the Jacksons had to make the painful decision to have Peaches euthanized, according to PeoplePets.com.

But instead, on the way to the vet, the beloved feline died in Jackson’s arms.

After Jackson requested an autopsy, veterinarians discovered that Peaches had a large tumor resulting from malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Although medical tests later revealed that Jackson’s wife was healthy, Jackson was diagnosed with cancer on his left lung. While doctors determined that this was not necessarily related to the asbestos problem, Jackson claims that had Peaches not received an autopsy, he would never have checked on his own health.

"She saved my life," Jackson said, "If it wasn’t for Peaches, I probably wouldn’t be here."

For some individuals, a pet is as much of a constant companion as a significant other – at least that’s what Desperate Housewives star, Teri Hatcher, says.

Hatcher recently added to her brood of rescue dogs by opting to take in an American Bulldog, according to PeoplePets.com. While Hatcher already has three other rescue dogs, she admits to the news provider that she has a special affection for her newest addition.

"I have an American bulldog that’s my most recent rescue: Jack, also known as my boyfriend," Hatcher said.

The actress also revealed that she has been an avid animal rescuer since 7th grade, and that if she wasn’t an actress, she always dreamed about being on the show, Stupid Pet Tricks.

Although it’s clear that Hatcher is an animal lover that bestows proper pet care to her furry friends, she said that she’s done adopting for a while, telling the website, "I think I’m legally at my limit, honestly."

According to iCelebz.com, Hatcher also has three cats, a rabbit, two birds and a horse at her home.

While many pet owners provide pet care to ensure their animals are happy and safe, many do not realize that their furry friends have their back as well.

Jake Vernon is wheelchair-bound due to an accident that happened a decade ago. While he lay in bed on St. Patrick’s Day, he noticed his Pit Bull, Gracie, would not stop barking, according to PeoplePets.com.

He had previously taken medication to help with a broken leg he had suffered during a mishap, and Vernon was still pretty groggy when Gracie tried to wake him. Upon opening his eyes, Vernon discovered that his room was on fire and Gracie had been trying alert him.

As he scrambled into his wheelchair and tried to make it out the backdoor, Gracie stayed with him the entire time, trying to protect him from the fire. Upon getting out of the house safely, Vernon noticed everyone’s adoration for his beloved Gracie.

"I was seeing a big firefighter, 6-foot-6, and he got down on his hands and knees and hugged that dog with everything he had and he kept saying, ‘This this is the best animal in the world,’ " he told PeoplePets.com.

The Iditarod recently ended when the 55th racer reached Nome, Alaska, capping one of the most famous dog sled races in the world.

Although one dog had gone missing for a few days during the trek around Alaska, it’s been reported that no dogs died during the 1,100 mile race, according to The New York Times. This is great news for the race, as it appears that dog deaths have become synonymous with the event.

Chief race veterinarian Stuart Nelson told the news provider that he could not remember a race without a dog death since he became involved in the event. Approximately 1,100 dogs participate in the two week race.

While the economy has caused many individuals to tighten their purse strings as a means of saving some cash, others are still looking to make sure they and their loved ones enjoy a lavish life – including their pets.

Pet owners are still spending the big bucks to ensure that their furry companions are taken care of and happy, according to IndyStar.com. Some pet owners told the news provider that they spend as much as $300 per month on their pets.

According to the news provider, while other retail industries are feeling strains from the economic recession, pet care sales remain stable.

Some industry insiders attribute people’s love for their pets as the reason that they continue to splurge on them.

"As times have gotten tough and scary for people, pets are where people find comfort and solace," Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Association, told the news provider. "Pets don’t have bad days. They can’t tell you a sad story. They are just there saying, ‘Let’s play.’"

According to BusinessWeek, Americans spend approximately $41 billion on their pets each year.

While animal owners are known for being extremely attentive when it comes to pet care for their furry friends, sometimes they can completely misdiagnose a problem.

John Grant was noticing that his Black Labrador, Bracken, was having trouble coughing something up and brought him to the vet, according to PeoplePets.com. When the doctors gave the pup X-rays, they noticed a strange, dark object near his heart.

Veterinarians suggested that Bracken be moved to a larger facility at the University of Glasgow Veterinary School for surgery, fearing that the object was a cancerous tumor. It turned out that the object in question was actually a 5-inch soccer ball. Bracken quickly received surgery to remove the ball, potentially saving his life.

"Most definitely, if he didn’t have this surgery, he would have died," surgeon, Damian Chase, told the news provider. "It’s good that he came in, though, because this way we found out about his disorder. He’s very lucky."

Grant told the BBC that he knows his dog has developed a taste for foreign objects, including plastic bottles, stones and golf balls.

For many pet owners, their pet is a best friend or even sometimes a family member. While they try to instill the best pet care imaginable, animal owners know that death is inevitable. Because people become so attached to their pet, losing their furry friend can be unimaginably devastating.

A recent study conducted by More Than found that one-third of pet owners believe that the death of their pet is comparable to the death of a parent, sibling or spouse, according to the Daily Mail. More than 1,300 dog and cat owners were interviewed in the study, and more than half believe that a pet’s death is equivalent to that of a close family member.

Approximately 53 percent of respondents also ventured to say that once a pet dies, their grief "never goes away."

According to USA Today, pet owners are also going above and beyond when it comes to funeral arrangements. Some animal lovers go as far as having a goodbye ceremony complete with $500 casket and headstones that could cost up to $3,000.

"Even in this economy, some people want to go the extra mile to commemorate their pet, and we do whatever helps them," Chris Stoessner, a licensed funeral director, told the news provider.

While pet owners can have the utmost dedication to their animals, some individuals may be doing more harm than good when it comes to pet care.

Carol Lynette Samuels, who was hit hard by the recession last year, was recently fined $9,000 for animal cruelty for living in her car with 11 Persian cats, one Himalayan cat, nine Pomeranians and two poodles, according to the Herald Sun.

Samuels was forced to move out of her $1.5 million mansion last year due to financial troubles, and said she could not bear to part with her animals as they were like her children.

"I’d lost an awful lot and didn’t want to lose my cats as well because they are the only family I’ve got," she told the news provider.

The animals were taken to the local veterinarian where a majority were found to be in poor pet health. A number of the cats were malnourished and had matted fur. While all of the animals were seized, one cat had to be put down.

According to News.com.au, Samuels was charged on nine counts of animal cruelty.