Blog posts Categorized under ‘Amazing Pet News’

While animal owners know that it’s their duty to provide pet care to ensure their furry friend is happy, some may not realize that animals can return the favor. When Liz Maxted-Bluck was taking her 2-year-old Rottweiler, Jake, out for a walk, she had no idea that her beloved canine would be proclaimed a hero.

The pair were walking in a park in West Midlands, UK, last July when they heard a woman screaming, according to the Daily Mail. While Maxted-Bluck thought it was just children playing, Jake, a former rescue dog, ran into the woods to find an illegal immigrant attempting to rape a woman.

Jake chased the attacker away and circled both the girl and Maxted-Bluck to protect them. The attacker is currently on trial, where the judge was able to hear about Jake’s heroic efforts.

"He has always hated conflict so when he heard her screaming he must have known someone was in trouble," Maxted-Bluck told the court. "After he ran back to the woman, I rang the police and he circled us like he was guarding us. The woman was very grateful."

In some cases with family pets, there can be a sense of protection and companionship between the animals. Although the stereotype of cats and dogs is that they mix like oil and water, some animals are proving that this notion is a fallacy.

A pug named Chloe and a cat named Willow are the beloved pets of the Bjelland family from Billings, Montana. The two recently demonstrated how much they care for one another when Willow fell through ice into a fish pond and could not escape, according to the Missoulian.

Chloe quickly sprung into action and began barking at the Bjellands’ door. Amanda Bjelland was confused as to why the dog would not stop barking and followed as the pup led her to the koi pond where Willow was trapped.

Bjelland was able to rescue Willow and quickly took her back to the house so she could warm up. The event does not appear to have severely impacted her cat health.

When Terina Held’s 13-year-old black Labrador, Buck, went missing in the beginning of January, she thought the dog had just run away. After searches on foot and by car had turned up with nothing, the Held family said they felt that they would never see their beloved Buck again.

But when Held’s neighbor, Mark Smith, was hiking with his dog, Copper, in the Santa Cruz mountains, they stumbled upon an emaciated dog, according to PeoplePets.com. Knowing he had to help, Smith carried the dog back to civilization and noticed a missing dog poster.

It turned out that Buck had survived in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights and had lost 50 pounds. After being reunited with his family, Buck is reportedly back in good dog health. Held told the news provider that the fact he survived so long was an amazing feat.

"I don’t think a human could have lived in our woods for that period of time, especially given the storms we had," Held said. "But he’s back to his old self. I don’t want to let him out of my sight."

Oscar, the cat who shot to national stardom for his uncanny ability to predict the deaths of nursing home patients, is getting another wave of media attention thanks to a book published in his honor.

The cat has been a resident of the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island, for approximately five years, according to USA Today. A normally reserved cat, he only curls up to individuals a few hours before they’re going to die.

David Dosa, who works at the facility as a geriatrician, did not believe the hype at first, thinking the alleged "death cat" was simply a coincidence. However, after studying Oscar’s behavior and researching events, Dosa was inspired to write a book.

Oscar isn’t the only feline who calls the center home, six other cats live in the rehabilitation facility, although they don’t seem to hold the same phenomenal power. The other cats appear to just want pet care and attention from the residents.

Dosa believes that the animals are there to provide comfort to the residents, despite the fact that some individuals may feel uneasy when they see Oscar coming their way.

Vala, an Australian Canaan dog, is competing in the upcoming Westminster Kennel Club dog show. The black and white canine appears adorable, in good dog health and well-groomed, and also has a special hidden skill that his handler, Ethan Miller, can benefit from.

Miller suffers from cerebral palsy, which prevents him from presenting Vala with his left hand at the dog show. According to PeoplePets.com, when Miller used to suffer from seizures before medical advancements put a stop to them, Vala was able to detect an oncoming seizure two minutes prior to the occurrence, often alerting the boy’s mother.

"There’s that extra trust factor that he has with the dog," Miller’s mother, Chris, told the news source. "He knows that the dog understands him and his uniqueness. It’s a beautiful thing. They truly work as a team."

According to ABC News, other dog owners have reported that their animals can sense when they’re about to have a seizure. However, although there have been multiple claims there are no studies or scientific explanations to back this theory up.