“Wheelie Pup” Is Rescued After Getting Stuck In A Tire

Puppies are extremely curious and often get themselves into trouble without meaning to. However, when the Riverside County Animal Services received a call about a puppy stuck in a tire, they had never heard anything like it. A poor 3-month-old Australian Cattle Dog from California had put her head through a wheel, and she couldn’t seem to squirm out of it.

Rescuing the Pup

Animal services tried to use oil to lubricate the pup’s neck to get her free, but it was no use. The poor puppy had swelling around her neck. She was stuck worse than expected. So, they decided to transport her to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus where firefighters were able to help with the rescue.

Image: @helpinRIVcoPETS/Twitter

“It was so worrying to me. I was trying to imagine how the heck she got put in that position and you just got to remember that puppies will be puppies. Just curiosity. There was probably food on the other side of it or something, she just crammed her head right through,” said David Hough, a Riverside County animal care technician.

The little puppy was very wiggly, so the firefighters decided that she needed to be sedated in order to be kept safe. Once she had calmed down, they were able to cut a small piece off of the wheel, allowing just enough space to safely remove her. Just like that, she was free! She even acted as if nothing bad had happened.

“She’s totally fine now. She doesn’t look fazed by it at all,” said Hough.

Image: @helpinRIVcoPETS/Twitter

“Wheelie Pup” is Home!

After this story was shared all over the news, the curious puppy quickly earned the nickname “Wheelie Pup.” She is a sweet girl that quickly bonded with her rescuers. But as it turns out, she already has a forever home.

Once the swelling in Wheelie Pup’s neck subsided, she was given a nice bath and her parents were contacted. Her family came to pick her up not long after. She was overjoyed to be reunited with her loved ones!

Image: @helpinRIVcoPETS/Twitter

Her dad explained that her real name is Lana, but Wheelie Pup still fits her pretty well. The staff at Riverside County Animal Services already miss her very much!

Puppies are just so curious that they often get themselves into so much unnecessary trouble. So, always keep an eye on your furry friends as much as you can. You wouldn’t want your pup getting stuck in a tire too!

H/T: fox43.com
Featured Image: @helpinRIVcoPETS/Twitter

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Meet Doberman Pinscher Nico: Grateful for Trupanion

Read on to learn more about this Doberman pinscher Nico and discover why these pet owners are grateful for a Trupanion policy.

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Officer “Arrests” Shelter Dogs And Takes Them For A Ride

Twice a month, senior police officer, Aundrea Holiday visits the Heritage Humane Society in Williamsburg, Virginia. She arrives bright and early, loads an adoptable pooch into her cruiser, and spends the morning patrolling for potential adopters.

The program is called Dog For A Day, and it has been extremely successful since its inception last February.

“All of the adoptable pets that she [Officer Holiday] has taken out in 2019 have been adopted out,” Jennifer LaFountain, a volunteer and community engagement manager with the Heritage Humane Society told WSLS News.

Princess, Dog For A Day’s First Participant/Photo via Williamsburg Police Department

The first stop on the dogs’ adventure is a vigorous walk through beautiful downtown Williamsburg. This allows the Dog For A Day pup-ticipants to stretch their legs and shake off any cage anxiety.

“They get their energy out, they get their zoomies out and just have a great time,” said Holiday.

Photo via Williamsburg Police Department

Next, a quick ride in Holiday’s SUV takes them to city hall to meet some fellow government dog lovers. The socialization is excellent for the dogs’ behavioral development, and the belly rubs are great, too!

Photo via Williamsburg Police Department

Holiday says these social calls are not only rewarding for the dogs, but they also bring joy to the people they meet along the way.

“You should see people’s faces. They get a big smile on their face as soon as you see them so it kind of makes other people’s day too.”

Photo via Williamsburg Police Department

After city hall, it’s on to local dog-friendly businesses. Along the way they meet and greet community members hoping to catch someone’s eye.

Holiday also makes sure to bring the dogs by the police station so the other officers can get their puppy fix.

Photo via Williamsburg Police Department

Best of all, each dog is treated to a delicious fast-food cheeseburger to top off their big day.

Officer Holiday’s most recent canine partner is a nine-year-old Pit Bull mix named CJ. Dogs of his age and breed tend to be more difficult to adopt out. CJ has already been at HHS for nearly two months; two weeks longer than the average shelter dog.

CJ/Photo via Williamsburg Police Department

Not only does the Dog For A Day program give pups like CJ a much-needed break from shelter life, but it also allows the community to interact with them in a low-stress environment. Rather than barking, pacing dogs in cages, potential adopters get to see their true personalities.

The main goal is to help local shelter dogs get adopted, but it also gives Holiday the opportunity to engage with local residents and visitors.

She hopes to eventually add more officers to the program and help even more dogs.

 

H/T to WSLS.com
Featured Image via Facebook/Williamsburg Police Department

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Veteran Struggles Until He Is Reunited With His Missing Pitbull

Social media is overflowing with stories of missing dogs. Isn’t it nice to hear some good news every once in a while? We especially love it when one of our service members has a story with a happy ending! This happy ending happened in the heartland of America and it’s pretty incredible.

A veteran in Kileen, Texas was heartbroken after his Pitbull went missing. Hades went missing back on October 21st when he left his yard to play with another dog. The adorable pup with a half white and half brown face was nowhere to be found.

“He got out of the gate Oct. 21 at 6:35 p.m. to play with another dog passing by,” Jeff Horn told 10tv.com. “I haven’t been able to find him since.”

Snuggles That Offer Security And Safety

Horn has difficulty sleeping at night as a result of his service to his country. Hades offers him a sense of security in the form of snuggles and endless love. When he went missing, it seemed as if Horn would never find peace again.

“It’s like he knows. He knows when I’m going to go through something and he’s just there,” Horn said. “My world is gone without him here. I need him.”

Hades’ heartbroken dog dad described him as playful and overflowing with love. His personality was one that couldn’t go unnoticed.

“He’s very playful. He loves to lick. He will lick you to death,” he said.

The seasons changed and the holidays were quickly approaching. Sadly, there was still no sign of Hades. Horn kept a close watch on social media for any signs of hope. Some Ring cameras caught footage of Hades wandering through yards but there were no substantial leads. Horn hoped that someone had taken Hades into their home as the temperatures dropped. Even though he hoped Hades was warm and cozy in someone’s house, he still wanted him to come home. Horn needed him to come home.

“He’s needed. He’s really needed. Just, please, give him back,” Horn pleaded.

Good News Came Just In Time For The Holidays

The good news finally came nearly one month after Hades went missing. Someone had found Hades and kept him safe and warm. But, they took off his collar and rabies tag and wanted to keep him as their own.

A woman learned about Hades after Horn asked the public for help. She contacted Horn and he was eventually able to convince the people to give Hades back!

“I want to thank every one of you for helping me out, I greatly, greatly appreciate it,” Horn told kcentv.com. “Thank y’all from the bottom of my heart.”

Welcome home, Hades! We love it when a story has a happy ending (and tummy rubs)!

h/t: 10tv.com
Featured Photo: @robsonhmorgan/Unsplash

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Elated Golden Retriever’s Discovers His Favorite Toy Survived the Australian Fire

So many lives and property were lost in the recent fires in Australia. Unfortunately, one of those homes belonged to the family of OJ the Golden Retriever. Luckily, OJ and his family survived the fire, but they found that everything they owned had been destroyed. Well, almost everything. Amongst all the destruction, there was one important item that remained, proving that the little things in life can go a long way.

After returning to their home for the first time, OJ immediately discovered that his favorite toy had somehow survived all the flames. Of course, it didn’t look brand new, but it was in one piece, just sitting in the rubble. For OJ, it was a dream come true!

Image: @dog_rates/Twitter

A Dog and His Toy

Any dog lover knows how important one squeaky toy can be to a dog. So, for OJ, it was no different. He picked the toy up right away and began playing with it as if nothing had changed. It was an adorable sight that quickly warmed the hearts of people all over the world.

OJ’s family took a few adorable photos of his reunion with the toy. They later discovered that OJ’s mom’s wedding dress had also magically survived the fire. However, even with these two amazing discoveries, the loss of their home was still heavy in their hearts.

“Every day we get reminders — every hour we get a reminder of what we lost and what we haven’t got anymore, and we have found it really hard to be here and look at it,” said Matt Zagami, OJ’s dad.

Image: @dog_rates/Twitter

It will take a while for the family to get back to the way things used to be, but luckily, the kind dog lovers around the world have offered to donate to help. Many dog parents even made cute comments saying how their dogs wanted to share their toys with OJ. All the kindness helped give the family more hope, and OJ is grateful for all the love and support.

Appreciate the Little Things

For families like OJ’s, there’s no easy way to return home after all that destruction. But thanks to OJ’s favorite toy, things are slowly starting to look up. Sometimes all it takes is one small, happy moment at a time for things to get better. OJ’s excitement makes that very clear.

Image: @dog_rates/Twitter

In the meantime, there are still plenty of humans and animals in Australia that need as much help as they can get. So, iHeartDogs is working to make sure those affected get the medical care needed. Please donate if you can and help make a difference!

H/T: thedodo.com
Featured Image: @dog_rates/Twitter

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New Law Could Mean Tax Break For People Adopting From Shelters

Anyone with a rescue dog will be quick to tell you how much a rescue has changed their life. Giving second chances to disadvantaged dogs is a reward in itself, not to mention the love and appreciation rescued pups give us. Yet while millions of dogs live in shelters, a large portion of dog people continue to buy designer or purebred dogs from breeders. The trend is in decline, but the issue remains.

At least some lawmakers are working to fix it. In New York state, a new law under consideration attempts to encourage the “adopt don’t shop” mentality. The law states that anyone who adopts a dog or cat from an animal shelter will be given a $125 tax credit per animal adopted.

The credit only applies to domestic animals like dogs and cats, so you won’t get money for adopting a gator or anything like that. The law was designed to cover the cost of standard adoption fees and ease some of the financial burden.

Ideally, the new law will encourage people to rescue animals in need of homes rather than purchasing animals from breeders. As to whether the bill will also allow rescue organizations or people who previously rescued animals to receive tax credits, that remains unclear. Everything is still in the early stages.

Adoption VS. Purchase: By The Numbers

Data gathered by the American Pet Product Association estimates that about 78 million dogs live in homes throughout the United States. That makes for approximately 44% of all U.S. households with dogs. While about 23% of those dogs are adopted through rescue organizations, a greater 34% still come from breeders. That means millions of dogs!

Sadly, the APPA’s data also found approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized every year (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats.) If more states were to consider laws like the one proposed in New York, this number could get significantly lower. The process becomes a cycle: more animals get adopted leaving more room in shelters for others in need.

Does Waving Adoption Fees Work?

There’s no simple answer to this question, but a lot of evidence points to yes. Many shelters that take part in “Clear The Shelters” events end up rehoming dozens of homeless dogs. “Clear The Shelters” events include reduced or waived adoption fees for available animals. In 2019, 40 Chicago shelters participated in such events. 1,632 animals were adopted in a single day. One organization, McHenry County Animal Control, even adopted out all their remaining dogs!

It appears that cost may be a factor for many potential adopters. If this bill passes, that could become an issue of the past.

H/T: Scary Mommy
Featured Image: 2690457 via Pixabay

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This Forlorn Pup Can’t Bear His Toy Separation Anxiety

If you have a dog (or more than one) at home, odds are you’ve witnessed some of the seemingly bizarre tactics they employ to get back misplaced toys. For example, my childhood dog once insisted I let him outside just so he could retrieve a rawhide he left by the door the day before.

Claire Cummings from Basingstoke, England happened upon such a situation while driving. First, she noticed a lone stuffed pig on the sidewalk. Then she saw a black and brown dog sadly leaning over the wall staring after it. Clearly, this dog had been separated from his favorite toy.

In the ever-popular “Dogspotting” Facebook group, Cummings shared a photo of the forlorn pup she stopped to assist. That post got over 29,000 likes, which it obviously deserved.

“Drove past this handsome chap who was waiting to get his pig back. Immediately turned car around to give it to him which he was thankful for.”

@claire.s.cummings/Facebook

If you’re not familiar with Dogspotting, the group’s description tells you exactly what you’re missing:

“What is Dogspotting?
1. A sport and lifestyle of spotting randomdogs.
2. Classifying the nature of the spot according to the rule set.
3. Assigning a score or sharing the spot for peer scoring.
4. A fun place to hang out with friends and enjoy dogs.”

After her post gained attention, Cummings shared with The Dodo that the pup probably was capable of getting to the pig on his own, but he must have learned that’s not something to do.

“He could have easily jumped over the wall he was leaning on to get it but has obviously been trained very well not to jump over the wall.”

Who knows how long the poor sweetie was there on the wall, longing for his friend! He just refused to break the rules.

Cummings has a Huskie at home herself and even runs a dog walking company with her partner. In short, she’s no stranger to the silly peculiarities of dogs. She was more than glad to stop and help, she said.

“We are huge animal lovers and would have hated to have thought that he could be sitting there waiting and nobody would help.”

Cummings quickly informed her fellow Dogspotting members that the dog, reunited with his toy, suffered no falls or injuries. Except for the slight emotional torment of their brief separation, that is.

Fellow Dogspotters: always keep your eyes peeled for doggies in distress. You might just make their day and the days of the thousands of people enjoying your photos.

H/T: The Dodo
Featured Image: @claire.s.cummings/Facebook

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