Yes, MPs might be resigning left, right and centre – but this week has actually been pretty good as far as animal stories are concerned.
Not only was a rat rescued from a drain cover by no fewer than eight humans (good effort, folks), but two rare baby tortoises also hatched at Chester Zoo thanks to a sterling effort from conservationists.
Without further ado, here are five stories that’ll make your heart swell and bring you immense joy as we roll out of yet another long-ass week.
1. Corgi Adopts Five Orphaned Kittens.
Dream, the Cruft-competing corgi, is an absolute goddess. When five kittens were left orphaned at just six days old, she stepped in to care for them.
After the death of the mum cat, owner Nicky said she went to the vet to get milk replacer and started feeding the kittens herself – but found it was a struggle and they weren’t going to the toilet afterwards.
“Dream was intrigued and watched the whole morning,” Nicky explained. “Then she came over, pushed my arm and put herself between the kitten and me. She started licking the kitten and immediately he weed. I fed them every two hours and Dream was always there to lick them.”
Over time, the kittens began to recognise Dream’s smell and would get excited when she was near. “She would also jump into their bed and lie with them, comforting them if they cried,” Nicky said. “She helped with weaning them and cleaned them just like their mum would have.”
Some of the kittens were re-homed, however one of them (called Spruce) has remained in the household. “Dream and Spruce still spend all their time together and sleep with each other,” Nicky said. Our hearts are glowing right now.
2. Rat Gets Stuck In Manhole And Firefighters Save The Day.
Earlier this week a rat, who clearly had a good feed throughout winter, got stuck trying to pop out of a manhole cover in Germany. Local volunteer firefighters and an animal rescue team were called in, forming an eight-person super squad who, 25 minutes later, managed to help the rat wiggle free. It was then released back into the wild, read for life as a meme.
We love a happy ending.
3. Great Dane Has Bumper Pack Of Puppies.
If you thought giving birth to one child was hard, get a load of this. Cleo the Great Dane delivered 19 puppies earlier this week – and she’s officially our hero. According to Kingman Animal Hospital, the puppies were delivered via C-section and it took a team of 11 humans to bring them all safely into the world. Cleo is one mumma who deserves a big rest.
4. This Cat Is A Liar.
David Fucillo was in New Orleans when he came across a cat sat patiently outside a shop. After knocking on the door to see if staff knew the cat, the person inside pointed at a sign near the door.
“The cat is a liar,” it read. “Her owners feed her well, and she is very loved by many. Also, DO NOT LET HER INSIDE THE SHOP! ... but feel free to pet her.” Lol.
5. Rare Tortoises Hatch In The UK.
This week marked a big week for critically endangered radiated tortoises, as two babies hatched at Chester Zoo. The breed is usually found in the dry forests of southern Madagascar, however their natural habitat has been destroyed.
The babies, whose genders are not yet known, are the first of their kind to be bred at the zoo for seven years. Their mum is 50-year-old Smoothsides (great name).
Both babies are being cared for in a climate-controlled, behind-the-scenes breeding facility. When they’re old enough, they’ll join the four male and six female adult tortoises, which range from 10 to 74 years old, in the zoo’s Tropical Realm habitat.
