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Animal Stories

JASMINE THE GREYHOUND: FOSTER MOM OF THE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

WARWICKSHIRE, England - Police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. It had been locked in the shed and abandoned, was dirty and malnourished and had clearly been abused.

In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, a Greyhound female, to the nearby Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, run by a man named Geoff Grewcock and known as a willing haven for animals abandoned, orphaned or otherwise in need.

Geoff and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims - to restore the dog to full health and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved. They named her Jasmine and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.

But Jasmine had other ideas.

Nobody remembers now how it began, but shortly after her rehabilitation in 2003, Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It wouldn't matter if it were a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or any other lost or hurting animal, Jasmine would peer into the box or cage and, when possible, deliver a welcoming lick.

Grewcock says, "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell-Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the center and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them."

She's like that with all of our animals, says Grewcock. "Even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them and it helps them to not only feel close to her but to settle into their new surroundings. She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose."

Jasmine, the formerly timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born.

The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises numerous fox cubs, badger cubs, chicks, guinea pigs, stray puppies and rabbits - plus one roe deer fawn. Tiny 11-weeek-old Bramble was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster mom role. She showered Bramble with affection and, with her long greyhound tongue, made sure none of Bramble's fur was matted. Jasmine continued to care for Bramble until she was old enough to be returned to woodland life.

When that happened, Jasmine was not lonely - she was too busy showering love and affection on the next arrival at Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary.


SQUAWK OF LIFE

DENVER, Colorado - A parrot whose cries of alarm helped save the life of a choking girl has been hailed a hero and awarded the Red Cross's Animal Lifesaver Award in Denver, Colorado.

Willie alerted his owner, Megan Howard, who was baby-sitting the little girl. Incredibly, Willie squawked, "Mama! Baby!" and flapped his wings to get Howard's attention.

She returned to find the little girl, Hannah, already turning blue after choking on her breakfast.

The babysitter saved Hannah by performing the Heimlich maneuver but said Willie was "the real hero."


VEGGIE CAT SPURNS MEAT

TASBURGH, England - A rescued cat in Tasburgh, England, turns his nose up at everything but organic fruit and vegetables.

2-year-old Dante was found close to starvation as a kitten by owner Becky Page.

"I tried feeding him meat, fish, everything else cats like, but he turned his nose up," says Page.

"Just when I thought nothing would work, he wolfed down a plate of veg I was going to throw out. I have to smuggle bits of meat in among the veggies so he gets all the nutrients he needs. But sometimes he spots the meat and leaves it. He has a unique appetite - but he's certainly healthy."


HAPPY REUNION WITH CASTAWAY DOG

QUEENSLAND, Australia - A dog that had been washed overboard during a boat trip was found four months later - as a castaway on a remote Australian island.

Jan and Dave Griffith thought Australian Cattle Dog Sophie Tucker had drowned after she vanished from tge boat in stormy waters off Queensland.

But the dog somehow survived a five-mile swim through shark-infested waters to the mostly-uninhabited St. Bees Island.

There she lived on a diet of baby goats until being found by visiting rangers. The Griffiths were amazed to hear of the discovery.

"She surprised us all," said Jan Griffith. "She was a house dog and look what she's done, she has swum over five nautical miles, she has managed to live off the land all on her own. We wish she could talk, we truly do."

There was an emotional reunion when the Griffiths met the rangers' boat bringing Sophie Tucker to the mainland.

"We called the dog and she started whimpering and banging the cage and when they let her out she just about flattened us," Jan Griffith said.


FARMER'S GOT A SQUEEZE BOX

BIRKFIELD, Austria - The hills are alive with the sound of music after an Alpine farmer compiled a CD of his farm animals' favorite tunes.

Livestock expert Franz Koeberl has been serenading the animals on the family farm in Birkfeld, Austria, with his accordion for more than a decade. Franz and his family, who all play instruments, stage live concerts for the animals to help with milk yield or to keep them calm.

"Whenever they see me coming over the hill with my accordion, they come running and gather around to listen to the tunes. They prefer Strauss. Although I and my family would rather hear Mozart," he explained.

"We all play musical instruments and we often play for the animals, and we found that Norma, Norli, Nanni and the rest of the 20 cows have a clear preference for classical music. In particular, they seem to like the waltz," he added.

"They are more likely to be sitting down taking the weight off their feet and obviously enjoying the music whenever a waltz is playing - and that also means they are producing more milk."


BUNNY SNIFFS OUT DANGER

BERKSHIRE, England - A British couple say they were saved from a potentially deadly gas leak - by their pet rabbit.

The rabbit, named Bunny, escaped from the kitchen, scurried upstairs and roused Warren Taylor and Kacey Leathers by scratching at their bedroom door.

Warren Taylor said, "The house was full of an overwhelming gas smell because a gas ring had been left on. She alerted us to the danger."

He revealed it was all the more incredible because Bunny, who is two, is shut in the kitchen at night so she won't gnaw wires.

"She must have jumped up and knocked the door handle. She's a hero," he added.


MISSING TERRIER TAKES THE FERRY HOME

PLYMOUTH, England - A Jack Russell terrier who got lost on a walk managed to make his way home - on a ferry.

Vivienne Oxley from Plymouth, England had given up hope of finding Jarvis, who disappeared after a day out in a country estate.

After an extensive search of 865-acre Mount Edgcumbe Park with the help of volunteers, she gave up and headed home.

While en route, the park warden called Vivienne to say the crew on the ferry back to Plymouth had seen a Jack Russell on board.

Then her husband called to say Jarvis had arrived home ahead of her.

"I thought we'd lost him forever," said Vivienne, "but there he was, sitting in the window, wagging his tail as if nothing had happened."


WATER BUFFALOES SAVE OWNER FROM BEAR ATTACK

YUNNAN, China - Five water buffaloes saved their owner by hitting and driving away a bear.

55-year-old Luo Fengju was attacked by a black bear as she was about to return home with the buffaloes.

"I was collecting my field tools when I suddenly heard a noise. When I looked up, the bear was already standing before me," she said.

Luo said the bear took a swipe at her face and knocked her to the ground. She tried to crawl away while calling for help, "But the bear rushed over and caught my right leg. I thought I was going to die."

The five water buffaloes, which were grazing nearby, suddenly dashed over and attacked the bear.

"The bear let go of me and was growling at the buffaloes, trying to scare them off," said Luo.

The buffaloes formed a circle around Luo, and one of them butted the bear with its horns, forcing it to retreat.

Villagers said when they arrived the buffaloes were still surrounding Luo, who was covered in blood.

The buffaloes are now being treated as heroes and being given extra food.


CAT RETURNS AFTER NINE YEARS

BIRMINGHAM, England - A woman has been reunited with her missing cat - after nine years. Gilly Delaney, who had heard her cat was last seen after being hit by a car, was surprised when RSPCA officers turned up with Dixie.

The officers, who had scanned Dixie's microchip, returned her to her rightful owner after they found her wandering less than a half mile away.

"Words cannot express how overjoyed we are to have Dixie back," said Gilly.

"Dixie's personality, behavior and little mannerisms have not changed at all. She is still a happy, contented cat who just wants to sit next to you on the sofa and have a fuss. She hasn't stopped purring since she came back through the door."


FROG ON A HOG

ROI-ET, Thailand - A woman claims her pet frog enjoys riding toy motorcycles and could once predict winning lottery numbers.

52-year-old Tongsai Boommrungtai came across the female bullfrog, which she calls Nong Oui, outside her house in Roi-Et, Thailand.

"The frog had a small chick in its mouth," she said. "I looked her straight in the eye and knew I could communicate with her. I told her to drop the chick and she did and then came hopping in. Ever since, she has been a member of the family."

For a time, villagers believed Nong Oui could predict winning lottery numbers.

"They used to read the skin on her stomach and look for numbers," says Boommrungtai. "Ten people subsequently won the lottery which drew crowds to the house - and then they started losing. So I had to ground her."

Boommrungtai says her frog is content to play with her vehicles.

"There is nothing more that she likes than to chill out on her toy Harley-Davison or a battery operated dumptruck. But she can strike a pose just about anywhere."


SO THIS WOLF WALKS INTO A BAR...

VILETTA BARREA, Italy - A wolf walked into a packed bar in Italy, ate a steak sandwich and walked out again.

"It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but it really happened. Everyone here knows what a wolf looks like and there was no mistaking this beast for a big dog," said bar owner Giacinto Lorenzo. "It looked pretty thin and we guess it must have been suffering with the recent cold weather and the snow."

Onlookers froze in their places when the wolf strolled in, said Lorenzo.

"Everyone was so frightened we couldn't move for about five minutes afterwards, but the wolf just sauntered out as if it was the most normal thing in the world."


MOVE OVER, ACE VENTURA

HEREFORD, England - A former police officer has a new role as a pet detective. Tom Watkins left his job after he became disillusioned with the justice system.

He's now using his detective skills to look for lost cats and dogs.

"There was so much red-tape involved in the police," said Watkins. "But being a pet detective is something I love. I have been brought up with animals and I always wanted to help people."


JERSEY BEAR STEALS CAR

VERNON, N.J. - A black bear is suspected of stealing a vehicle and taking it for a spin in Vernon Township, New Jersey.

An officer found the vehicle by the side of the road after the passenger window had been broken and the door panels were damaged.

Police spokesman Detective Sean Talt said, "He determined it was a bear because of all the bear hair inside. Apparently, the bear had also accidentally released the emergency brake and allowed the vehicle to roll 40 or 50 feet away from the owner's house."

Talt says the bear was probably attracted by candy left inside the car.

"We've had animals break into houses," he noted. "But this is the first time we've ever had an animal take the car like that."


ALIEN RAY!

HAMPSHIRE, England - An eerie space-alien-like face is greeting visitors to the Blue Reef Aquarium in Southsea, England.

It's a baby thornback ray, whose face reminds Britons of a character from the long-running sci-fi TV series "Dr. Who."

The semi-transparent thornback is part of a captive breeding program at the aquarium.


ME, I WANT A HOOLA-HOOP

PANGBOURNE, England - A hamster escaped in a Pangbourne, England movie theater after its 5-year-old owner took it to see Alvin And The Chipmunks.

Sarah Stokes didn't own up to Hamish the Hamster's escape until family members noticed he was missing a few days later. Movie theatre personnel were alerted and Hamish was found snoozing beneath the movie screen.

"Perhaps he was waiting for the next showing," said Sarah's grandmother, Bernadette Bedford.


GOLDEN LAB PERFORMS HEIMLICH MANUVER

CECIL, Maryland - A Maryland woman says her golden lab saved her life by giving her the Heimlich manuver.

Debbie Parkhurst was eating an apple at home when a chunk got stuck in her throat.

"It was lodged pretty tight because I couldn't breathe," she said. "I tried to do the thing where you lean over a chair and give yourself the Heimlich, but it didn't work."

Parkhurst then began beating her chest, attracting the attention of two-year-old Toby.

"The next think I know, Toby's up on his hind feet and he's got his front paws on my shoulders," she said. "He pushed me to the ground, and once I was on my back, he began jumping up and down on my chest."

Toby's jumping apparently managed to dislodge the apple from Parkhurst's windpipe.


CATS INSPIRE RETIREES TO TAKE A 2,500-MILE CAB RIDE

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A New York City couple hired a yellow cab for a 2,500 mile ride to their new home - for the sake of their cats.

Betty and Bob Matas, who are in their 90s, feared their two cats would freeze to death in a cargo hold if they took a plane to Sedona, Arizona.

Cabbie Douglas Guldeniz agreed to turn off the meter and charge a flat rate plus expenses for the journey.


HORSE SMACK RETURNS VET'S EYESIGHT

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A World War II veteran who had been blinded in his right eye 64 years ago, can see again after being headbutted by a racehorse.

82-year-old Don Karkos lost the sight of his right eye when he was hit by shrapnel in combat. Doctors tried in vain to restore his eyesight but nothing worked until pedigree racehorse My Buddy Chimo smacked him in the forehead.

Hours after the horse smacked the race course security guard in exactly the same spot as the shrapnel gashed his forehead in 1942, he realized his vision was returning.

"It was unbelievable. I've been seeing doctors all my life, and they've always told me there is nothing can be done," said Karkos.


TORTOISE LIVES TO 255

KOLKATA, India - The oldest animal in the world, a giant tortoise, has died at the age of 255 in a zoo in India.

Addwaitya The Tortoise was once the pampered pet of Robert Clive, the British general who helped colonize India in the mid-18th century.

Local historians say he was brought from the island of Aldabra in the Seychelles and presented to Clive by sailors working for the East India Company.

Addwaitya weighed five hundred pounds and was five feet wide.

One keeper said, "His death is heartbreaking. He was a permanent fixture. We will miss him."


CHIHUAHUA ADOPTS BABY BIRD

GUIYANG CITY, China - A pet chihuahua has adopted a baby chick.

Huahua took charge of the baby chicken as soon as owner Liu Bangyang's daughter brought it home.

She regards the chick as her baby and stands guard to make sure it comes to no harm. Whenever the chick strays too far, Huahua picks it up gently in her mouth and puts it back in its cot.

Liu told a local newspaper, "We'll try our best to raise the little chicken, if that's what Huahua wants."


STOLEN DOG REUNITED WITH FAMILY AFTER NEARLY A DECADE

BERLIN - A German family have been reunited with their stolen golden retriever dog - after nine years. A tattoo used to register the dog's pedigree helped finally track it down to an animal shelter 600 miles away.

Gerti and Paul Lole had long since given up all hope of seeing their beloved Rieke again after it disappeared from the back yard of their home in Niedersachsenaged. The dog was found in Spandau and taken to the refuge in Berlin.

"We left for Berlin as soon as we got the message," said Pail Lole. He said Rieke had been suspicious at first but had quickly regained confidence in her former owners.

Vets at the animal refuge believe the dog was stolen for breeding purposes.

"At least she can have a nice retirement now," said Gerti Lole.


FURRY, HOPPING SHARK DISCOVERED

COBURG, Germany - A new species of "furry" shark which hops like a frog has been discovered in a German aquarium.

The 28-inch long female shark, nicknamed Cuddles, is covered in hairy bristles. She also has big nostrils and an extra gill that set her apart from the 405 known shark species.

Marine biologists say her fins are smaller but more muscular than those found on similar-sized sharks. She claps these together in order to hop across the bottom of her tank rather than swimming like other sharks.

"She leaps over the seabed like a frog rather than swimming gracefully like most sharks," said Peter Faltermeer, curator at the Sea Star aquarium in Coburg.


CAT SURVIVES TRIP ON CAR ROOF

RHYL, Wales - A cat named Joe escaped injury despite clinging to the roof of a car as his human drove to work.

Staff nurse Adria Bryan couldn't understand why other drivers flashed their lights at her as she sped to work in north Wales.

When she finally pulled over, she was horrified to find Joe on top of her Ford Escort.

"I must have been doing 60," she said. "Joe clung on for dear life with his claws to the groove at the top of the rear door. It's unbelievable."


NEW BIG-EAR CHAMP

SOUTHWICK, England - A bassett hound named Mr. Jeffries has been declared the dog with the world's longest ears.

He replaces his own grandfather for the title, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Mr. Jeffries has ears which measure 11½ inches.

His grandfather was Biggles, the face of Hush Puppies shoes.

Phil Jeffries said his pet - whose ears are insured for $20,000 - often stands on his ears, trips over them and dips them in his food and water.





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