Good Living Guide

Animals

UPS Driver Adopts Pit Bull On Her Route After Owner Passes Away

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As a UPS delivery driver, Katie Newhauser made friends with people and pets along her route. One day, she went an extra mile for one of those friends.

UPS Driver Adopts Pit Bull

Facebook / Katie Newhouser

Delivering Smiles

Newhauser lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where she has been a UPS driver for several years. Over the years, she has become friendly with customers and their dogs on her regular delivery route. She developed a particularly close friendship with a woman named Tina and with Tina’s dog Leo.

Newhauser posted a picture of Leo riding shotgun in her UPS truck on the UPS Dogs Facebook page. The page is dedicated to dogs and other critters that UPS drivers have befriended on their delivery routes.

UPS Driver Adopts Pit Bull

Facebook / UPS Dogs

Sad News

Newhauser told People magazine, “Leo would hear my truck come into the condo complex and start barking and scratching at the door to come down to the truck. He loved coming to the back of the truck to look around.”

One day, Newhauser got the devastating news that Tina had died. She also learned there was nobody in Tina’s family who could adopt Leo.

A Truly Special Delivery

At that moment, Newhauser decided to adopt the big, friendly pup herself. She picked him up and delivered him to his new home. Newhauser said he’s getting along great with her other dogs and is truly part of the family.

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WATCH: Playful Cat Tests Buddhist Monk’s Patience During Prayers

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When a cat wants cuddles, you may as well give in. That’s what a Buddhist monk learned when he interrupted his prayers to pet a persistent cat.

A story that charmed viewers in Thailand and across the world started at the Udomrangsi Buddhist temple in Bangkok. The cat in question is a regular guest at the temple.

Feline Feelings

On this particular day, the friendly feline wanted an extra helping of affection.

There was only one problem. The cat’s visit happened during the temple’s prayers for the New Year, which take about five hours of chanting and require intense concentration.

Persistence Pays Off

The cat wasn’t going to let a thing like that stop him, and he climbed into the lap of a young Buddhist monk. The cat probably knew that respect for all living things is a key teaching of Buddhism.

A video of their encounter received over 300,000 views and made it onto Thai television.

Resistance Is Futile

The young man, who goes by the monastic name Luang Pi Komkrit Taechachoto, told Reuters News that he tried ignoring the cat, tried pushing him away gently and finally just gave in.

That sounds like a wise decision. After all, is there a better way to reach Nirvana than with a purring cat on your lap?

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“Angel Dog” Appears In Photo Of Woman Spreading Her Pet’s Ashes

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A woman traveled halfway across the country to scatter her beloved dog’s ashes at his favorite park. In return, her golden retriever apparently returned as a dog-shaped angel to share a final, ghostly romp.

She Lost a Lifelong Friend

Ashley Lang called her golden retriever Wagner the “love of her life.” When he was alive, his favorite place to play was a park in Aspen, Colorado.

When Wagner died at the age of 12, Lang knew what she had to do. Although she was living in Chicago, she traveled to Aspen to scatter Wagner’s ashes at his favorite park. The evening sun was setting behind the mountains as she tossed the ashes and a friend snapped pictures.

A Ghostly Image Appeared In the Photos

When the picture appeared in her friend’s phone, it revealed a shadow clearly shaped like a dog floating in the air near Lang. The dog appeared to be facing Ashley and taking one last, playful jump before heading to heaven.

Lang told newspaper reporters she believed this was Wagner’s way of saying goodbye.

A Message of Comfort

The amazing photograph was posted on the Facebook page of the rescue organization Amanda’s Amazing Animals. It has since gone viral, and many people say the “angel dog” has comforted them when recalling their own lost pets.

What do you think? Is it just a trick of lighting and shadow, or is it a ghostly messenger of love?

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Ghostly White Giraffe Caught On Film With Her Adorable Baby

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A remote nature reserve in Kenya is home to a family of white giraffes. They are extremely rare and the first ones known to be captured on film.

Local Legends

Local villagers first spotted the white giraffes in 2017 at the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy in Kenya. They alerted conservationists, who traveled to the reserve to capture the rare giraffe family on video.

This is the first time a white giraffe had ever been filmed or photographed.

The conservancy has invited wildlife biologists, giraffe specialists and other scientists to study the giraffes. The giraffe family’s otherworldly beauty has captured the world’s attention.

The White Giraffe Family Is Growing

As the newspaper All Africa noted, “The giraffe, described as one of a kind and believed to be the only one in the world, has continued to dazzle the local community, scientists and wildlife enthusiasts globally.”

In 2019, the Hirola Conservancy announced that Mama Giraffe had given birth to a second white baby.

Why Are They White?

Residents have since reported that another white giraffe was living at a nature reserve in Tanzania.

Biologists say the giraffes are not albinos. They probably have a condition called leucism that prevents pigmentation of skin cells. Animals with leucism can still develop dark pigment in their eyes and other organs.

Experts don’t think the condition will cause medical problems for the giraffes, but it might make them easy for predators to spot.

The giraffes appear to get along fine with the other giraffes at the reserve. With luck, they’ll continue delighting and dazzling the world for many years to come.

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Planes Drop Over 4,000 Pounds Of Food For Starving Animals

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In an effort to save starving animals displaced by the recent wildfires, the Australian government dropped 4,000 pounds of food in areas devastated by the fires. Food dropped included carrots and sweet potatoes.

Australian Wildfires

The Australian wildfires began in September. In the state of New South Wales, the fires are difficult to extinguish due to excessive heat and drought. Fire season in Australia begins in July. Natural causes such as lightning strikes are cited as the most common reason wildfires begin.

Animals in the Bushfires

In addition to the homes that have burned as well as the 28 people who have died during the fires, around a half billion animals have been affected. Conservationists believe that number is conservative and that there may be as many as one billion animals who have been either killed or displaced by the fires. As many as one-third of the koalas in New South Wales are estimated to have died and one-third of their habitat is now gone.

Endangered Species

Koalas are not in any immediate danger of extinction. However, many of the animals in Australia could be in danger due to their niche environments and lower populations. The food dropped by the government was specifically targeting the brush-tailed rock-wallaby as the animals were already on the endangered list prior to the fires. The wallabies were already under stress due to the ongoing drought. With their habitat now damaged or destroyed, finding food was nearly impossible for them. According to officials, wallabies typically survive bushfires but are often left stranded with very little natural food.

The Australian government has indicated that it plans to continue the food drops in various regions where wildfires have destroyed habitat until the areas can recover.

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Rare Baby Zebra Born With Polka Dots Filmed In Kenya

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Zebras wear the most dramatic, fashionable stripes in nature, but one baby zebra is bucking the fashion trend by sporting polka dots instead. A zebra foal named Tira apparently has a rare genetic mutation that gives him dark fur and spots instead of the classic stripes.

Spotting the Spots

The unusual baby zebra was born at Maasai Mara Nature Reserve in Kenya. When reserve tour guide and photographer Anthony Tira was making the rounds of the zebra community in September, he spotted the unusual foal.

The reserve has a rule that whoever finds a rare or unusual animal can name the animal, which is how Tira got his name. Tira is a draw for hundreds of visitors at the reserve and millions of fans online.

We’re All Talking Tira

Tim Caro, a zebra expert at the UC Davis, said a zebra’s stripes are important for keeping cool, hiding from predators and warding off biting flies. Since little Tira lacks this striping, he might be more susceptible to bites and predators.

For the moment, Tira is living happily at the reserve with his mother and doing all the normal zebra things. Meanwhile, the world is pulling for this special spotted baby.

 

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Border Collie Saves Flock Of Sheep From Raging Australian Bushfire

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The Australian bushfire emergency has produced a lot of devastation and some unlikely heroes. One is the plucky border collie named Patsy, who helped save her family’s sheep farm.

Border collies are renowned for their intelligence and herding abilities. Those qualities were crucial in the early hours of December 31, when Patsy and her owner woke to see a raging fire headed for their farm in Corryong.

Border Collie Saves Flock Of Sheep From Raging Australian Bushfire

Instagram / @patsythecorryongwonderdog

 

No Time to Paws

Patsy didn’t wait to be told what to do. She quickly took off for the field, where she rounded up the sheep and led them to a safe area of the farm. Meanwhile, her owner used a water tank to douse the flames.

Border Collie Saves Flock Of Sheep From Raging Australian Bushfire

Instagram / @patsythecorryongwonderdog

On January 7, Cath Hill, the sister of Patsy’s owner, posted a video of a proud, tired Patsy gazing at her sheep. She said Patsy’s quick work saved most of the family’s sheep, a shearing shed, two farmhouses and dozens of hay bales.

A Living Symbol of Strength

Now dubbed “Patsy the Corryong Wonder Dog,” Patsy has come to symbolize a community’s strength in the face of devastation.

Border Collie Saves Flock Of Sheep From Raging Australian Bushfire

Instagram / @patsythecorryongwonderdog

How Can You Help?

If you want to help Australia during this crisis, you can donate to Victoria Wildlife or the Australian Red Cross. There is also a GoFundMe account for the town of Corryong, where Patsy’s family is among the many affected by the fires.

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Pooper Scooper Robot Finds And Picks Up Backyard Dog Poop

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Picking up dog poop is probably the least enjoyable part of owning a dog. If you’re tired of doing it yourself, now you can let a robot do the job.

Pooper Scooper Robot

Beetl Robotics

Get the Scoop on High-Tech Poop Scooping

A company called Beetl Robotics has come up with a machine that any dog owner would prize. It’s called the Beetl, and it does the whole messy job for you.

How does it work? If you’ve ever seen a Roomba in action, you might have an idea of how the Beetl works. It’s a compact machine that looks like a small lawnmower.

The best part about the device is that it works on its own. Beetl uses real-time image analysis to detect piles of poop in the grass. It then goes toward the poop, stops and uses a mechanical claw to pick it up.

It’s Programmable and Automatic

You can program the Beetl to stay only in your yard. There’s no chance it will start running around and picking up your neighbor’s yard poop, unless you want it to.

Beetl puts the scooped poop inside a disposable container that you can lift out and toss in the trash.

Pooper Scooper Robot

Where Can You Get A Pooper Scooper Robot?

We know what you’re thinking. You’ve got to get a Beetl before you pick up any more stinky, icky dog poop or step in a forgotten pile of it. Unfortunately, the robot is still in development and not yet ready for the public. With luck, it will be available for all your Christmas gift-giving next year.

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Panda ‘Daycare’ Is Real And It’s The Most Adorable Place On Earth

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What could be cuter than a baby panda? How about dozens of baby pandas? That’s what you see at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, China, where researchers care for baby pandas in a special daycare.

panda daycare

What Is A Panda Daycare?

Chengdu Research Base is a conservation organization, panda sanctuary, research site and tourist destination all rolled into one. When pandas became endangered, the Chinese government took action to protect these much-loved bears.

Since then, breeding programs at Chengdu and other panda centers have led to a steady increase in their population.

They’re Truly Precious

This has taken a lot of work. Pandas don’t have large families. Female pandas can only get pregnant a couple of times a year, and they typically only have one baby every other year.

As a result, every baby at the Chengdu Panda Base is a truly special jewel.

Pandas are native to China, which is the only country where they survive in the wild.

Enjoy All These Cute Critters

The Chengdu Research Base is also a sanctuary for red pandas and other native Chinese birds and animals. Those red pandas are pretty darn cute, too.

red panda daycare

Fortunately for us, the good people at the Chengdu Research Base have posted lots of adorable footage, and you can now watch a baby panda learning to walk or pandas being mischievous.

Enjoy them all!

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Family’s Heartfelt Gift To Policeman Who Lost His K-9 Brings Him To Tears

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Josh Madsen, a police officer in Pasco, Washington, got a gift that moved to him to tears from local resident Cassandra Berg.

Loving K-9 Lemon

It all began in December, when Madsen’s longtime K-9 partner Lemon died. Lemon and Madsen worked together for eight years and became inseparable companions.

Lemon had recently retired from the force and was looking forward to living with Madsen, but a serious medical condition put an end to those plans.

Cherished Memories

When she heard the news about Lemon, Berg recalled how Madsen and Lemon helped her family in a time of need. She recalled meeting Lemon, who helped her children cope with a difficult situation.

Berg contacted a company named Cuddle Clones. The company worked from photographs to create a stuffed-toy replica of Lemon.

Tears All Around

“It looked so realistic,” she told KMIZ News. “When I pulled it out of the box, I started crying.”

Madsen was also reduced to tears. Berg captured the moment in a poignant video she posted to her Facebook page.

She said it was “awesome” to be able to do something special for the officer after everything he and Lemon did for her family.

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