The first results from aerial surveys in Africa as part of the Great Elephant Census were released last month by the Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife. After 250 hours of flight time and data analysis, the results are optimistic.
Zambia is one of 20 countries to participate in the census, which launched in 2013 with continent-wide results due out later this year. It is the first pan-African elephant census in 40 years, with researchers using a standardized method of data collection to create an up-to-date picture of which areas need support in anti-poaching efforts.
“The numbers overall appear more positive than expected,” said Matt Brown, Africa Conservation Director for the The Nature Conservancy, which consulted on the project. “It suggests that frontline protection is making a difference.
The insights revealed through this survey can help create tailored management plans to more effectively protect elephants and deploy the limited conservation resources and dedicated rangers where they most will be able to make an impact. The census also pinpoints opportunities for countries to collaborate across borders and close security gaps.
“These results are a great example of what we hope to achieve through the Great Elephant Census by informing future efforts,” said James Deutsch, Director of Wildlife conservation for Vulcan Inc., a group funded by Paul G. Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft. “In Luangwa and even Kafue, the existing elephant protection efforts seem to be successful in controlling poaching and stabilizing elephant populations, while elephants are declining in Lower Zambezi and Sioma Ngwezi. The census results tell us that we need to replicate the success across all of Zambia’s national parks.”
The censuses suggested that elephant numbers are stable (or possibly even increasing) in the two largest elephant landscapes, Luangwa and Kafue. In two other locations, numbers are declining. The aerial survey was conducted from September 4-26, 2015, over 21 million acres of Zambia. The survey area comprised national parks and some game management areas. (See details on survey results and methodology, here.)
The Nature Conservancy stresses that the optimistic findings doesn’t mean they will be resting now.
“Poaching is like water – it moves to the path of least resistance. When one area is better patrolled, poachers go elsewhere so we have to keep the pressure on.”
Twelve-year-old Rebecca Gibney has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and is blind. Doctors told her last year she only had six months to live, but she’s beaten their predictions.
Rebecca has been bedridden for some time now, but there are bright moments in her day — when she hears a song by Adele, she breaks out in a smile and sings along.
When Rebecca’s mom, Tracy, learned the singer’s tour was coming to Belfast, Northern Ireland where they live, she appealed to Adele on social media and through an online petition to visit the little girl.
Adele surprised the Gibney’s on Tuesday, stopping off at their house for a visit before inviting Rebecca and her mother to the concert as her guests later that night.
Tracy was shocked that her appeals actually reached the star.
“I will never forget this day and night my Rebecca and Adele,” Tracy tweeted.
“It’s made me feel like I’m the best mummy in the world which I never felt,” Tracy told the BBC. “Adele told me I was the best mummy in the world too.”
Homeless youth are probably too focused on survival to make any progress with government or legal paperwork.
That’s why a group of young Milwaukee lawyers volunteered to spend every Wednesday night in February serving dinner and advice to the young adults at the Pathfinders drop-in center for the homeless.
The attendees filled out surveys that helped to identify whether they had possible challenges like credit problems, applying for public assistance, or tax issues. Once the problems were identified, the youth were given the chance to ask questions and discuss possible solutions with the attorney.
The clinics were orchestrated for Project Street Youth, a nationwide initiative of the American Bar Association powered by young lawyers that seek to raise awareness for homeless youth and the problems that plague them in society.
“There is a significant homeless youth population in Milwaukee, many of whom are facing legal issues, and we, as young lawyers are uniquely positioned to make a connection and do our small part to make a difference in our community,” said Elise Libbey, a Milwaukee attorney and chair of the State Bar’s project, in a press release. “It is important that we take steps to help where we are able.”
Not only did over 30 lawyers volunteer 160 hours of work, but they used the mileage reimbursement from the bar to buy toiletries and hygienic products for the shelter.
Depending on the success of the clinics, as reviewed by the Young Lawyer’s Division Board, they will be renewed as an ongoing feature of Wisconsin’s shelters.
“This is a unique opportunity for lawyers to provide an under-served population with much needed
services that may not be readily available to them,” Libbey said.
Photo by Vvillamon, CC – SHARE the idea in your hometown…
Mats Zuccarello of the New York Rangers hockey team acted as the ultimate wingman for a high school senior intending to go to prom.
The NHL hockey greats were warming up before Monday night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets when 18-year-old Vinny Munroe held up a sign from the stands reading ”Zucc! If you give me your stick, she’ll go to prom with me!!!”
The ‘she’ in question is Vinny’s best friend of three years and girlfriend of one month Catherine De Pinho from Connetquot High School.
Once Mats managed to read the sign, not only did he hand over his stick to the lucky fan, but he signed the poster and stick with “Have fun at prom– treat her right!!”
The internet is a bottomless chasm of facts and information that can fill you with wonder and expand your mind – or you can just procrastinate by looking at videos of cats all day.
Either way, you can’t deny that cute animal videos are smile-worthy.
So if you’re in need of a grin, a smirk, or a full-bodied chuckle, here are five of our favorite clips of cuddly creatures seen on the internet this week:
1. A paralyzed bunny can scoot around on a little skateboard, thanks to this ingenious guy.
Sometimes with farm life you have to make hard decisions....like putting down an animal because the quality of life is no longer good. However, at Overlook Acres we do what we can. Over the past few weeks we have had about 6 litters of bunnies born. We lost many to the frigid temperatures of upstate New York. But thanks to Christine Griffith she took the remaining bunnies inside and bottle fed each one. I found this little guy in the barn stiff and half frozen and brought him inside. After a few days of warmth he was eating normal but wasnt moving his back legs. It appeared he was paralyzed from his belly down. Normally this circumstance would result in putting the animals down and out of his misery but he didnt seem to be in any pain. He managed to still pull himself around the floor and was moving faster than the other babies. So, Christine took it upon herself to buy a $1 skateboard toy at the dollar store and manuifacture a mini wheel chair body for this little guy. He is as happy as can be and loves his speed. Share the video if you would like. Who doesn't love a baby bunny in a wheelchair??
Posted by Overlook Acres on Wednesday, February 17, 2016
2. Seals are sitting quietly on a rock when a wave wipes out the whole bunch.
Da Mao is at it again!Our playful panda woke up to plenty of snow yesterday morning and it's safe to say he was quite delighted. WATCH more of Da Mao as he plays outside here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51oFtGcDcPs
A mushroom farmer and a scientist have created a beehive containing fungi that might just be the key to saving the imperiled honey bee.
Farmer Paul Stamets started thinking there might be a possible relationship between his crop of mushrooms and bee health after he watched the insects in his garden eating the root-like filaments called mycelium.
With bee populations collapsing since the 1980s and threatening world food supplies, scientists are groping for answers. At least 61 culprits–from viruses to pesticides–are to blame, but one of the biggest threats is a mite that exploded on the scene in 1987.
The lifespan of the varroa destructor mite is so short-lived, it has been able to evolve and develop resistance to pesticides that have been previously able to control it.
Stamets launched a research project — backed by the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Department — that eventually allowed him to show that compounds in certain mushrooms can boost a bee’s immune system.
Their research so far has shown that mushrooms on certain trees frequented by bees in the Pacific Northwest actually can protect them from viruses. The mushroom nutrients also help bees break down harmful pesticides and chemicals. His next step was to go after the mites.
Stamets teamed up with Washington State University entomologist — and beekeeper — Steve Sheppard, and the two have been exploring the idea that mushrooms might be able to protect bees from the little parasites.
After identifying a species of mushroom — Metarhizium anisopliae — that appears to kill the varroa mites without hurting the bees, they are now testing beehives that contain the mushrooms that would create natural protection for colonies.
Stamets and Sheppard are dropping chunks of cardboard dusted with finely ground powder from the mushroom into standard bee boxes. As the bees rip out the clutter to better organize their hives, they cover themselves in the potentially mite-killing compounds.
They are working with one of Washington state’s largest beekeeping operations to see if their plan to build beehives from mushrooms will protect the vital pollinators.
“Nature leads us to solutions if we connect the dots, are open minded and think creatively,” Stamets told Crosscut. “We need to be innovative to create solutions that help tilt the balance to help bees, and ultimately us.
(WATCH the video below from EarthFixMedia) — Photo (top): ginko, CC
Shelter dogs from Sao Paolo’s slums were center court for an exhibition tennis match at the Brazil Open.
The four pups — Frida, Mel, Isabelle and Costela — were trained to be “ball dogs.” They proved to be great at retrieving stray shots — they just weren’t so good at returning the tennis balls.
A federal government plan to protect a vast area of the US Arctic as habitat for polar bears has been upheld by an appeals court. The ruling overturns a previous victory by the state of Alaska and fossil fuel lobbyists opposing the designation.
The US court of appeals for the ninth circuit reversed a lower-court decision that ruled the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s protection of 187,000 square miles of Alaska’s northern coast – an area larger than California – was too extensive and arbitrary.
According to The Guardian, the verdict has been hailed by conservationists as vital for the survival of a species suffering because “their habitat is melting from beneath their feet”.
WATCH the video above by Wochit – and SHARE the News…
There is a small company in London that is still crafting models of the world entirely by hand. The traditional profession that was almost lost is now thriving.
It takes between a few weeks to a few months for artists at Bellerby & Company to complete each single globe from start to finish.
A team of 8 artists make around 300 globes a year, wetting and stretching paper on a plaster-of-paris sphere and then hand painting all the detail around the continents and oceans.
They even personalize the maps for some customers; the cartography can be edited for each customer, mapping people’s lives – from their adventures, to explorations to the history of their family’s movement across the world.
True love knows no boundaries – even if the lovers in question are homeless.
Larry Cannon, a Vietnam veteran, and Julia have been desperately in love and living on the streets while dreaming of having a home in Los Angeles. But hope is on the horizon now because of a community that cares.
Elvis Summers and his volunteers worked some magic in December when they built these lovebirds a “tiny house” shelter. Now they are raising money to buy a plot of land on which to locate it amid a new tiny home community. But Elvis is not only solving matters of shelter, but matters of the heart, as well.
During a weekend build session on the grounds of a church in the Compton neighborhood where they were constructing eight new dwellings, Elvis and his crew put together a wedding ceremony for the luckless couple.
“The wedding was so beautiful, everybody cried,” Elvis told Good News Network.
The pastor and his wife at Faith Community Church were “so excited”. Members of the church hung decorations and hours before the wedding, the pastor’s wife found, among the construction volunteers, singers who wanted to form a makeshift choir.
“An hour and a half later, they were singing ‘Going to the Chapel’ as Julia walked down the aisle,” recalls Elvis. “It was awesome.”
After a video camera recorded the exchange of vows (below), the newlywed couple was gifted with a tiny purple home painted with “Just Married!” emblazoned on the side for Mr. and Mrs. Larry Cannon.
Elvis, with his spiky hair, has become a full-time hero to the homeless and built 37 tiny houses since his story on Good News Network “blew up” and went viral worldwide in April 2015. He now works seven days a week– unless his girlfriend forces him to rest for a day–planning and building portable shelters on wheels so people can have a place to sleep, removed from the mean streets in California. His campaign, My Tiny House Project L.A., has hosted tiny house building marathons for which 200 volunteers show up.
“They’ve got tiny home communities in Seattle, Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, and Oregon–and they are working,” says Elvis. “I get calls all the time from around the country asking how to build a community and recently I traveled to Arizona and saw two 40-acre lots on which they are planning one with showers, community gardens, the works.
Due to L.A.’s recent ban on tiny shelters because they violate zoning laws, Elvis was forced to think bigger. His new mission is to buy a plot of land to start a tiny home community right in the city that needs it most.
You can help our intrepid hero by donatingto Elvis’s Campaign, Here. Though he hasn’t received his 501c(3) status yet, Elvis says, “It’s in The works.” (The group is incorporated and a registered charity in the state of California.)
(WATCH the wedding story below, via Good News Network’s YouTube page)
Last week in Virginia, a transgender woman was given a job at a local KFC restaurant –and then had her heart broken within an hour as she was fired for being trans-gender.
The corporate headquarters of KFC soon stepped in and offered her a new job and fired the manager who discriminated against her.
These two pen pals have been great friends since they were kids, but now, after finally meeting each other for the first time in 38 years, they’re closer than ever.
Beth Graham and Sandi Fisher first discovered their friendship in the 5th grade when they both replied to the old children’s television show Big Blue Marble to request a pen pal. They’ve had a few brief phone conversations in the past but long-distance calls were too expensive for chatting.
Over the years, their friendship has evolved to include emailing and Facebook messaging. Then came the day when Sandi was visiting Pennsylvania from Colorado and the two finally came together face to face after almost four decades.
It was bliss.
“You’re shorter than I imagined!” says a joyful Beth through tears.
It’s nice to think about giving back throughout the year, but it may seem like organizations are only interested in ongoing monetary donations, rather than asking for your time or suggesting little things you can do to make a difference every day.
If you’re looking for tips or inspiration, the new “Giving Back Guide” from Tiny Prints discusses everyday ways to serve your community.
Here are nine ways to give back without opening your wallet:
1. Share your talents. Whether you are a knitting wiz or a yogi, you can find an organization that could use your expertise. Make winter hats for the homeless or teach yoga classes at your local Boys and Girls Club.
2. Support companies that give back. Programs like eBay Giving Works, Amazon Smile, and birth announcements by Tiny Prints give back a percentage of sales to charities throughout the year. In the case of Amazon Smile, you can choose the charity that benefits.
3. Take the lead. Organize a bake sale to raise funds for a cause near to your heart.
4. Donate your stuff. From canned goods to clothing to appliances and vehicles, you can donate just about anything. You can even schedule a pick-up with many non-profits, like Purple Heart, the Lupis Foundation, which collect your old clothing and household items.
8. When your birthday comes along, ask family or friends to donate to your favorite charity, in lieu of gifts. Many of your favorite charities have ways to set up a donation page online, to make it easy to collect pledges and see your total grow.
9. Use some of that stationary or colored paper collecting dust in your closet to send homemade cards to the troops overseas or drop them off at your local children’s hospital to spread some cheer.
These fifth graders are learning sign language and the reason why speaks volumes about their character.
Students at a Peoria, Illinois school give up recess every Wednesday so they can learn sign language just to better communicate with a deaf classmate — Rhemy Elsey.
The kids formed an American Sign Language club and practice their skills with Rhemy and an instructor.
Rhemy has cochlear implants, but still relies on signing for much of his ability to communicate with others. He’s been overwhelmed by the willingness of classmates to give up free time just so they can learn to carry on conversations with him.
“It’s like they want to be like me,” Rhemy told WMBD News.
(WATCH the Facebook video below from WMBD News) — Photo: news video
Check out my story on these awesome 5th graders that are learning sign language--all so that they can communicate with a friend and classmate. I think these children stand to teach us an amazing lesson that we can all take something away from--about kindness and accepting others :) Happy Friday! http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/students-learn-sign-language-for-friend
Posted by Alyssa Paldo on Friday, February 19, 2016
The secret to anyone’s success can start with a great haircut — even if you’re just a dog.
Mark Imhof only started his dog grooming service four months ago, but has already donated 50 free trims to homeless pups in New York City in order to improve their chances of being adopted–and, wow, does it work.
Just check out these “before and after” pictures to see how a bit of grooming has very much improved the dogs’ chances of finding a forever home.
Imhof owns “The Dog Guy” pet services, and says his volunteer work is helping these dogs win back some of their self-respect.
Some of the dogs come into the shelter with fur so matted, it makes it difficult for them to move — or even interferes with their sense of smell.
Imhof says he’s seen instant personality changes in dogs as soon as he finishes with their haircuts.
Imhof, quit his job as a certified public accountant, to start his pet services business in November — and began providing free trims for a passel of pooches at Animal Care Centers of NYC.
These make-overs have resulted in almost every dog moving on to a forever home. One animal was even adopted as he was being carried off the grooming table.
“I come home uplifted every day,” Imhof told Metro. “I develop a bond with the animals which is just amazing.”
Today at the White House, Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward C. Byers Jr. became the sixth Navy SEAL in U.S. history to receive the Medal of Honor.
In a ceremony, President Barack Obama praised Byers’ for his heroic gallantry as an assault team member during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012.
“Like so many of our special operators, Ed is defined by a deep sense of humility,” said Obama. “He doesn’t seek the spotlight. In fact, he shuns it. He’s the consummate quiet professional.”
The president welcomed members of Byers’ family, including wife Madison, daughter Hannah, and mother Peggy. The crowd laughed as Obama recounted Peggy’s question upon hearing the news of her son’s award, “Do you think I can come?”
Obama called Byers “a special breed of warrior,” part of a select few who serve the American people in the shadows with honor and sacrifice.
“Our special operations forces are a strategic national asset. They teach us that humans are more important than hardware,” said Obama. “Today is a reminder that our nation has to keep investing in this irreplaceable asset; deploying our special operators wisely, preserving force and family, making sure these incredible Americans stay strong in body, mind and spirit.
The American people may not always see them. We may not always hear of their success. But they’re there-in the thick of the fight, in the dark of the night, achieving the mission. And we thank God they’re there,” added Obama.
“If it wasn’t for the team I wouldn’t be standing here.”
“The important thing I want to say here is that everything we do is as a team; if it wasn’t for that team I wouldn’t be standing here today. Specifically for me, my teammate, friend and brother Nick Checque,” he said, referring to fallen team member Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas Checque. “The award is truly his. He was an American hero and he was the hero of that operation.
Today has been a very memorable day in my life surrounded by friends and family and it is truly something I’ll never forget. We’re gonna celebrate Nick’s life and celebrate the lives of the brothers that have fallen protecting our freedoms so that we can sleep peacefully in our beds at night,” added Byers.
In December 2012, Byers, along with other members of his team, was tasked with a mission to rescue Dr. Dilip Joseph, an American citizen being detained by the Taliban in a mountainous region in the Qarghah’i District of Laghman Province. Byers was the second assaulter on the approach toward the building identified as containing the hostage.
While Byers tried to rip down blankets that served as the door to the building, the first assaulter pushed his way through the doorway and was immediately shot by enemy AK-47 fire. Byers, fully aware of the hostile threat inside the room, boldly entered and immediately engaged a guard pointing an AK-47 towards him. As he was engaging that guard, another adult male darted towards the corner of the room. Byers could not distinguish if the person may have been the hostage scrambling away or a guard attempting to arm himself with an AK-47 that lay in the corner, so he tackled the unknown male and seized control of him. While in hand-to-hand combat, Byers maintained control of the unknown male with one hand, while adjusting the focus of his night vision goggles (NVGs) with his other. Once his NVGs were focused, he recognized that the male was not the hostage and engaged the struggling armed guard.
By now, other team members had entered the room and were calling to Joseph to identify himself. Byers heard an unknown voice speak English from his right side. He immediately leaped across the room and selflessly flung his body on top of the American hostage, shielding him from the continued rounds being fired across the room. Almost simultaneously, Byers identified an additional enemy fighter directly behind Joseph. While covering the hostage with his body, Byers was able to pin the enemy combatant to the wall with his hand around the enemy’s throat. Unable to fire any effective rounds into the enemy, Byers was able to restrain the combatant enough to enable his teammate to fire precision shots, eliminating the final threat within the room.
Byers quickly talked to Joseph and, after confirming that he was able to move, extracted him to the helicopter-landing zone. Byers, a certified paramedic and 18D medic, subsequently assisted with the rendering of medical aid to the first assaulter. Byers and others performed CPR during the flight to Bagram Airfield where his teammate was declared deceased.
In a U.S. Navy video, Byers recalled the moment the president called to say he would receive the Medal of Honor. “I felt very honored and very humbled because now I’m gonna be a representative for the Navy and the Navy Special Warfare community and there’s a weight that that carries with it,” he said. “And that weight is the sacrifice that everybody has made within this community…it’s an affirmation of the job that we do and an appreciation for the job that we do.”
The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest award given to members of the Armed Forces for gallantry in action. Byers is the first living active duty member of the U.S. Navy to receive the Medal of Honor since Apr. 6, 1976. He is the first living active duty enlisted member of the U.S. Navy to receive the Medal of Honor since Petty Officer Michael Thornton (also a SEAL) was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon Oct., 15 1973.
A husband and father to one daughter, Byers was born in Toledo, Ohio, and began his naval career in 1998 as a hospital corpsman. The following year, he was assigned to Great Lakes Naval Hospital and later served with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While on deployment with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard USS Austin, Byers earned the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist badge and Fleet Marine Force warfare device.
After graduation, he attended the Special Operations Combat Medic course and was subsequently assigned to East Coast SEAL Teams. He has deployed overseas 11 times with nine combat tours. Byers was promoted to the rank of senior chief petty officer in January 2016.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Byers personal decorations include the Bronze Star with Valor (five awards), the Purple Heart (two awards), the Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards, one with Valor), the Combat Action ribbon (two awards) and the Good Conduct Medal (five awards).
Today Chevrolet is celebrating the extra 24 hours that we have in a Leap Year, by urging people to do something nice for someone–and leading the way by stellar example.
All month, they’ve been asking the question: “What nice thing could you do for someone who doesn’t expect it?”
The auto company has answered the call by giving away new cars –not just to anyone, but a surprise for a family that has been serving the homeless for years.
They heard about nine-year old “Super Ewan” who began at age seven wearing a red cape while bringing food to Detroit folks living on the street. One Saturday every month, his parents help him fulfill his superhero ideals by feeding the less fortunate. (link to gnn in blue)
Last week in Roosevelt Park, Chevrolet stepped up to assist big time, setting up a huge tent and helping Ewan distribute new sleeping bags and hot meals to the city’s homeless amid banners announcing their Leap Year campaign, #DayItForward.
The boy and his parents were thrilled with the extra gifts for the homeless, but then Ewan got a surprise of his own.
As a reward for his hard work, Chevrolet gifted Super Ewan with a brand spankin’ new red Chevy Traverse so he can deliver even more of his goodies to the homeless.
(WATCH the inspiring surprise below)
Chevrolet also gave a new car to a teacher’s aide in California, and got celebrities like Kevin Spacey to do something nice for #DayItForward.
Try to imagine 10 acres of woodland fields and branches dripping with butterflies. That’s what the remarkable comeback of the monarch species looked like this winter following the annual migration.
Three-and-a-half times as many monarchs as the year before returned to their home in the central Mexico mountains this winter.
Each year, the black and orange insects migrate 3,400 miles south to the tropical climate. Their numbers had been falling in recent years, until a resurgence in 2014. This year’s increase has been even greater.
It’s impossible to actually count all the individual butterflies, but because they huddle so closely together, scientists and conservationists add up all the land area the monarchs cover. This winter it came to 10 acres of butterflies — up from a record low of 1.66 acres just two years earlier.
It’s a strong recovery, but still has a long way to go to match the 44 acres of butterflies from 1996.
Mexico, the U.S., and Canada have all committed to helping the monarchs recover. The U.S. is reintroducing milkweed plants along 1,100 square-miles of the monarchs’ migration route to make up for herbicide use destroying huge tracts of the plant. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed exclusively, and find it a vital food source.
Mexico successfully cracked down on illegal logging in the monarch reserve, where the butterflies rely on the forest canopy to help shelter them during winter.
Conservationists estimate 140 million monarchs arrived this year, and if the upward trend continues they will hit their goal of seeing 220 million by 2020.
“It is time for celebration because we see the beginning of success,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Ashe told the Associated Press. “But our task now is to continue building on that success.”
These elementary students are learning more than just the “three Rs” — reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic. Add a fourth one: Respect — they’re learning how to give it, and receive it.
The boys are members of the “Gentlemen’s Club” at Memminger Elementary in Charleston, South Carolina.
Every Monday they wear suits and ties to school and learn new social skills to help them succeed in life.
Raymond Nelson, a student support specialist, teaches them how to shake hands, make eye contact, open doors for others, and properly address their elders.
The Gentlemen’s Club motto is “Look good, feel good, do good.”
Nelson believes learning social skills in grade school will stick with students throughout their lifetime, turning at-risk kids into successful adults. He came up with the idea over winter break, remembering a similar group he belonged to as a kid.
“It helped me to be a better man and I can spread that knowledge to these young boys,” Nelson told WCSC News. “They perform well when they realize someone cares about them.
(WATCH the video from WCSC below) — Photo: WCSC video
We had a barking good time watching this pit bull mix puppy reunited with her family.
After being stolen from the porch of her home in The Bronx borough of New York two and a half years ago, Rihanna was found last week over a 100 miles away and brought into a shelter in Stratford, New Jersey.
Staff at the Voorhees Animal Orphanage tracked down the original pet owners using a microchip embedded in the lost pup and telephoned the family, who began crying on the phone.
Rihanna was still a long way from home so two volunteers at the shelter offered to make the two-hour drive back to the Big Apple with the dog in the back of the truck.
“This was an incredibly emotional situation,” Laurie Ballard, manager of the VAO, told Good News Network, “Microchip information is not always current, so while we were thrilled to discover the animal had been microchipped, it does not always lead to a reunion with their owner.”
Even though it had been years since Rihanna had seen her family, she was bouncing for joy to see her owners once more.
“In this case, given all that the family and the dog had been through over nearly three years – it was nothing short of a miracle. Everyone at the Voorhees Animal Orphanage was thrilled to play a part in such a happy reunion.”
(WATCH the video above from VAO) – Share the Joy, Pass it on…
