'He wakes up happy every day': Meet Roosevelt the collie who uses a wheelchair after being born with deformed front legs

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Energetic: Roosevelt the collie relies on a custom-built wheelchair after he was born with deformed front legs. He was named after one of the most famous wheelchair users, President Franklin D. Roosevelt

He may have been forced to rely upon a wheelchair after contracting polio, yet President Franklin D. Roosevelt remained famously upbeat, using 'Happy Days Are Here Again' as his campaign song.
And, as well as his name, this positive outlook is something Roosevelt the collie dog has adopted - after he was born with deformed legs and also needs a wheelchair to get around.
His owner Stephanie Fox, from Portland, Maine, bought her pet the $900 custom-built two-wheel cart that straps underneath his body and stands in for his two front legs.
'People think he should have been put down because they think he’s suffering,' Fox told the Bangor Daily News in Maine. 'But he wakes up happy every day.'
Roosevelt only uses the wheelchair during longer walks, but relies on his exceptionally strong back legs while around the house. He is able to hop up steps and balances like a kangaroo.

On a roll: Roosevelt, who has been trained to respond without a leash, walks ahead of owner Stephanie Fox

Bounding ahead: While not on walks, Roosevelt relies on his strong back legs to hop around like a kangaroo

But the wheels allow him to live up to his energetic and inquisitive breed, and he is trained to walk without a leash. 'It's a front-wheel drive,' Fox said.
Fox adopted Roosevelt from New England Border Collie Rescue three years ago when he was a puppy. From the outset she had a plan she knew would work and invested in the wheels.

All in his stride: He can hop up steps and play with other dogs. 'He doesn't know he's different,' his owner said

'If you had a child with a disability you’d try to enrich them, give them opportunities,' she told the Daily News. 'So why not do the same with a dog?'
She added: 'The only difference between Roosevelt and other dogs is that instead of a collar, I snap on his wheels to take him out.'
Like his namesake, Roosevelt doesn't let his disability hold him back and bounds ahead on walks with other dogs and enjoys playing catch with his owner.
'He doesn't know he's any different,' she said.

Dogged enthusiasm: He bounds out of the $900 wheelchair after a walk. Fox adopted him three years ago


Woman's best friend: 'You'd give a disabled child opportunities, so why not a dog?' Stephanie Fox asked

source: dailymail

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Look out below! Incredible video shows black bear falling 15 feet from tree after being TRANQUILISED at crowded university campus

By BETH STEBNER


Raining cats and bears: A tranquilised black bear fell from a tree on the University of Colorado - Boulder's campus Thursday

A large black bear who wandered up into a tree at the University of Colorado - Boulder, is again safe after wildlife department officials managed to get him out of a sticky situation. The 200-pound male was seen ambling around a residence hall area before he attempted to scale a tree.
The wildlife officers tranquilised the bear while he was up in the branches and, after a short wait, the bear safely landed on his back.
The bear had spent the better part of the day on campus, students said, and climbed about 15 feet into a tree near the University of Colorado’s Williams Village dormitories. Wildlife officials shot two darts into the bear around 10am as curious students looked on, the Denver Post reported.
CU Police Department Spokesman Ryan Huff told the paper that they chose to sedate him because of his close proximity to students and the potential danger that held.

At ease: A wildlife official runs to secure the male black bear after he fell

Bearly legal: The wild animal had scaled a tree on UC's campus and was up there for about two hours, officials said

Centre of attention: The bear looked woozy and seemed to be enjoying his time on the mat

‘He was just resting up in the tree probably for a good two hours,’ Mr Huff told thedenverchannel.com.
In preparation for the beast’s tumble, wildlife officials set up a large black mat under the tree.
Photos and video capture the bear freefalling 15 feet and onto the mats. His paws were comically outstretched as he fell through the air.
Andy Dunn of cuindependent.com captured a delightfully surreal image of the bear tumbling from the tree, surrounded by vigilant campus police and wildlife officials.

Strange co-ed: UC students looked on at the bear in the cage - some were brave enough to pet its paws

Bear necessities: The black bear was tagged and released into the mountains north of Boulder

For a few minutes, the bear was allowed to rest on the mat and looked dazed, if not comfortable. Students looked on and captured the bizarre moment with their smart phones and cameras.
Workers then moved the creature into a large cage around 10:45am.
Some students were brave enough to stick their fingers through the cage and stroke the tranquilised bear’s foot.
Jennifer Churchill, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told the Post that the woozy bear was tagged and released in the mountains west of Boulder.
She added that black bears often come out of hibernation around this time, and come looking to more populated areas for food.

source: dailymail

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A thorny start to life: 8-week-old puppy found face-first in cactus... and now needs a home

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Ouch! An eight-week-old puppy has been found face-first in a cactus in Phoenix, Arizona. Emergency responders named him Cactus Jack and took out the spikes over several hours

He's had a thorny start to his young life - but here's hoping the future looks better for Cactus Jack.
The eight-week-old puppy was found face-first in a cholla cactus in Phoenix, Arizona - and is now up for adoption.
Passersby who found the Yorkie-terrier mix alerted the Arizona Humane Society - and got to work on removing the scores of spikes from his face.
'By the time we arrived on scene, the good Samaritans had actually removed him from the cactus and also removed about a five gallon bucket worth of spines,' Bretta Nelson from the AHS told Fox News Phoenix.
He was then taken to the society's Second Chance Hospital where vets spent several hours removing the remaining fish-hook shaped spikes.

Recovering: Passers-by found the terrier-Yorkie mix. He is now recovering and up for adoption

Nelson added that the puppy was unaware of his prickly situation - and said he loved the attention. 'Our EMTs said the whole time he was just wagging his tail and when he was in the hospital getting them removed, he just hasn't missed a beat.
'I don't even think he knows what a predicament he was in,' she added.
Vets checked whether Cactus Jack's eyes had been scratched, but he did not sustain any permanent injuries. He is taking medication to fight any infections from the needles and is now recovering.
On Thursday morning, the Arizona Humane Society opens its doors to introduce the public to Cactus Jack, who is up for adoption.
If multiple people want the pup, a lottery will be drawn.
The $160 adoption fee covers neutering, vaccinations, a follow-up exam, ID tag and collar.

Thorn in his side: Cactus Jack was found in a cholla cactus, pictured, and is being treated for infections

'We're just really happy he has such a good prognosis,' Nelson added. 'I have a feeling people are going to be beating down the doors for this guy.'
The Arizona Humane Society takes in an average of 121 animals a day - that's 43,000 dogs, cats, birds and other animals a year.

Puppy Gets Caught in a "Prickly" Situation: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

source: dailymail

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'Put me down mum': Poignant moment polar bear cub is made to catch up as family make 35-mile trek in snowy sub-zero temperatures

By PHIL VINTER

Keep up: This polar bear mum picks up her cub during a 35-mile trek to Canada's Hudson Bay

It's a scene with which many parents will empathise.
A tired youngster drags their heels after spending a long, hard day traipsing around behind mum. In the case of this polar bear cub however, mum has enough and decides to take matters into her own hands or rather teeth. She picks up her beleagured cub in her mouth and powerfully swings it in front of her before dropping it back down on the ground.
This amazing sequence of pictures captures the family as they set out on a huge trek from their winter den to the sea ice and food in Canada's Hudson Bay.
The bears weigh less than two pounds at birth and fatten up on their mother's rich milk. After emerging from their den they spend a few days growing stronger before the trip to the ice. They will then be with their mother for the next two and a half years as she teaches them how to hunt for seals.


Powerful: The frustrated mum flinging her cub ahead of her so she can keep an eye on him

Taking charge: The huge polar bear puts her cub into position and gets ready to drop it back on to the snowy ground

Take a seat: The cute cub sits up on the snow after his short journey in the mouth of his mother

'Say Freeze!': The bear family take time out from their long march towards the sea and ice in Canada's Hudson Bay

The pictures were taken by renowned American wildlife photographer Thomas Mangelsen over ten days often involving staking out the den for hours in sub-zero conditions.
Thomas said: "Their mother will keep them close by the den allowing them several days to chase and wrestle which strengthens their bodies for the arduous 35 mile journey to Hudson Bay.

Hitching a ride: Weighing less than two pounds the tiny cub pulls himself up the furry back of his mother


Tough going: The bear family continue on their long journey in the sub-zero temperatures

source: dailymail

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Mission Impussible: Daredevil firemen's amazing operation to save a stranded cat

By CHRIS BROOKE

Trapped: The cat is spotted at the base of the bridge by a concerned dog walker who calls the RSPCA

As soon as the call came in, the fire brigade’s finest purred into action.
The victim was trapped at the foot of a 30ft bridge, surrounded by a flood-swollen river and in danger of being swept away at any time.
Within minutes two fire engines, a specialist water unit and a senior fire officer had assembled on the bridge over the fast-flowing River Wear and were discussing their plan of action. And the object of the major rescue operation at Croxdale, County Durham? A small black-and-white cat which was eventually gathered up and taken to an animal shelter.
The episode will inevitably bring further accusations of overkill following the incident two weeks ago when 25 firemen were scrambled to help a seagull trapped in 3ft of water with its feet caught in a plastic bag.


Action stations: The RSPCA call the fire brigade which scrambles its specialist water unit who prepare to launch their river rescue

But at least this time the rescuers got their feet wet – unlike the seagull squad at Carshalton, Surrey, who refused to wade in for health and safety reasons, leaving it to a member of the public to save the stricken bird.
It was on Wednesday morning that 62-year-old Eddy Williamson was walking his dog across the bridge over the Wear and spotted what he thought was a plastic bag on its concrete base.

On a mission: The three specialist under water unit officers wade out to the stricken cat

Gotcha: The cat is gathered up as other officers watch on

In safe hands: The lucky feline is placed in a cage for the return journey to the river shore
‘Then I realised it was a cat,’ he said.

‘I don’t know how it got there, but I think somebody may have dropped it over the top.’
Mr Williamson rang the RSPCA, who called in the fire brigade.
By the time they arrived at the bridge, another member of the public had bravely waded across the river to reach the forlorn animal.
Clearly not trusting the have-a-go hero, the cat backed away and the firemen told the man to return to the river bank as they feared the creature might fall into the water. But what should they do next?
The officer in charge decided against lowering a fireman down by rope for fear of spooking the cat, so the river team waded into action, carrying a net and a cage with them.

Human chain: The firemen support each other as the cat is carried to the banks of the Rivet Wear, in Croxdale, in a basket


Mission accomplished: Back on dry land, the cat relax

‘They didn’t need the net as it all went smoothly and one of the men was able to pick up the cat and it was taken away safely,’ said station manager Steve Cummings of the Durham fire and rescue service.
‘I have no idea how it got there. It’s an absolute mystery to us. It didn’t seem to be injured and wasn’t soaking wet.’
Mr Cummings said animal rescue operations were regarded as good training so they were carried out whenever possible.
An RSPCA spokesman said the cat was in good health but efforts to trace its owner were being hampered because it was not microchipped.

source: dailymail

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By 'eck! It's Yorkshire's Robinson Crusoe: Brit who bought a cut-price island in the Seychelles 50 years ago... and still lives in blissful solitude w

-Sprightly 86-year-old bought Seychelles island for £8,000 in 1962
-When he bought Moyenne, it was overgrown with scrub so dense that coconuts could not fall to the ground

By SIMON REEVE

Real life Robinson Crusoe: Brendon has helped preserve the region's giant turtles. He paints them with identifying numbers and even names them

Surely it’s what many of us dream about while trudging into the office during another April downpour.
Why not escape the rat race and the grey skies to live on a sunny tropical island?
Brendon Grimshaw has done just that. In 1962, the Yorkshireman bought Moyenne - a small island just half a mile wide - in the Seychelles for the princely sum of £8,000, and he has been living there ever since.
The sprightly 86-year-old wakes to the sound of rustling palm trees and the Indian Ocean lapping against the shore.
He spends his days caring for the island’s tortoises and birds that also call it home. When he bought Moyenne, it was overgrown with scrub so dense that coconuts could not fall to the ground. But Brendon worked tirelessly to transform the island into his own little patch of heaven.

Life's a beach: Brendon Grimshaw on Moyenne, the Seychelles island he bought in 1962 for £8,000

Living in this unique wildlife reserve, he has survived tropical storms, sharks, ghosts, a coup d’etat in the Seychelles and a mercenary raid.
Scattered over a vast area of the Indian Ocean, the 115 islands of the Seychelles are among the most spectacular on the planet. There are just 85,000 inhabitants, but hundreds of secluded beaches.
I visited the Seychelles while filming my new BBC TV series, to find Somali pirates in the prisons and Dutch Special Forces training local troops to repel more attacks.
But it was a visit to Brendon’s island, and meeting the man himself, that caught my imagination.

Island: Moyenne was abandoned until Brendon purchased it 50 years ago

Just a hop away from the capital, Victoria, on the island of Mahe, and surrounded by azure and turquoise waters, the 22½ acres of Moyenne stand out from the neighbouring islands, which are owned by billionaires, Arab princes and Russian oligarchs, and include some of the most glorious holiday retreats in the world.
Surrounded by protective coral reef, Moyenne looked wild and uninhabited - until I caught a glimpse of a wooden building poking through the trees.
I was warmly greeted by Brendon in his T-shirt and shorts, standing on a picture-perfect beach.
Lithe, wiry and tanned, he still has his Dewsbury accent, which seems wildly out of place in such an exotic setting.
Together we climbed steps hewn out of the rock and past clusters of palm trees to where Brendon’s one-storey wooden house clings to the hillside.

Paradise: Brendon wakes to the sound of rustling palm trees and the Indian Ocean lapping against the shore

It’s where he looks after his 120 giant tortoises.
A whopper was sitting on the steps. Among the world’s longest living creatures, they have been known to survive for more than 180 years.
Giant tortoises are indigenous to the Seychelles, but have been killed off on most of the other islands.
Brendon has been gradually reintroducing them to his corner of the Indian Ocean, painting them with identifying numbers and giving them names such as Alice, Florita and Four Degrees South (the island’s latitude).
His house is eccentric and well-worn, a bit like its owner, and furnished with African souvenirs and curios that testify to Brendon’s years in the tropics.



Man Friday: Brendon recruited local Rene Lafortune to help him make Moyenne habitable

But it’s fair to say Brendon has never been motivated by money.
He could have taken the Saudi prince’s blank cheque many years ago and moved to a luxurious retirement home.
Instead he has worked tirelessly to transform and preserve Moyenne, ensuring that when he finally does leave the island it will be protected and passed to the people of the Seychelles as a protected national park.
‘Brendon is the modern Robinson Crusoe,’ says Joel Morgan, environment minister for the Seychelles. ‘He’s a naturalist, a conservationist and a damned hard worker.’
Moyenne Island National Park boasts a glorious array of wildlife, along with 40 species of palm trees, including the exotic bwa-bannann (known as the wood banana) and 13 coco de mer, or sea coconut.

Natural disguise: Surrounded by protective coral reef, Moyenne looks wild and uninhabited

New home: Brendon makes himself at home on Moyenne shortly after he 'moved in' in 1962

The island has been Brendon’s life, and as he has struggled and toiled to create a spectacular home,  it has repaid him by giving him a tonic that no doctor can prescribe: a real sense of purpose and meaning.
Out in the Indian Ocean, Brendon Grimshaw, Dewsbury-born and Yorkshire proud, is still living the  dream.
Indian Ocean on BBC2 is presented by Simon Reeve. He visits the Seychelles in next Sunday’s episode at 8pm.


Presenter: Simon Reeve visits the Seychelles in next Sunday's episode of Indian Ocean on BBC2

source: dailymail

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Another doggone delay! Puppy causes chaos at New York airport after escaping on to runway

By MEGHAN KENEALLY

On the run: A Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy escaped from its crate and started running around the tarmac at New York's La Guardia airport

The thought of sitting on the runway while waiting for a plane to take off bothers many passengers.
That said, it is hard not to smile when the reason behind the delay is a puppy who got loose and evaded police capture on the runway.
The 30-pound Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy named Byrdie escaped the cage it was supposed to travel in and went for a run on the tarmac.
The jailbreak took place Wednesday morning at New York's La Guardia airport around 10.21am. 'Byrdie got out of her gave and decided that Runway 21 would be the best place to get some exercise,' Port Authority spokesman Ron Marsico told The New York Post. The pup ran from police and Port Authority representatives who were trying to coax it back to its cage.

Quick: The dog, named Byrdie, evaded capture by police and Port Authority workers for about 10 minutes on Wednesday morning

It wasn't a complete high-speed chase, however, as Byrdie saw fit to just pause and sit at one point.
After delaying a number awaiting flights for about 10 minutes, Byrdie's unidentified owner was located and brought to the tarmac so that she could end the situation.

Standoff: Eventually, when airport workers couldn't catch the dog, her owner was found and brought to the runway to convince the dog it was OK

As soon as the dog spotted its owner, Byrdie ran right over and the hijinks came to a close.
NBC New York reported that a number of passengers who were waiting in their seats saw the dog frolicking around the runway and Tweeted the news.
Byrdie and her owner boarded back on their Delta flight to Memphis and took off 20 minutes after their scheduled departure time.

Heading back out: Passengers trapped on board the nearby planes saw what was going on and Tweeted about the dog on the loose

source: dailymail

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Sea lions packed in like sardines: Creatures snapped cuddling up to keep warm on chilly day in California

By LEON WATSON

Cuddle time: These sea lions tried to warm up on a cold day by squeezing up on a jetty in California

These sea lions caused a commotion on the Pacific coast when they tried to warm up on a cold day by squeezing up on a jetty.
As many as 45 jumped out of the water in a bid to get a place on the tiny platform. And space was so scarce, they looked more like sardines as they packed themselves in.
Many ended up cheek-to-cheek, while some resorted to lying on top of the group and even managed to doze off.
The incredible spectacle was captured on camera by Jason Wehmhoener at Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, California.
The 36-year-old software designer, from Santa Cruz, said: 'It was quite a sight to see and it was pretty exciting because you could stand so close without disturbing them. 'There were probably about 45 or so. They were all just sleeping in a warm pile on a chilly day. 'A few were in the water trying to jump up on the dock to join their friends but there really was no more room.

Cosy: As many as 45 jumped out of the water in a bid to get a place on the tiny platform

Cheek to cheek: While some resorted to lying on top of the group and even managed to doze off

Chilly: The incredible spectacle was captured on camera by Jason Wehmhoener at Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, California

'Every once in a while one or two would leave the dock and another would take its place.
'They were snoring as well as making lots of other sleeping noises.
'And they were constantly squirming about to try to get into a better position.
'Inevitably, this meant they squished one another in the process and it gave rise to complaints from their companions.
'They were really quite a noisy bunch of nappers.'

source: dailymail

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The ultimate dog's dinner: Hundreds of caged canines saved from the cooking pot by quick-thinking Chinese activists

By LEE MORAN

Sickening: Dogs destined to be slaughtered and served up in China's restaurants were saved when the truck transporting them was intercepted by animal rights activists

Dogs destined to be slaughtered and served up in China's restaurants were saved when the truck transporting them was intercepted by animal rights activists.
The vehicle, carrying 505 canines packed into just 156 tiny cages, was stopped on Yunnan Province's highway from Fumin to Kunming after other drivers spotted its sickening cargo.
A number posted pictures and comments about the load on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, Weibo, prompting the police to stop the lorry at the next toll gate.
It was then directed to a nearby police station where animal lovers, alerted to the news over the internet, began to arrive.
Sadly, due to the terrible conditions a number had already died by the time they were discovered. One activist said: 'They were cramped together. A cage could be stuffed with seven to eight. Our hearts were broken in seeing that.'
Volunteers removed the cages from the lorry and spent the night feeding, watering and treating the animals.

Shocking: A total of 505 desperate-looking dogs were packed into just 156 tiny cages


Deaths: Due to the terrible conditions a number of the dogs had already died by the time they were discovered

Helping hand: Volunteers removed the cages from the lorry and spent the night feeding, watering and treating the animals

Cramped: Activists said seven to eight dogs were packed into each cage

Unbelievable: Horrifyingly, officers from the local Animal Inspection Department investigating the matter discovered that the transportation of the dogs was legal

Horrifyingly, officers from the local Animal Inspection Department investigating the matter discovered that the transportation of the dogs was legal.
The person who owned them did indeed have a licence and police were unable to act despite suspecting the dogs were headed for dog meat restaurants.
Another activist added: 'We can't stop them from eating dogs, as we don't have an animal welfare law. We just hope the government could stop dog mongers from doing dog business.'
However, a private dog rescue centre then stepped forward and brought all of the dogs off their owner for 60,000 Yuan (£5,900).
The animals will now be cared for until new owners can be found for them.

Sad: The person who owned them did indeed have a licence and police were unable to act despite suspecting the dogs were headed for dog meat restaurants



source: dailymail

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