ZSL Institute of Zoology reports that biodiversity in Europe is on the rise!

Conservation success stories are a rare occurrence in a time of constant unsettlement concerning species endangerment. For the Europeans, however, there is good news.

The Zoological Society of London recently conducted a study into the numbers of previously “at risk” animal populations, including European bison, the Eurasian beaver, the white-headed duck, the pink-footed and barnacle goose, the brown bear, and the grey wolf. They discovered that, since the 1960’s, these species (previously in decline from habitat loss and human pollution) are now making a comeback.

You can read the full report the ZSL website here.

Photo of Northern chamois is © ZSL’s “Wildlife Comeback in Europe” report.

Stray dog discovered on Google Street View, receives medical care and is on her way to finding a loving home.

Hope For Paws is a non-profit rescue organization in Los Angeles, California. It is run by husband-and-wife team Audrey and Eldad Hagar, who have fostered abandoned cats and dogs in their own home for years while helping them find permanent, loving homes.

I first heard of Hope For Paws via YouTube after watching a video about a rescued dog named Sonya. Curiously enough, Sonya’s situation was brought to attention via Google Street View; Good Samaritans Patrick and Jennifer Velasquez discovered Sonya while using Google Maps. They contacted Hope For Paws, having seen one of Eldad Hagar’s previous rescue videos on YouTube.

Video Still © Eldad Hagar, via Youtube.

Sonja was in poor shape; her long, filthy fur was covered in mats, and she had a distinct limp in her hind legs. A local business owner told the Hagars that Sonya had been hanging around for nearly ten years.

Using bits of cheeseburger to coax her out from under a truck, Eldad followed Sonya to a nearby parking lot. Sealing off the entrance, Eldad began the slow process of gentle persuasion; eventually, he was able to pet Sonya, leash her, and even convinced her to get into his car.

Sonya arrived at a local groomer, who shaved her poor mangled coat while Sonya gratefully downed a bowl of fresh water. A veterinary visit revealed that Sonya had several health problems, including tumors and arthritis. According to the doctor, had she remained on her own, living on the streets, Sonya would soon have been completely unable to walk.

After receiving medical treatment, the Hagars found a foster home for. She is currently being treated for her medical problems, which include physical therapy and acupuncture. She is doing well and is incredibly happy.

For more information about Hope For Paws or more heartwarming rescue videos, you can visit their website or visit Eldad’s YouTube channel here.

Homeless Good Samaritan who returns backpack full of cash rewarded!

CBS Boston reports that Glen James, a homeless man, discovered a backpack full of $2,400 in cash, $39,500 in traveler’s checks, and a passport in his local mall. Despite the incredible sum of funds that had practically landed in James’ lap, he did not keep the backpack’s contents for himself; he found the nearest Boston police officers and turned it in. Later that night, the customer who originally lost the backpack was able to retrieve it (to his immense relief).

Good Samaritans are out there, but it’s rare to hear about them in the media. What makes James’ case especially touching is that, in addition to being honored by the Boston Police Department, an online fundraising site in James’ name was set up to reward him for his actions. Considering his living and financial situation, several thousand people were touched by his honesty and have donated to the fundraiser (which, as of this morning, was over $145,000.00!).

You can read more about the fundraiser or even donate a few dollars yourself by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of gofundme.com

Chili's fixes "broken" cheeseburger, saves little girl's day.

Anna Kaye MacLean couldn’t understand why her 7-year-old sister, Arianna, wouldn’t eat her cheeseburger. Dining at Chili’s in Midvale, UT, the little girl was chowing down on her fries, but when asked about her cheeseburger – a usual favorite – Arianna replied, “It’s broken. I need another one that’s fixed.” Anna then noticed that Arianna’s cheeseburger had been cut in half by the cook – a common method of preparation when serving large or potentially messy food to young children. And therein lay the problem; Arianna had never been served a cheeseburger cut in half before. You see, Arianna is autistic.

Children with autism appreciate consistency; changes in their routine, even something as minute as a food item being served in a different manner than usual, can cause confusion, and in some cases, even feel frightening and traumatic.

Not wanting to cause a fuss, Anna asked her waitress, Lauren, if she could add an additional cheeseburger to the check, one that wasn’t cut in half, and explained Arianna’s circumstances. Anna worried Lauren might think her request silly, but to her surprise, Lauren turned to Arianna and said, “I brought you a broken cheeseburger?”. Smiling at the little girl, Lauren told her that a new burger – one that wasn’t broken – was on its way.

Even the manager came to the table, kneeling down and telling Arianna, “I’m so sorry about [the cheeseburger]. We are making you a brand new one that isn’t broken, with pickles!”

When Lauren returned and Arianna set her eyes on her new, complete cheeseburger, Arianna exclaimed “Thank you! You ‘fixded’ my cheeseburger!”

But that wasn’t the best part. As Lauren walked away, Arianna stared long and thoughtfully at her cheeseburger. Finally, she sighed, “Oh, I missed you!” and planted a kiss right on the bun.

Not many people, especially busy restaurant servers, would think twice about helping out in a situation others would find as silly and superfluous as a cut-in-half cheeseburger. But for one little girl, a simple act of kindness and compassion went a very long way.

Faith in Humanity: Utah pranksters tip Orem servers $200, just to be awesome.

Waiters and servers in the state of Utah make only $2.13 per hour.

Let that sink in.

YouTube prankster Andrew Hales of LAHWF (Losing All Hope Was Freedom) had been wanting to perform this touching act of human kindness for a while, and with Stuart Edge’s help, he managed to pull it off.



Watch as they travel around Orem, eating at diners and recording the reactions of their servers when they realize they’ve just been tipped $200 for their service. Especially touching is when one young girl (doing a very happy little dance around 1:20) rushes out of the store seconds later in tears to throw her arms around Andrew and Stuart. At 2:00, our pranksters-turned-paragons discover that one woman they tipped had been struck by a car on her bicycle only three weeks before; for her, their unexpected kindness was a blessing.

Lil Bub woos the world, opens eyes about adopting special needs animals.

Photo is © Mike Bridavsky, http://lilbub.com/#

Lil Bub is a perma-kitten who, in late 2011, captured the attention – and the hearts – of internet users all around the globe. Born in a tool shed as the runt of a feral litter, Bub had a number of genetic anomalies that could have made her survival and lifestyle extremely difficult; with a long, flexible torso, short stubby legs, and an extra toe on each paw, Bub has difficulty with her mobility. With a shortened lower jaw and no teeth, she has nothing to prevent her tongue from hanging out. When she meows, she makes a series of strange snorts and gurgles.

"How To Hold A Bub". 

Bub’s deformities meant she required a lot of special care, especially in her first few weeks. Special needs pets are often unwanted by those who see their care as a burden, even within shelters and humane societies where special needs might deem them “undesirable” and, therefore, unadoptable. But at just eight weeks old, Bub met her new owner, Mike Bridavsky, and he was immediately smitten with her.

Photo is © Mike Bridavsky, http://lilbub.com/#

The story could end quite nicely there; a sweet tale of a man who was willing to take on the challenges of caring for a special needs kitten. However, Bub’s story extends into far more exceptional territory.

Bridavsky was suffering a very rough point in his life when he adopted Bub. With no expectations, he posted a photograph of her online. Within a few days, the image appeared on the front page of Reddit – Bub had become almost an overnight sensation. With demand for her adorable squished face on products from thousands of fans, Bridavsky was able to pay his rent, as well as buy a new camera and laptop with the purpose of sharing more of Bub with the rest of the world. Further proceeds from sales went to animal-rescue charities.

In a very heartwarming way, Lil Bub and Mike Bridavsky saved each other.

But Bub’s cute face and adorable demeanor didn’t stop at photographs, tote bags and t-shirts; she managed to change the misconceptions and cynical views of owning a special needs pet. People began to look past the obstacles and hurdles of the unknown that frightened them when it came to animals with special needs, and began to see the bigger picture: how care for those pets could help someone discover depths of strength and perseverance within themselves that they never knew existed. People across the internet began discussing how everyday obstacles became less severe after hearing Bub’s story and seeing how happy she is despite her limitations.

Anne Wheaton shares uplifting pet rescue stories after unveiling her secret project.

In early September, Anne Wheaton announced the details of her Secret Project; a calendar promoting animal adoption awareness, featuring some gorgeous photos of rescued pets with their iconic nerd owners like Adam Savage, Felicia Day, Bonnie Burton, Seth Green, Claire Grant, and more. The calendar was created as a thank you for donations of $40+ towards the Pasadena Humane Society’s Wiggle Waggle Walk on September 29^th, 2013.

See Anne’s 2014 Celebrity Pet Adoption Calendar video here.

A vast number of Anne’s twitter followers were so moved by her project to support adoption that they began submitting photos and stories of their own rescued pets. Anne received so many inspiring stories that she creating the tumblr Rescue Pets Are Awesome, sharing daily photos of rescued pets along with the story of their adoption.

Rescue Pets Are Awesome is such a sweet, uplifting collection of amazing rescue stories. Gia, pictured below, was bounced around from boarding kennels and foster care for a year before being adopted from a shelter within 24 hours of being euthanized. She has now lived very happily with her forever family for several years.

Photograph is © Rescue Pets Are Awesome.

Cheyanne, pictured below, was scheduled to be euthanized for her behavior – however, she wasn’t aggressive. She was very shy and timid and had obviously been abused, but her standoffishness deemed her undesirable. After three and a half years with her new family, her demeanor has completely changed; she is calm and very loving. 

Photograph is © Rescue Pets Are Awesome.

To read and see more inspiring pet stories to brighten your day, please visit Rescue Pets Are Awesome.