We have a doggie tale that many in our community have said is worth sharing. Recently, we lost Leo, our five-pound Chihuahua, for three nights and four days in what was some of the worst winter weather Seattle has seen in some time. An army of friends and complete strangers came together to search for our little guy, but ultimately, it was dogs who found our Leo.
We were walking in Lincoln Park (a 135-acre park in West Seattle) on Thursday, February 11. When Leo lunged at another dog, the handle of his retractable lead popped out of my hand and sprung toward Leo, scaring him and basically “chasing” him. He bolted into the woods and we lost him. We searched from 2:45 p.m. until 9:30 that night. The next day, we started at 5 a.m. and searched through the day until 7:30 p.m., when the snow started to come down heavily.
Man’s best friend might actually belong to a woman.
In a cross-cultural analysis, Washington State University researchers found several factors may have played a role in building the mutually beneficial relationship between humans and dogs, including temperature, hunting and surprisingly—gender.
Skipper acts just like your average puppy, but the newborn canine doesn’t look the way you’d expect. That’s because the 11-ounce Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix has six legs! Not only that, but she also has two tails and some duplicate organs. Most puppies in these situations don’t survive, but Skipper isn’t one to follow the crowd.
Thanks to the help of supportive veterinarians, Skipper is thriving despite her conditions. All her legs seem to be functioning properly, and vets are confident she will live a happy life just like all her brothers and sisters. She’s one of a kind, and she refuses to let that hold her back.
Tiny Skipper was born at Neel Veterinary Hospital in Oklahoma City. While Skipper’s siblings had a normal birth, Skipper’s first day in this world was anything but ordinary. Everything from her waist down seemed duplicated. She was born with six legs, two tails, two pelvic regions, two lower urinary tracts, and two reproductive systems. According to reports, no puppy has ever survived a situation like this.
“I don’t think I’m probably gonna see another puppy in my lifetime like this,” said Dr. Everett, a veterinarian at Neel Veterinary Hospital. “I would say she’s probably one of a kind.”
The hospital stated that Skipper’s extra body parts are due to several congenital conjoining disorders, including monocephalus dipygus and monocephalus rachipagus dibrachius tetrapus. However, she is still able to function properly despite it all.
“What we think happened with her is that sometime during development, when the body normally starts patterning itself … she started trying to split, almost like trying to form a twin, and it just didn’t complete itself,” Everett added.
A Bright Future
Skipper already has a family to love her, and she’s living a normal puppy life as much as she can. After her birth, vets discovered she has mobility in her legs and can relieve herself with no complications. She’s also healthy and shows no signs of pain or discomfort.
At 10 days old, Skipper returned to the vet for further examination. She gained about two ounces and is doing well at home. She will likely go through physical therapy or need assistance walking as she ages, but she has a bright future ahead of her. Vets even showed Skipper’s mom how to help the pup with range-of-motion exercises to further strengthen her legs.
Sadly, the vets have received lots of negative comments, saying they should put Skipper out of her misery. But Skipper seems happy, pain-free, and full of life, so she deserves a chance at happiness. She will continue to live her best life at her home, and keep having regular check-ups at the vet. Vet check-ups will keep her healthy and help professionals learn a little more about her unique conditions.
Thank you to all the kind animal lovers who believed in Skipper!
If you have the privilege of sharing your home with a furry friend, you know they bring endless joy into your life. Whether it’s their hilarious antics or overwhelming cuteness, our fur babies are a source of continuous sunshine. A life with a pet is never boring. We’ll prove it with the collection of hilarious tweets below!
1. That doesn’t look like a face of regret to me!
2. Keep your Q-tips close when you’re around her!
3. I don’t like dieting either dude, I get it.
4. Not even our dogs are safe from grandma’s love!
5. Your secret is safe with us!
6. Hey, he’s just chillin’ in his Calvin’s!
7. He’s just trying to add his own special touch!
8. “And that’s when I knew I couldn’t take it any longer…”
9. Steve was just making sure the opossum’s dinner was up to par.
10. You are among pet-spoiling friends in this space, don’t worry!
11. Being spoiled by grandma is tiring!
12. Now this is cuteness overload!
13. You can’t convince me that the first picture is not Snoop Dog…
14. Is this not the same photo?
15. “Today we will be discussing the benefits of running around your house at full speed at 3AM.”
16. When she meows, it means the water is ready.
17. “Having a family is even better than I could have imagined!”
18. Maybe he’s just an art critic!
19. All I see are two adorable floofs.
20. This pup has mastered the art of working smarter, not harder!
These tweets prove that our animals are an endless supply of happiness, humor, and more. If you have a hilarious pet photo that you love, share it with us in the comments!
It’s been a rough week for Lady Gaga, but finally, she received some great news! Last week, her dog walker was shot while walking her three French Bulldogs. The suspects stole Koji and Gustav while the third pup named Miss Asia got away and was found safely. For several days, there was no sign of the lost pups, leaving Gaga devastated. But after turning to Instagram for support, the singer finally saw hope.
Lady Gaga’s pups have now returned home safely! There is a lot that is still unknown about the violent robbery, but the health and well-being of the dogs is certainly the most important aspect.
Two days after the event, Gaga turned to Instagram to confirm the situation. It’s clear that she was heartbroken, and as stated before, she was offering a $500,000 reward.
“My beloved dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood two nights ago. My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness,” Gaga wrote.
She also went on to thank her friend and dogwalker, Ryan Fischer. He risked his life to save the beloved dogs, so he’s now a hero to many. Thankfully, his injuries weren’t life-threatening. He’s stable at the hospital and expected to make a full recovery soon.
Since Gaga posted about it, she got the good news she’d been waiting for. Koji and Gustav were found!
A Happy Ending
Not long after Lady Gaga’s post, an unnamed woman turned the dogs in to the police station. Officials believe she was a Good Samaritan and had nothing to do with the attack. However, they’re not disclosing her name or the dogs’ location at this time for her safety. The French Bulldogs have now been handed over to Gaga’s family since the singer is currently filming a movie in Rome.
“The dogs are happy,” said Joe Germanotta, Gaga’s father. “We had them checked out by the vet and everything is fine. The family is extremely happy.”
It’s still unclear who committed this crime and why they did it, but police are hard at work to find some answers. The suspects were described as two men between the ages of 20 and 25. While it’s incredible that the dogs are safe and sound, the people responsible also need to be punished. We need to ensure that no one else has to go through a horrific event like this.
WARNING: The below security footage might be sensitive to some viewers
