It’s easy to get wrapped up in our own problems—to get frustrated at all the little things that seemingly go wrong in our lives. But what about the animal kingdom? They too have problems, despite the seemingly simplistic routine of their animal lives. Unfortunately, their problems usually run a little higher on the serious scale—like escaping predators, finding food, or surviving unbearably hot and cold temperatures without the hope of encountering either an air conditioner or a heater. Sometimes things get a little more complicated when nature, or mankind, pitches them a curve ball—this is when they need a little help from humans. From getting caught in a drainpipe to nearly drowning in a flood, our animal friends get themselves in all sorts of trouble. In a world where there is an incredible amount of cruelty and hard-heartedness, it can be uplifting when people actually step up and do the right thing, especially for an animal. Here are some of the stories that made us see the light, let this article inspire you.
14 Donkey is saved from flood waters
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On December 6th in Killorglin, Ireland a little donkey was saved from flood waters. The stranded donkey's paddock was torn down by a storm forcing him out to a field which quickly became flodded, leaving the little guy stranded. The owner called Ireland's Animal Heaven Animal Rescue for help and Mike Fleming a member of the rescue came to save the day. Using a rubber ring they were able to get the animal to safety. Now named after his rescuer, donkey Mike is happy and safe living in his new warm paddock. The best part of the story is the smile on the donkey's face after being rescued.
[caption id="attachment_20089" align="alignnone" width="625"] via:news.nationalpost.com[/caption]
13 The people who took the time to herd kangaroos to safety
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In 2010, floods hit the east coast of Australia, near the Wellington area. Locals in kayaks and rowboats hit the water to rescue stranded kangaroos (who aren’t known for their excellent swimming ability). From using ropes to pull the creatures in to loading the national emblems into rowboats, locals like Rodney Dowton were able to ferry boatloads of kangaroos through Lake Burrendong to safety.
12 This police officer stopped traffic
In Wisconsin, this officer stopped traffic when he spotted a mother duck and her wee ones trying to make it across the street. Concerned that they would be pummelled by the oncoming traffic, the officer got out of his car to halt traffic until the duck family could make it to the other side of the road. While impatient drivers might have been cursing him, it’s nice to know that some people still have a heart.
11 This Norwegian rescued a duck
[caption id="attachment_20020" align="alignnone" width="644"] via:http://metro.co.uk/[/caption]
Jumping into freezing water? No big deal. Lars Jorun Langoien spotted a duck frozen upside down in a lake near Olso, Norway, and decided to take a swim to save the little guy. The duck was fishing for food, and couldn’t pull himself back out of the hole, and was quickly running out of air. Fortunately for the duck, Lars is a fan of frigid swims, so it really was no big deal for the Norwegian to dive into the icy water (apparently, he was already wearing swim shorts).
10 Australian fire crews that gave CPR to a koala
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After being hit by a car, a koala in Langwarrin, Australia climbed into a nearby tree for safety. Local fire crews tried to get the koala down from the tree, but were unsuccessful. The koala took a considerable tumble, landing in a blanket that the firefighters were holding. Seeing that the wee creature was unconscious, one of the firefighters proceeded to give the koala CPR, bringing the creature back to life. Aw.
9 Russian fishermen save dog from freezing to death
[caption id="attachment_20023" align="alignnone" width="480"] via:www.youtube.com[/caption]
Not sure how this crazy dog managed to get himself stranded on the ice in the Okhotsk Sea in Magadan, Russia, but luckily for him, some local fishermen spotted the black dog. With one of the crewmen swimming out to him (in FRIGID water), another was able to pull the two of them back onto the boat.
8 Police officers making time for those in need
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In 2014, a concerned bystander who had come across a mother duckling wailing beside a storm drain flagged down Tennessee police officer Lt. Todd Halford. Pulling open the storm drain cover with the help of a firefighter, the officer spotted nine ducklings struggling below, obviously trapped and looking for their mother. Pulling them out one by one, Halford was able to reunite the tiny family. In 2015, police officers in South Carolina also pulled six ducklings out of a storm drain and returned them to their mother—relocating them to a nearby pond to keep them out of trouble. Ducks, right?
7 These bystanders took over for rescue crews
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After Kansas City rescue crews tried to save a young fawn stranded in flooded waters, local bystanders jumped in to help. The rescue crews could not get the fawn to move towards them—instead, they had only succeeded in pushing the young creature further into the rushing water. When the water did not recede, several Kansas City residents jumped into the water to form a chain. The fawn, realizing the danger, finally began to move towards them, allowing the group to host its tiny body above the concrete wall that had been preventing him from escaping. He was then transported to Lakeside Nature Center to recover.
6 Two guys save a fox from biting the dust
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Canadian Colin Graham had noticed a fox family hanging around his Saskatchewan farm over the summer. When heavy rains hit, much of his farm was underwater, and his sister was curious about what had happened to the foxes living out there. So Graham and a friend, Job Olsen, took a drive up to the fields, where they noticed a baby fox stranded out on a rock in the middle of the flood. Jumping into the swelling water, Graham and Olsen were able to bring the fox to dry land and warm him up. Apparently, the little guy still hangs out on the Graham farm with his family.
5 Diving buddies save a sea turtle
[caption id="attachment_20028" align="alignnone" width="1280"] via:vimeo.com[/caption]
Cameron Dietrich and Colin Sutton were out fishing for tuna on the coast of Mexico in 2014 when they came across a sea turtle caught in a discarded fishing line. Diving into the water, Dietrich was able to free the turtle (many of which are on the endangered species list), who then swam away, only to return to the diver moments later to linger for a few minutes before moving on.
4 Man crawls across thin ice to rescue dog
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Seriously—dogs have got to stop getting themselves stranded in frozen water. In 2014, Ove Karlsen’s dog decided to chase some ducks onto a frozen lake in Norway, where he then proceeded to fall through the thin ice. His owner, obviously distraught, slid across the paper-thin ice (intelligently wrapping a rope around his waist) to pull his Bernese mountain dog to safety. Luckily, all ended well.
3 This guy risks his life to save a dog
[caption id="attachment_20030" align="alignnone" width="634"] via:www.wowamazing.com[/caption]
Get this—the rescuer, Ivan, had stopped to help a stranded motorist when he noticed a commotion in the water. Without a shirt, he smashed through the ice to get to the dog, who he then dragged to shore. Rumour has it that he adopted the pup, which confirms that Ivan might be the nicest guy out there.
2 A boy puts it all on the line to save Bambi
[caption id="attachment_20031" align="aligncenter" width="750"] via:www.dailystar.co.uk[/caption]
In 2014, a boy by the name of Belal in Noakhali, Bangladesh risked his life to save a fawn from drowning in a flooding river. At one point, the boy went underwater, holding the tiny deer above his head while he struggled to make it to the other side of the river. The entire rescue was captured on film by wildlife photographer, Hasibul Wahab.
1 This Biologist rescued a wild bear
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In 2008, Florida-based biologist Adam Warwick saved the life of a wild bear. Terrified after being sedated by local animal control, the poor bear ran towards the nearby Gulf of Mexico, nearly drowning. Warwick, who is a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, jumped in after the bear to keep him from drowning, keeping a hand under his belly and at the scruff of his neck to keep his head afloat. Once ashore, rescuers were able to relocate the 375-pound bear to safety.
Sources: business2community.com, huffingtonpost.com, cbsnews.com, dailymail.co.uk
