The giant pig embraced in China as a miracle survivor of a massive earthquake in May has been voted the country's favorite animal.
The hog was trapped for over a month following the 7.9 magnitude quake that killed nearly 90,000 in Sichuan, survived on charcoal and rainwater for 36 days, and was then bought by a businessman who named him "Zhu Jianqiang," or "Strong Pig."
People come from all over to see the miracle pig, Reuters reported, but it was becoming increasingly spoiled, fed up with visitors even as it chows down.
"It's gotten fatter and lazier by the day," the China Daily quoted staff as saying. "We used to take it out for a walk every morning and afternoon, but it's too lazy — and too fat — to do it."
Source:
FoxNews
A 37-year-old man jumped into the Berlin zoo enclosure of famed polar bear Knut on Monday, scaling over a fence and dropping into a water-filled ditch at the edge of the bear's enclosure, police said.
Zookeepers, who had just let Knut into his outdoor enclosure, were able to lure the bear back into his cage with a leg of beef.
Police said the man was less cooperative, initially ignoring instructions to leave the enclosure. He was led away unharmed, and before he was let go, he told police that
he felt lonely and that the bear had appeared lonely, too.Source:
TampaBay.com
Veterinarians in Boston performed an unusual surgery to reattach the face of a cat they believe was injured by a car's fan belt, probably because she tried to stay warm under the hood.
Edgar, a 4-year-old long-haired feline, went missing from her home in Winthrop for three days. When she finally came home, her owner found her in her litter box — with part of her face dangling from her head.
Remarkably, Edgar suffered no major blood loss nor any permanent nerve damage from her accident. She just needed to have her facial skin stitched back on during an hour-long surgery
Source:
AP
Martha Stewart had a New Years party for her cats.
Not being a viewer of Martha Stewart's show, I didn't even know that she had cats.
I guess she does. And don't they look thrilled?
More photos of Martha's cats celebrating.
from Flickr, by
Olaf
Fox Lake, Illinois, American Legion Post has a new member with four legs, a bite of about 1,200 pounds of pressure per square inch and a willingness to eat meat on a floor.
Dexter became the first military working dog to receive a membership card for American Legion Post 703 at a ceremony Wednesday. Post 703 Cmdr. Jerry Kandziorski said national Legion officials indicated it may well have been a first in the United States.
"He was a tried and true veteran," Kandziorski said. "He took his time in service and performed his duty. We think he deserves the recognition that should come to anybody."
Dexter is a Navy veteran who served in Iraq with his handler, Petty Officer 1st Class Kathleen Ellison. One of the 10-year-old German shepherd's heroic actions occurred in July 2004, when he detected explosives on the gas tank of a garbage truck that would have targeted a mess hall for U.S. troops at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.
About 75 guests watched Dexter's membership ceremony at the Fox Lake American Legion hall, which was complete with an honor guard and invocation by Post 703 chaplain Bill Gordon.
Source:
Daily Herald
Even Google thinks animals are the best!
We wish all our readers a new year of peace, comfort and joy.
