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The Veterinarian's Oath includes a commitment to the protection of animal health and welfare as well as the prevention and relief of animal suffering.  Animals deserve humane treatment during every stage of their lives – including during the induction of … read more >

Animal advocate and actress Denise Richards shared a sweet farewell to her beloved Boston Terrier Nana on Instagram Tuesday. “Our beloved Nana passed away over the weekend. Thank u @bostonbuddies for bringing this beautiful girl into our life. We love her so much & miss her terribly. #NanaBanana #sherescuedus,” she wrote with a black and white photo of herself cuddling with Nana. Richards has joked she has “too many dogs to count.” Recently, she shared a photo of her garage, which she and her father had transformed a few years ago into a beautiful space for her fosters and rescues. Condolences for her loss poured in from the actress's fans. - Read it at Us Weekly

A Japanese spa is offering a relaxation add-on for cat lovers - back massages by a furry feline. Cats are on staff and can take over during massages at the customer's request. While you can't control the pressure of the “making biscuits” kneading motion cats are known for, if you're a cat owner, you already know it feels pretty good. - Read it at People Pets

You wouldn't think a surveillance video showing a 9-year-old boy sneaking into his neighbor's garage would end up in a sweet story, but this one did. When Louisiana homeowner Hollie Mallet scrolled through her footage, she spotted an adorable scene showing the boy riding his bike into her driveway, hopping off and running into her garage - to hug her black Labrador Retriever. She posted the video on Facebook in hopes of identifying her dog's new friend. It wasn't long before the video reached the boy's mom, Ginger Breaux. It turns out that the family's dog passed away last year, and Josh misses having a pup to love. “Josh talks about your dog all the time!” Breaux wrote to Mallet on Facebook. “Every time we pass he looks to see if she was sitting where he could see her... Last night when I first saw [the video], I was torn as a momma being happy and upset because he knows he shouldn't be on someone's property, but I wake up this morning more happy that he just absolutely adores dogs so much.” Luckily, Mallet said Josh is welcome to come play with Dutchess any time, and he's taken her up on her offer. - Read it at ABC News

 

A bronze sculpture representing the 100-year history of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps was unveiled last week at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. The life-size monument has four scenes, including a World War I Veterinary Corps officer with a horse; a Vietnam era officer with a microscope to signify the corps' contributions to medical research; a Cold War era officer inspecting rations; and a modern era veterinary officer treating a military working dog. “I put all of my heart and all of my soul into every one of my commissions. And this one has it all, plus a little bit more," said Donna Dobberfuhl, the San Antonio artist commissioned to create the monument. - Read it from the Army

June 10, 2016: We've scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it's all right here.

Image: Lucky the London Tube cat

Cat Survives in Tube Tunnels

Lucy Duff was afraid she'd never see her cat again after the feline escaped from her carrier at a London Tube station on Sunday night. The TfL, which maintains the subway system, agreed to send out a late-night search team and brought Duff along as the cat would recognize her voice. They had no luck, but they didn't give up. “We're pleased to report that Lucky that cat was found safe and well in the early hours of Thursday morning by one of our track patrolmen,” a spokesman told the U.K.'s Evening Standard. “Lucky appears to be 'feline' fine.” The cat, who lived up to her name, was found chasing a mouse in the tunnels. She was weak, dehydrated and dirty but otherwise fine, and was taken to the RSPCA before she was reunited with her owner. “Exhausted but home. Miracles really do happen,” Duff posted on Facebook Thursday. - Read it at the U.K.'s Telegraph

Study: Caribbean Sperm Whales Have Distinct Culture

Researchers have found that sperm whale social groups in the Caribbean each have their own dialect, or clicking pattern, and that the whales socialize exclusively with other sperm whales with the same accent. “They feed, they care for their families, they make really, really deep dives. But the way that they do all these things is different based on their culture,” said Shane Gero of the Dominica Sperm Whale Project. “The main way we identify these different cultures is their dialects.” The study was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. - Read it at National Geographic

Seagull Falls Into Curry Vat and Turns Orange

A seagull was scavenging for food scraps at a food factory in the U.K. when he fell into a waste container full of chicken tikka masala this week - and turned a brilliant, greasy orange. Workers at the factory rescued the bird and took him to Vale Wildlife Hospital, where his feathers were cleaned with dish soap. He returned to his white and gray colors - but a veterinary nurse at the hospital said he still smelled like takeout. “We've cleaned him up and he is doing well, with no upset tummy! Hopefully he'll stick to a much more bland diet in the future!!” said Lucy Kells. The seagull was nicknamed Gullfrazie, and he's believed to be about 2 years old. He'll be rehabilitated before he's returned to the wild. - See photos at Yahoo News

Image: Lowes Canada service dog

Lowe's Hires Man and Service Dog

Owen Lima cried tears of joy when a Lowe's store manager in Canada told him he was hiring him - with his service dog. “It's so hard to find a job where people can accept me for the way I am and the fact that I have a service dog with me,” Lima recalled telling the manager. Lima suffers from a brain injury that can make it hard for him to understand what someone is saying. His service dog, Blue, helps Lima stay calm and avoid anxiety attacks when he gets frustrated. The manager, Paul Gallo, thought the pair would be perfect as customer service associates, who greet customers and manage shopping carts. They'll each sport a red Lowe's vest while on the job. News of the new hires shared on Facebook quickly went viral. "[Blue] being in the store has made my job easier to do," Lima said of his 10-year-old dog. - Read it at CBS News

Skinny Vinnie Gets a Forever Home

We have happy news about Skinny Vinnie, the formerly obese Dachshund who's dropped more than half his weight in less than a year. The foster who's helped him through his weight loss every step of the way has decided to adopt him! Melissa Anderson has been by Vinnie's side while he stuck to a healthier diet, went swimming several times a week and walked for about an hour a day. She believes the dog, who was 38 pounds at his heaviest, gained his excess weight from eating table food with his previous owners. He's now down to a healthy 15 pounds. “I can't imagine letting him go. He's always looking to see where I am and when I leave and come home, he's the happiest dog in the house that I'm home,” Anderson says. Vinnie joins three other Dachshunds in the Anderson family. - Read it at People Pets

June 9, 2016: We've scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it's all right here.

Image: Koala joey Louise

Tiny Koala Found Abandoned

The morning after a severe coastal storm in New South Wales, Australia, resident Louise Haynes was headed to work Monday when she heard a commotion under her eucalyptus tree. As she got closer, she realized it was a tiny, critically endangered Hawks Nest koala joey that had apparently fallen from the tree in the storm. She called the Hunter Koala Preservation Society Care and Rescue, and Ian Morphett arrived to help. They spotted Princess, a tagged koala, in the tree and believed she was the baby's mother. They placed the squawking baby at the base of the tree in the hopes that Princess would come for her but she didn't show interest. Concerned for the joey's safety, Morphett brought the baby - named Louise for her rescuer - to an expert caretaker. She's being kept warm and bottle-fed, and a photo of her snuggling with a teddy bear has gone viral. “She will be hand raised and assisted to develop into an independent koala, just as mum would, before being released,” HKPS said in a Facebook comment. “Her carer is very dedicated with a great deal of experience and will do her best to get Louise home to the wild again.” - Read it at Australia's ABC Online

Officer Rescues Kitten From Bridge

A scared little kitten now has a safe place in a new home after bring rescued from the Causeway Bridge in Louisiana. Causeway Police Officer Shenan Jones was relieved that the kitten was still there when he responded to calls that it was on the bridge Tuesday afternoon. “It was kind of pressing itself up against the rail as far as it could, crouched down as much as it could. You could tell it was terrified,” said Jones. “So I just got down on its level, snuck up to it, grabbed it and then it latched on to me and didn't want to let go.” The police believe the kitten either walked onto the bridge or fell from a hiding place under a car. Now the kitten, named Miracle, has been adopted by a neighbor of one of the Causeway's dispatchers. - Read it at Louisiana's WWLTV

Manatee Snacks on Grass in Flooded Backyard

Tropical Storm Colin dropped so much rain in Florida backyards that at least a couple of manatees have moved right in. St. Petersburg resident Nancy Smith captured video of one of the sea cows munching on grass in the flooded area. The heavy rains caused the tide to rise above a seawall, which led to the manatees swimming inland. “Everyone loves manatees,” Smith said. “They are my gentle giants.” - Watch it at Tampa's Fox 13

Image: Chiquito reunited with family

Police Find Dog Missing 4 Years

When two concerned citizens spotted a small stray dog wandering on the South Side of Chicago on Tuesday night, they stopped two police officers on patrol to get the pooch help. They brought the little Chihuahua to a local shelter, where they discovered he did have a microchip - and they were soon able to track down Chiquito's owners. He was reunited with his grateful family, who said he'd been missing for four years. - Read it at the Chicago Tribune

Boy Sneaks Into Neighbor's Garage to Hug Dog

You wouldn't think a surveillance video showing a 9-year-old boy sneaking into his neighbor's garage would end up in a sweet story, but this one did. When Louisiana homeowner Hollie Mallet scrolled through her footage, she spotted an adorable scene showing the boy riding his bike into her driveway, hopping off and running into her garage - to hug her black Labrador Retriever. She posted the video on Facebook in hopes of identifying her dog's new friend. It wasn't long before the video reached the boy's mom, Ginger Breaux. It turns out that the family's dog passed away last year, and Josh misses having a pup to love. “Josh talks about your dog all the time!” Breaux wrote to Mallet on Facebook. “Every time we pass he looks to see if she was sitting where he could see her... Last night when I first saw [the video], I was torn as a momma being happy and upset because he knows he shouldn't be on someone's property, but I wake up this morning more happy that he just absolutely adores dogs so much.” Luckily, Mallet said Josh is welcome to come play with Dutchess any time, and he's taken her up on her offer. - Watch it at ABC News