vegansaurus!

More adventures with baby squirrels!  »

Remember the adorable video of the baby squirrel being rescued? Well, I’ve got another story for you! Reader Michelle A. sent me some photos of a baby squirrel she rescued a few years ago. Look at him eating that banana chip! Jesus Christmas!

Here’s the story from Michelle:

I saved a baby squirrel a couple years ago and he was the sweetest little guy I’ve ever encountered! I think squirrels might have the best damned personalities in the animal kingdom! I found him starving in the entryway to my then-boyfriend’s frat house near UCLA. He was shuddering and terrified, and desperate enough to come inside a house. We found his mom and sibling dead outside in the yard (we think they ate poison somewhere). I nursed him for a week before I took him to a squirrel sanctuary where they rehabilitated him and released him back into the wild. Part of me still wishes I had adopted him. Anyway, here are some pics of the little guy. We dubbed him Commodore Nibbles, because he liked to nibble on my fingers. He was also vastly inappropriate and liked to sleep on my crotch or in my sweater pockets. Best. Companion. Ever.

First of all, ew, frat house! Second, aww, inappropriate squirrel! Commodore Nibbles? Hilarious. I’m glad Michelle didn’t keep Nibbles forever because I don’t think squirrels are supposed to be house pets but how fun is that to play Squirrel Nightingale for a week? (Hint: so fun!) There is a serious issue here though: POISON is NOT SO GREAT! There are other ways to deal with “pests” that don’t endanger other animals and kids. Is rat poison even legal? It shouldn’t be. Earlier this year, seven kids in SF had to go to the hospital after eating rat poison at their school—WTF? We should ban that shiz, for real.

If you have any rescue stories to share, email me! I’ll make you internet famous! It’s like being regular famous except totally useless.

Adorable calf rescued! Now what?  »

In fluffy, warm-your-heart news, we have a crazy helicopter rescue of a calf stranded on a frozen pond!

Here’s what I want to know: what does the future hold for our dear rescued calf? Everyone is all, “OMG they saved the baby cow! Awesome! Let’s get burgers.” I mean, is she going to be a dairy cow? Is he destined for the dinner table? Is this some fantasy farm that’s not a sanctuary but just keeps cute cows around for fun? I tried to find the farm online to see what kind of farm it is. No dice.

God speed, little calf.

LA Times book review: Oogy!  »

In the Los Angeles Times yesterday I came across a review of this adorable book, Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love. The book is about a bait dog found outside Philly that was adopted by a loving family. Oogy the dog was found almost dead, with all kinds of injuries and without an ear. The animal hospital that found him was seriously considering putting him to sleep but this beat-up dog was so sweet, they couldn’t. They say, despite his injuries and the horrible way he’d been treated, he was giving out licks to everyone and wagging his tail all over the place. Jeez Louise, are dogs not THE BEST?

And guess what: Oogy is going to be a therapy dog!

Oogy’s triumph — not so much the lap-of-luxury life that he now enjoys, but his ability to overcome cruelty — has led Levin to begin training Oogy to become a therapy dog, particularly for those who are wounded and disfigured. “I believe that Oogy will be able to help those in need to understand that scarring, disfigurement, and trauma, whether physical or emotional, do not have to define who they are…. That no matter what has been inflicted upon them, love and dignity are attainable,” Levin writes.

The reviewer seems to only half like the book. She says it needs more doggie antics, and that “Oogy has loads of personality and charm to spare,” which they could feature a little more. I definitely like antics! But the book sounds really sweet anyway—not that I’m going to read it. Well, I’ll consider reading it but in the end, I probably won’t. See, I’m allergic to reading. It’s a terrible affliction but I’ve learned to deal. You guys, however, can totally read it and tell me what happens!