Texas: Giant alligator nearly run over by a semi-truck is rescued and relocated

CLEVELAND, TEXAS -- A giant alligator nearly the length of a small family car was captured in Cleveland, Texas, early Monday morning as it attempted to cross Highway 59, near a Whataburger restaurant.

The gator, which measured in at 11 feet, 6 inches, was first spotted and reported to the local authorities after it was clipped by an 18-wheeler as it tried to cross the highway, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Chance Ward reported the incident to authorities and said the unusual reptilian traffic hazard was only something you'd see in Texas.

"The Gator measured 11' 6" and will be relocated alive to a safe place out of harm's way," Ward wrote in a Facebook post. "We safely placed the Gator on the flat bed of my truck and strapped him for the ride. Only in Texas will you get a Gator and Whataburger in the same picture."

Speaking to the Chronicle, Ward said he thought that the alligator would've moved by the time he had gotten to the scene, but it was still impeding traffic, causing the road to be blocked and "would rise up and hiss at them anytime someone would get close."

For comparison purposes, the average length of a small family car is between 169 inches (14-feet, 1 inch) and 185 inches (15-feet, 5 inches), depending on the model.

As firefighters shut southbound traffic on the highway, Ward eventually grabbed rope from his truck, lassoed the gator and then handed it to over animal control. It took six men to wrestle the gator onto Ward's pickup truck.

Nicknamed George by Ward, the alligator was relocated Monday morning and Ward praised a job well done by local law enforcement.

"Sergeant Edwards was very helpful with helping me untie the Gator in my stock trailer until relocation in the morning," Ward wrote in the Facebook post. "If you get a chance, thank our local law enforcement and firemen as they not only pull the criminals off the streets, they help keep the wildlife and livestock safe."

*   *   *   *   *   *

Just after noon Monday, Ward was filming George again, this time as he opened the stock trailer and released the gator into a pond in Liberty County, under the guidance of the local game warden.

It took about 20 minutes to get the gator to calm down, tie him on both sides and load him onto the truck Monday morning, but the pond was apparently a welcome sight. George slid out relatively willingly and immediately went for a dip in his new home.

"This is not something we see every day in Cleveland," said Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Brousard. "I think with the recent floods and Harvey, some of these animals are on the move. I encourage anyone who has water around their place, whether it's a creek, river or stream, to be vigilant. Watch your step, especially at dark."

(Charlotte Observer - May 2, 2018)

Missouri: Stuck 8 days in a Taney County pipe, Jack the Labrador catches a break

MISSOURI -- No one's sure why Jack crawled into a Taney County culvert.

But the hefty pooch somehow got himself stuck about eight feet into the 15-foot underground pipe — and may have been there for as many as eight days before his owners found him.

With no way to get Jack out, his owners called for help.

The cavalry — a Central Taney County Fire Rescue crew — was quick to arrive Wednesday afternoon.

Volunteer firefighter Jeff Romines photographed Jack's ordeal, which involved one fire truck, one service truck, a backhoe and six human rescuers.

Romines, the department's training officer, said Jack's owners said the dog had been missing for more than a week.

When the owner went to check the mail, he heard whimpering and called for help.

"Jack's a pretty good-sized Labrador, and he's a little chubby," Romines said. "One end of the culvert was blocked, so when he tried to turn around, he got stuck."

Romines said the dog's hind legs had fallen asleep, exacerbating the problem.

Jack was lucky in another way, too. Taney County had some significant rain while Jack was in the pipe.

"He's lucky the ditch didn't fill up while he was in there," he said.

According to the fire department, Jack was lodged so far into the pipe that firefighters had to dig out part of the homeowner's driveway to access the pipe.

Then they used a special saw to cut through the metal culvert, made a bigger hole with the Jaws of Life, and pulled the weakened pup to safety.

Jack was so weak that rescuers had to help him out of the hole.

After some water and a brief rest, Jack was taken home to rest on his favorite bed. Firefighters said it appears Jack will be fine.

Assisting with Jack's rescue were Taney County Animal Control and Taney County Road & Bridge, which responded with a backhoe.

(Springfield News-Leader - May 2, 2018)

New Hampshire: Firefighters rescue cat frozen in ice on pond

NEWTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE -- Firefighters have come to the aid of a cat that was frozen in the ice on a New Hampshire pond.

Sean Kane, a firefighter and EMT in Newton, New Hampshire, tells The Boston Globe the cat's two back paws and tail were frozen in the ice Thursday morning. It also had a chunk of ice on its back. Wind chills were in the single digits.

Firefighters think the brown and gray long-haired cat lay down and ended up freezing into the pond. They poured warm water on the cat, wrapped it in towels and used a heating pad.

There was no ID on the cat, and firefighters posted a photo on Facebook.

The animal now is being cared for by the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

(WJTV - Jan 25, 2018)

Kentucky: Sheriff responds personally to rescue kitten frozen to dock

KENTUCKY -- A Mercer County couple say they're grateful the sheriff helped them rescue a stray kitten that was frozen to their boat dock.

Roy and Lori Jasper said they noticed,  on their security cameras before they went to bed, the kitten walking around.

They said they debated what they could do to help it, but as cold as it was - and being 75 years old - they said they did not think they could safely get down the hill to the dock to catch it.

Eleven hours later, the kitten showed up again on their security camera, but they were sure he was now stuck to the metal steps of the boat dock.

"He had fell in the water and came up on the little piece of rock, just left of the steps and froze right there," said Roy Jasper.

Knowing the situation was now dire, they called the Mercer County Sheriff's Office for help.

They were surprised and grateful when Mercer County Sheriff Ernie Kelty himself responded to the call to save the little kitten.

 

 

"I poured the water on his front feet, and in a few seconds, they did come loose," said Mercer County Sheriff Ernie Kelty. The sheriff continued to cut free the kitten's fur that was also frozen.

"I'd say he was down there about 15 minutes breaking it loose," Roy Jasper said, "because its stomach was froze, paws was froze, everything."

"And then he put him under his shirt, and walked up here and gave him to me. Of course, Laurie took him in and wiped him down with towels. He was solid wet," said Roy Jasper.

Sheriff Kelty said that at first, the kitten had a bit of an attitude.

 "But I probably would have too. It seemed like, that he realized I was there to help," he said.

"I think it's just wonderful that [the Sheriff] dropped everything he did, to come down here and get one little old kitten," said Roy Jasper.

 

The stray kitten that was once stranded in the cold now has a new home with the Jasper family - and a heroic new name.

"We're naming him after the Sheriff. We're naming him Ernie," said Roy.

(Lex18 - Jan 3, 2018)

Massachusetts: Cambridge firefighters rescue dog from Charles River

MASSACHUSETTS -- Cambridge firefighters rescued a dog that had fallen through the ice on the Charles River late Saturday afternoon, the department said on Twitter.

The dog fell into the frigid waters near the Eliot Bridge around 3:50 p.m., the department said.

 

 

The sandy-colored dog’s head was above water, as firefighter Sean Williams slid toward it on a rescue board, photos posted on Twitter show.

The firefighter and dog were pulled to shore by a rescue crew. One person shouted, “Come on! Good girl,” and other words of encouragement, according to a video posted on the department’s Facebook page.

Safely ashore, Williams and the dog were greeted with applause.

(Boston Globe - January 21, 2018)

Canada: Sicky Turkey Vulture rescued after being found frozen in a snowbank

CANADA -- HobbitsteeWR @hobbitsteeWR posted on Twitter January 5, 2018

#turkeyvulture found frozen in a snow bank and brought out by @BrantSPCA. He is emaciated, dehydrated and has frostbite on his legs, feet and chest.

Currently warming up and standing in #Rcom incubator receiving warmed IO fluids. #wildliferehab #frostbite #vultures

Michigan: Dog rescued after being found frozen to the ground

MICHIGAN -- An injured dog spent the night out in the bitter cold, but he's been given a second chance after an animal rescue group found him.

The dog has been through a lot. They believe he was hit by a car, then frozen to the ground, yet somehow he survived.

They are trying to find out where he belongs.

"This is not a stray dog. This is somebody's loved pet," said Bill Heatley, founder of Streethearts Animal Rescue.

"He has a fractured femur. His leg bone is broken very high up, and I can't fix it. He would need anesthesia to have more X-rays done to completely determine whether anything else is broken," said Dr. Lawrence Ehrman with Veterinary Medical Hospital.

His ordeal began on New Year's Eve, when a witness says he was hit by a car in a Flint neighborhood.

"She heard the impact, looked out, heard the dog cry, looked out, ran to her backyard. As soon as he entered her backyard, he went and laid down at the back of the yard and didn't move for over 24 hours," Heatley said.

She called 911. The dispatcher called Heatley, who found the dog badly injured but still alive.

"When I got to the point where I meant to move him, I had wrapped him. And I went to lift the blanket and it wouldn't move," Heatley said. "I actually had to peel him off the ice."

Once he was safely removed from the ice, the dog was rushed to a veterinary hospital.

"The first consideration with this dog was organ damage or failure, and thankfully the veterinarians both say because of his very thick heavy coat, that probably saved him," Heatley said.

"We've just been taking care of him, giving him pain medication, let him relax making sure he eats and awaiting decisions on what goes on from here," Ehrman said.

 

 

As the dog they named Feliz continues to recover, Heatley is hoping his owner comes forward or they find him a new home.

In the meantime, they will continue to try to save other animals from suffering a worse fate than Feliz.

"The sad thing ... is that's one dog that we found," Heatley said. "There are a multitude of dog out here in the city of Flint and cats, they're not being found, that we don't know about."

They are hoping the owner comes forward, and they also have set up a Youcaring page to help with Feliz's medical bills, which are expected to run into the thousands.   

On the Youcaring page, the rescue group saidFeliz is expected undergo surgery on Thursday to try to save his leg.

(MSNewsNow - January 3, 2018)

Arkansas: Fort Smith police officer rescues owl after it was hit by a car

ARKANSAS -- Krystle Sherrell ‏@5NEWSKrystle posted on Twitter January 1, 2018

Officer Gray from the Fort Smith Police Department rescued this owl after it was hit by a car.

The owl is expected to be okay! Isn’t it beautiful?

Pennsylvania: Snowy owl rescued from prison fence on Christmas Day

PENNSYLVANIA -- A Pennsylvania wildlife conservation officer helped engineer a daring prison escape on Christmas Day.

But the plan wasn’t sinister.

A snowy owl had become trapped in barbed wire in a perimeter fence at the Smithfield State Correctional Institution in Huntingdon.

Officer Amanda Isett quickly rescued the injured owl and placed it in a crate.

The owl is expected to make a full recovery.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission said snowy owls are infrequent visitors to Pennsylvania. However, the birds have been seen more frequently in the Midwest and East Coast in recent years.

(Q13 Fox - December 28, 2017)