Dog of the year
Named 2012 dog of the year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Fiona the poodle made global news when Audrey and Eldad Hagar, founders of Los Angeles-based animal rescue group Hope for Paws, posted a video of her rescue.
The story begins with the discovery of an abandoned, filthy, flea-ridden, blind poodle and follows her miraculous transformation. With a total grooming makeover, eye surgery that returns sight in one eye, and lots of love, the poodle’s transformation from a timid and filthy to a playful and clean, is nothing short of miraculous. Warning: the video – which has more than 1.6 million views on YouTube – will cause even the most hardened human to become misty-eyed.
Cat of the year
Then there’s Scooter the cat, discovered on a Pennsylvania street and found to have no use of his back legs and rushed to a veterinary hospital, according to the ASPCA.
“Visitors to the hospital instantly fell in love with the fluffy black and white kitten, and donated funds to purchase him a custom-made wheeled mobility device,” according to the ASPCA blog. “Scooter now visits a nursing home and rehabilitation hospital every week and serves as a constant inspiration to the elderly and to patients who lack mobility due to injuries and strokes.”
Human heroes
The ASPCA also awarded three public service awards to the Bronx’s Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Brandler and Detective Investigator John Reilly, and New York Police Department Detective John Zerafa for their pivotal roles in the investigation and raid of a large dog fighting operation. Fifty dogs were removed to the APSCA and evaluated, with many of them going on to be adopted and living with the loving families they deserve.
Animal of the year
In November, Haatchi was awarded “Animal of the Year” by the International Fund for Animal Welfare at a ceremony at the House of Lords in the UK. The Anatolian Shepherd dog survived two near-death experiences and leg amputation.
In his new adoptive family he went on to bond immediately with seven-year-old Owen “Little B” Howkins, who suffers from a rare genetic condition called Schwartz-Jampel syndrome which causes stiffness and weakness in the muscles. Originally self-conscious about his condition, Owen avoided going outside, however, Haatchi’s presence changed all of that. Now a 15-month-old fully qualified therapy dog, Haatchi’s therapeutic reach also extends to soldiers and amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan who enjoy meeting this very brave canine.
Other top dog news stories of 2012, according to the Week, included the therapy dogs that helped victims of Hurricane Sandy and the Newton shooting, along with touching stories about puppies that kept a lost boy warm, a dog stranded and rescued at 14,000 feet, as well as a stray dog that finished a 1,100-mile race across China.