It’s brutal and severe and even adults should never, ever go hiking alone.

And when a defenseless 2-year-old is left outside in the elements, the poor innocent baby has almost zero chance of survival.

In short, getting lost or abandoned out there essentially means death.

So when a totally evil woman abandoned her small child on a frigid cold Siberian night, nobody thought the little tyke was going to survive.

Even if they could reach him, temperatures were plummeting to -12 degrees Celsius (about 10 degrees Fahrenheit).

Almost nobody could survive, much less an toddler…right?

Well, nobody told one hero dog that the situation was hopeless.

This amazing canine spotted the freezing child and quickly approached; seeing the little boy in tremendous distress, the dog knew what it had to do:

He quickly wrapped himself around the 2-year-old, imparting a lot of body heat and warmth thanks to his fur.

And there he stayed for two whole days, protecting the boy with his body.

Incredibly, neighbors finally found the pair and though the child was suffering from hypothermia, he was definitely alive!

The callous mother of that little boy is now up on charges, too, and she deserves nothing less than a stiff punishment.

Dogs rescuing children in dire straits seems to be par for the course in Siberia, though.

Three years earlier, a 3-year-old girl named Karina got lost in the wilderness with her dog. That dog eventually returned after 9 days and led rescuers to Karina!

Both children are alive and well today, all thanks to man’s best friend.

Doesn’t get much more miraculous than this!

Source: Honest to Paws

The post Rescuers Rush To Save Dog Curled Up In The Freezing Snow For Two Days To Find He’s Protecting A Little Boy appeared first on Addicting Stories.

The giant dog – who has the fantastic name of “Puppy” – disappeared when his owners went for a horseback ride in the woods.

Puppy tagged along but unfortunately, owners and pet got separated somewhere along the way.

Try as they might, Puppy’s owners just couldn’t find her.

They were starting to lose hope … after all, they were only two people. They needed some help.

But they didn’t just call another human for help; they called someone who had a very special search assistant.

Jim Branson is the founder of Useless Bay Sanctuary, a nonprofit dog rescue, and he raised an eager German shepherd named Tino from birth.

And Tino went through search-and-rescue training like a champ!

Yes indeed, Tino was a search prodigy, so when Puppy’s owners needed help, they called up Jim Branson and he was quickly on the scene … with Tino in tow!

The team returned to the spot where Puppy’s owners had lost track of her, and then Jim set Tino to work:

The post Giant Senior Pup Stranded In The Mud – He’s Finally Saved, But Not By A Human appeared first on Addicting Stories.

They have a poor reputation for a variety of reasons, but many of those reasons are based on myth, not fact.

In reality, the pit bull is a fiercely loyal breed, one that will absolutely make the ultimate sacrifice (if necessary) to protect his or her human owners.

Latana Chai learned this firsthand when her pit bull, Sasha, “saved everybody” one fateful day in California.

On that day, just before midnight, Sasha began barking loudly and banging at the door in Latana’s backyard.

It wasn’t like Sasha to be so vocal; the barking was so loud and ferocious, Latana knew something was amiss.

So, she ran downstairs to check on her frantic pup, and that’s when she looked up to find smoke and flames coming from her neighbor’s house!

The fire wasn’t small; it was quickly spreading and threatened to engulf nearby homes. This was why Sasha was so terrified!

But terrified or not, the dog had just one thing in mind: save his family!

He sprinted past the panicked mom and ran upstairs and Latana ran after him. She was worried because upstairs was her 7-month-old baby, Masailah…

Sasha is a big dog and if he’s out of sorts, who knows what he might do?

But when Latana ran upstairs, she found Sasha doing the most amazing thing:

The dog was gently dragging the crying baby by the diaper … Sasha was trying to save the infant!

Later, as Latana told KTXL:

“[Sasha] saved everybody.

Because if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think that any of us in this complex would have known anything.”

So much for the idea that pit bulls are aggressive, unreliable breeds!

That one incredible gesture proves just how far our four-legged friends will go to save us in times of peril, and we should all be thankful and respectful.

Source: Little Things

The post Pit Bull Smells Smoke, Races Upstairs To Baby’s Room – Mom Blown Away By Pup’s Next Move appeared first on Addicting Stories.

Bruce is a good dog and doesn’t normally act anxious, or make a lot of noise. But one cold morning, Bruce was definitely agitated for some reason.

Abby was just sitting down to watch an episode of Batman, “as most 28-year-olds do,” when her 5-year-old pet began whimpering at the door.

“Bruce sat at the front door whining and sniffing, which I thought weird and annoying, as he usually goes out back,” she wrote on Instagram.

At first, Abby thought Bruce was just having an off morning. But the anxious pooch just wouldn’t stop. Added Abby:

“He was scratching at the windows, and I was like ‘Bruce, stop, we rent this place.

He kept scratching, sniffing under the door. Then he barked, and he never barks, so I knew something was going on.”

So, she got up and let Bruce out, and the dog immediately bolted towards a small pond that sits near the house.

Obviously, he thought there was something of great importance out there, so a concerned Abby moved to follow.

What had Bruce found?

Incredibly, the dog zeroed in on a dark figure standing knee-deep in the pond; it was a half-naked and clearly confused elderly woman.

“She was standing two or three feet down, up to her knees in the water,” said Abby.

She was trembling, confused, and scared.”

The poor woman didn’t seem to know who or where she was, so Abby quickly bundled her up in a blanket and ran for help.

She called the police and an ambulance and it wasn’t long before paramedics were on the scene. The police contacted the lost woman’s family as well.

Everyone thanked Abby for what she did, but the proud dog owner knew exactly who was responsible for saving that woman:

Bruce!

“Without Bruce, I would have never known she was out there.

If I hadn’t gone out there, I don’t know what would have happened. I don’t know if she knew how to swim. She could have drowned.”

Absolutely! Dogs are incredible creatures and when the chips are down, you can always expect a four-legged friend to help!

Oh, and this story reminds us that pit bulls are often misunderstood, and can make for unbelievable pets and protectors.

Don’t forget that, fellow animal lovers!

Source: NTD.TV

The post Anxious Dog Leads Owner To A Pond. Her Heart Stops When She Sees A Dark Figure appeared first on Addicting Stories.

So, when you’re out walking your dog, don’t be surprised if he takes a shine to other canines.

But there are times when a protective instinct kicks in and suddenly, species doesn’t matter.

Just ask Valia Orfanidou, who was taking her dog Aragon for a walk in Greece, and stumbled upon a very big – and very adorable! – surprise.

Aragon is a smart, energetic rescue pup and at one point during the stroll, he caught wind of something and began pulling on the leash.

He was obviously trying to lead Valia somewhere and in truth, she thought he’d found a stray dog.

The two were actually out and about to capture on camera some of the many abandoned animals in that region, so she hoped Aragon had indeed found a homeless pup.

Then she saw Aragon’s target: a cardboard box lying in the street.

Valia, a volunteer at Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS), crept closer and watched Aragon sniff all around the box…were there little puppies inside?

Oh, there were little ones all right, but they weren’t puppies.

They were four tiny black-and-white kittens!

Aragon just loved these little guys and Valia quickly brought them all home; she’d name them Lhotse, Cho, Makalou, and Manaslou.

Most amazing is how the rescue dog has responded to these tiny playful furballs. As Valia wrote on The Orphan Pet:

“They are his babies and he is constantly curious about what they are doing and how they are behaving.“

And here’s another incredible twist to the story:

This isn’t the first time Aragon has adopted stray cats and taken them under his protective wing!

“His first rescue was Simone, a stray cat who followed him around when he was on his daily walk, and one day she went into the house with him.“

Seems like Aragon wants to rescue everyone and everything, whether they’re dog, human, or cat. Now that’s empathy for you!

With so many abandoned kitties in Greece, especially Athens, it’s great to have such a heroic, loving dog. Finished Valia:

“Basically he was the rescuer, and he has been an excellent foster dad since day one.“

A dog has done more for many homeless kittens than humans have ever done! How about that?

Source: NTD.TV

The post Excited Pooch Drags Owner Toward Mysterious Wriggling Box, And Out Pops A Shock appeared first on Addicting Stories.

Many times, it’s simple stuff like a desire for food or the need to go outside and take care of business.

But there are times when they’re trying to call attention to something that’s anything but routine…

Such was the case for Abby Leathers, the owner of an adorable rescue dog named Bruce, when she was home with her trusted companion one day.

Bruce was behaving oddly, and it was obvious that he wanted to get outside pronto for some reason.

He was even scratching at the door to get Abby’s attention, and it didn’t appear like this was a simple bathroom break, either.

So, a concerned Abby heeded Bruce’s call and let him outside.

He proceeded to take off like a bat out of hell, and Abby followed quickly to see what the trouble was.

Bruce led her directly to a nearby pond, cold and dark in the woods, and Abby immediately spotted an elderly woman that was knee-deep in the water.

Abby realized that the woman was confused and possibly lost. What’s more, she couldn’t communicate with her because the woman didn’t speak English.

However, she was still able to lead the woman out of the pond, and Abby carefully wrapped her up in a blanket to keep her warm.

Abby then called 911 and first responders were quickly en route.

Coincidentally, the woman’s family would call the authorities around the same time to report her as missing. 

The police didn’t have to look far, though, thanks to Abby and her amazing dog!

He’s a real-life Lassie!

Source: Little Things

The post Panicked Pooch Leads Mom To A Pond, She Sees What’s In The Water, And Stops Cold appeared first on Addicting Stories.

Store shelves empty out in a flash, leaving bread, milk, eggs and Pop Tart shelves bare.

(It’s true. One of the first things people stock up on in case of looming emergencies is strawberry Pop Tarts!)

Other parts of the country yawn at reports of a foot or more of snow expected before morning. It’s all about becoming used to your environment, after all.

But the one thing that everyone can agree on is that while fresh snow is beautiful, it can also be deadly.

The most dangerous aspect of snow is what can happen if you end up buried beneath a few tons of it. As soon as that happens you know your time is running out!

The snow packs around you and your oxygen decreases with every passing minute…you’re starting to feel sleepy…

Now imagine that right before you run out of air, you hear a scraping noise. Your heart beats faster as you imagine the worst…another avalanche that’ll end it all?

But no, then the sound gets louder, and suddenly you see a small opening.

All of a sudden, a black wet nose pokes in, followed by a large furry head. Then you’re pulled out by a rescue dog and his human partners, just in time!

A lucky group of boy scouts had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience what it feels like to be trapped under the snow.

As part of their visit to Big Sky Resort in Montana, one scout was buried under the snow. The ski patrol then showed how highly trained work dogs find and rescue people.

Boy’s Life recorded the experience. One of the scouts, Nathan, stated:

“Me and my friends drew sticks, and I got the right stick, so I got put in a hole in the snow, and the dog came and found me.

The idea is the dog finds you and the rescuers come over and dig you the rest of the way out.”

Many of us might not think that getting put in a hole in the snow and waiting to be rescued would be the prize for choosing the “right stick.”

But, for Nathan, it was apparently the thrill of a lifetime.

Thanks Boy’s Life for videoing the faux rescue! It’s doubtful that you’d ever be prepared to catch on video an actual avalanche, and being buried.

But, thanks to them, we can see firsthand exactly what it’s like to be saved by a rescue dog! Talk about a thrill!

Source: The Animal Rescue Site

The post You’re Buried In An Avalanche. You’re Freezing And Terrified. You Hear Something Above You. appeared first on Addicting Stories.

Most are rescued while some are simply dropped off and forgotten.

And some, even less fortunate, are thrust into a caged world where they are treated as criminals without a trial.

A former owner can set them on this depressing path by simply stating the pet is “violent.”

For dogs, one “wild” snap and they’re quarantined without question.

The sad reality is these dogs supposedly acting violent or wild is not something they are born with.

Dogs sent to shelters because of biting, for instance, are less than 3 percent of all dogs in shelters.

And, experts will tell you these animals weren’t born with this trait – they learned it from their human owners.

Shelter workers know this, and they must handle and analyze each dog individually within the shelter.

Quarter was a dog sent to a Los Angeles area shelter because his owner claimed he was “aggressive” and biting “was an issue.” He was just “mean,” his owner said.

But the shelter workers were skeptical.

Quarter is a 5-year-old Chihuahua who looks more like a frightened kid than a snarling beast.

But, allegedly, on intake into the shelter he nipped a worker, so…

Slam the door! He was automatically quarantined.

Hey, you try sticking me into a cage after escaping a bonehead roommate and I might bite you, too.

Rules are rules, but shelter workers took care of Quarter. He was mostly isolated from staff and other animals, but he wasn’t deterred from showing his true colors.

He sailed through his quarantine of three weeks and despite being labeled “aggressive” forthwith, the shelter was able to place him at a rescue facility.

It was a chance for a new life, and Traci Jean Gallegos-Schuver at Little Diva Rescue recognized something about Quarter:

“He was a little fearful, but not once did he show any signs of aggression. Nothing,” she recalled.

The staff veterinarian agreed, and Gallegos-Schuver decided to foster her new charge in her own home. She gave him a new name, “Teddy,” and off they went.

Gallegos-Schuver and Teddy were getting along fine, and then a new test presented itself.

She had to be gone one night, and decided to leave Teddy with a friend.

Teddy passed without question. The friend reported Teddy displayed mannerisms of a dog who just wanted a caring and loving family.

His previous owner, shelter workers all agreed, wasn’t truthful about Teddy. Teddy proved over and again he wasn’t “aggressive.”

Gallegos-Schuver knew Teddy was ready for a family. Thankfully, an out-of-state couple was interested in adopting Teddy after finding his information online.

A cross-country flight from California to Virginia and Teddy arrived at his forever home.

The adopting couple reported Teddy was an instant hit, curling up right into the hearts of his new family.

All dogs deserve a chance to prove themselves outside the “care” of people who don’t necessarily treat them right or train them well.

A second chance for many of these pets can lead to a new life, and a lifetime of wonderful memories in a forever home.

Source: Honest To Paws

The post Adorable Chihuahua Abandoned By His Owner…When You Hear The Reason Why, You’ll Be Chewing Nails appeared first on Addicting Stories.