Lovely Animals

13/07/2025

13/07/2025

In 1974, at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, a German Shepherd named Palma was separated from her owner. They were about to fly to Norilsk. The ticket was bought. Everything was ready… except for one thing: Palma didn’t have a veterinary certificate.
Her owner, after a brief hug, removed her leash. Then walked away. Without looking back.
Palma ran across the runway, as if she could still catch up. She chased the roar of the Il-18 until the plane became just a dot in the sky.
And then she waited.
For days. Months. Years.
She slept under a trailer, sought shelter among the workers, but never stopped approaching the planes. Every time one landed, she ran to the stairs, sniffing the passengers. As if she still believed her owner would come down from one of them.
Captain Viacheslav Valentei watched her from his cockpit. Palma was always there. Loyal, calm, tireless. A symbol of something humans so often forget.
In 1976, the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda published her story. Then something unexpected happened: Palma’s former owner wrote from Norilsk. He confirmed that he couldn’t board her due to an eye problem. But he never came back for her.
Adoption offers poured in. Palma was now famous.
Eventually, she was taken in by Vera Kotliarevskaya, a teacher from Kyiv. Upon arrival, the dog approached Vera’s sleeping daughter, licked her cheek, and gently nibbled her ear. As if she had finally recognized a home.
Vera wrote in her diary:
"A very well-balanced dog, with a stable nervous system and a deep attachment to humans and home."
In 1988, her story inspired the Soviet film Tied to the Runway.
Palma didn’t understand planes, or tickets, or passports. But she knew what love was. And she stayed true to it—even when it wasn’t returned
credit goes to their respective owner .

13/07/2025

The she-wolf has this habit of wrapping herself around the neck of her wolf because the neck is the most vulnerable part of the animal.

By doing so, she shows him her unconditional love.

For ethologists: Wolves are the most loyal and loving animals: they have only one partner throughout their life. The wolf is known to have an almost extraordinary tenderness and affection towards his she-wolf...which she knows perfectly well to return.

13/07/2025

One evening, while walking my dog Mollie through the park, a group of men started shouting and following me. My usually sweet and soppy Mollie immediately positioned herself between me and them, letting out a low growl—something I had never heard from her before. They quickly caught on and asked if she would bite, and with as much bravado as I could muster, I said yes (even though she’s never hurt a fly). Right on cue, Mollie lunged forward, barking with a level of aggression I never imagined she had. The men took off, and the moment they were gone, Mollie instantly switched back to her usual self, wagging her tail and begging me to throw her ball!
Bonus story: In the second week of having Mollie, I let her off-leash for the first time. Unexpectedly, I collapsed due to a medical issue (which was later resolved). As I came to, my first thought was that my new puppy must have run off. But when I looked up, there she was—calmly lying next to me, watching me as if waiting for my next move.
And because I can’t resist showing her off, here’s a picture of my beautiful girl!
Credits goes to the respective owner_

13/07/2025

Sand Cats are native to the deserts of Africa and Asia. Weighing between 3 - 7.5 lbs. (or 1.3 - 3.4 kg), Sand Cats are superbly adapted to life in the desert; they can live without water, run on shifting sand, and detect prey underground.

They have dense hair and pads on the soles of each paw that protect against the intense heat and cold of their habitat, as well as aiding in movement across the sand.

They get water by eating prey (mostly rodents, birds, lizards).

Sand cats are fearless snake hunters—their prey can include venomous vipers and other snakes. Sand cats have been known to take turns sharing shallow burrows, but will not occupy the burrow at the same time.

If sand cats are aware of approaching danger during the day, they sometimes crouch down and close their eyes so that light can’t be reflected from the eyes. Coupled with their protective coloration, this often makes them hard to see.

13/07/2025

This kitten? Living the dream: big bed, zero responsibilities.

And before you ask — yes, all our kittens have been adopted. (The audacity, right?) But don’t panic, kitten season isn’t over. We’ve got more tiny furballs arriving next weekend!

Until then, may we interest you in some top-tier adult cats and dogs? They’re equal parts cuddly, quirky, and fully qualified for couch-sharing.

Our adoption open house hours are today and tomorrow from 12–3pm. Get ahead of the game by filling out an application at www.HVARS.org/adoptions.

Come meet your future roommate. They already think you’re cool.

13/07/2025

I bought a house and this guy ran inside immediately. Apparently the elderly woman who lived here had him, so I guess I have a cat now??
The neighbours have been looking after him from what I gather, but he stays strictly outside. I’m going to speak with them and see what happens from there.
He sleeps in my garden all day and spent the first three days trying to get in the house before a friend filled me in on who he is.
When I finally let him in he bolted to the master bedroom and purred loudly in there for like 10 minutes 😿😻

13/07/2025

A couple of weeks ago Mike & I were riding our bikes on the boardwalk & came across this sweet soul walking his beloved golden.
She’s 14 & not so good with her legs so he pulls her around on this bed he made so she can enjoy the smells of the ocean. I had to stop & express my love for his extraordinary care ... compassion, kindness, love. I need more people like this in my life.
Credit: Carrie Copenhaver

13/07/2025

A stork in Lithuania had badly injured legs and couldn’t walk, and normal treatments didn’t help. A 3D printing company called Mass Portal stepped in and used a soft material called NinjaFlex to create special orange leg braces that supported the bird’s legs. These braces helped the stork stand and walk again, slowly improving its condition. Although it couldn’t return to the wild, it now lives safely under care. This heartwarming story shows how 3D printing can help injured animals recover and live better lives.

13/07/2025

When Mason was diagnosed with a serious illness, my heart broke. He had always loved the water — splashing through lakes, chasing ripples, and floating peacefully with his head resting on my lap. I knew what he would want more than anything: one last swim.

I posted a simple message online, asking if anyone nearby had a dog-friendly pool. What happened next left me speechless.

Within hours, messages poured in. Strangers offered their backyards. Neighbors I’d never met volunteered their pools. Some brought dog toys, towels, and even Mason’s favorite — peanut butter biscuits. One family even set up a shallow kiddie pool just for him, filled with warm water and floating tennis balls.

Mason swam. He wagged his tail. He smiled, truly smiled, as the water embraced him one final time.

Those final days weren’t marked by sadness — they were filled with warmth, laughter, and a community that came together for one dog. Mason may be gone now, but his story reminds me: kindness ripples outward, just like the water he loved so much.

His last swim wasn’t just a goodbye — it was a celebration of a life deeply loved.❤️

13/07/2025

He spotted her near the park, aimlessly wandering, coat matted and eyes full of uncertainty. She had no collar, no ID—just a gentle, quiet way of looking at people that said, “Please see me.” So he did. Thinking he was just helping a lost dog find her way, he scooped her up and brought her to the shelter.

He filled out the paperwork, gave her a few pats on the head, and walked away. But something felt...unfinished. That night, her face kept popping into his mind. The way she leaned into his hand. The way her tail hesitated, then wagged.

He told himself someone would come for her. A family. A friend. Someone. But when he called a few days later, she was still there—waiting. And in that moment, he realized: she wasn’t lost anymore. She had already found her person.

When her stray hold ended, he returned. Not as a good Samaritan, but as her dad. The moment she saw him again, she lit up—tail thumping, eyes sparkling, as if she’d been waiting the whole time.
Now, she sleeps curled at the foot of his bed, follows him room to room, and reminds him every day: some souls are meant to find each other. He thought he was helping a lost dog. But in truth, she was the one who rescued him. 💛