Woman throws out bag of old toys — then sees one moving

Also: A kitten with the best transformation No Images? [Click here]( March 15, 2018 Good morning! Today we have a stowaway ferret, a very lucky puppy rescue and a kitten with the biggest transformation. 1. Woman Goes To Throw Away Bag Of Old Teddy Bears — And Finds Someone Inside Photo Credit: RSPCA A woman was bagging up a bunch of old toys to get rid of and left them sitting in her garage for a bit. She eventually started to throw some of the bags away, when something inside one of them suddenly started to move. Alarmed, she opened up the bag — and found a little ferret inside, confused but also very, very comfy among all the teddy bears. Shocked and perplexed as to where the ferret could have come from, the woman immediately contacted the RSPCA for help. Animal collection officer Kirstie Gillard came out to collect the teddy bear-loving animal, and decided to name the cream- and brown-colored ferret Honey. “I think the member of the public who found her had quite a shock when her little face poked out between the teddies,” Gillard said in a press release. “Poor Honey had obviously wanted to find somewhere nice and warm.” Honey was taken in by the RSPCA’s Blackberry Farm Animal Center, where she was checked over and determined to be in generally good health, despite being a little underweight. Staff at the shelter quickly learned that Honey wasn’t used to being handled by people, and was therefore a little nervous at first. Those who worked with Honey wanted to find a way to help ease her nerves a little, and decided that her very own box of cozy teddy bears would be just the way to do it. Honey had clearly enjoyed hanging out in the bag of old teddy bears before she was found, so the shelter staff figured she’d enjoy a huge box of new teddy bears just as much, and they were absolutely right. Honey adored cuddling up in the big box of cuddly bears, and it seemed to help make her a little more comfortable with her new surroundings. No one is quite sure how Honey came to be in that bag of teddy bears. “We don’t know if she was abandoned or if she escaped but she had no microchip and no owner was ever traced,” Gillard said. The shelter is confident that before long, she’ll be a happy, confident little ferret. She just needs a home where she’ll be given lots of love and care — and hopefully a few teddy bears to play with, too. 2. Runners Hear Something Rustling In The Woods — And End Up Saving 5 Little Lives Photo Credit: Ashley Blake When Ashley Blake and her training partner set out on a cross-country run along a wooded trail in Tennessee last week, they had no idea they'd end up saving a life. But before the day was done, five little creatures were spared the saddest fate. About 6 miles into their 14-mile trek through Frozen Head State Park, Blake and her friend, Joshua Scott, were struck by a faint sound just off the path. It caused them to stop, turn and look. "It was just a little rustling that caught us," Blake told The Dodo. "It's usual to hear forest critters, and that's what we expected. We turned and saw this black pile." As Blake and Scott cautiously inched closer, they realized what the black pile actually was. "It was five puppies huddled together," Blake said. "It was close to freezing temperatures and they were trying to stay warm. As trail runners, you see a lot of wildlife, but never puppies." Blake and Scott immediately called up park officials for help. They then set about trying to comfort the frightened pups and shield them from the cold. "They were terrified and crying," Blake said. "They settled down once they realized we weren't going to harm them and we were warm." Before long, a ranger arrived to assist, and quickly realized the puppies probably didn't end up there by accident. A quiet road passes through the woods not far from where they were found which, sadly, has attracted people seeking to abandon their pets. "They were dumped without food, water, blanket or mother," Blake said. "The park ranger said this isn't the first time pups have been dumped at this spot." Blake, Scott and the ranger carried the puppies to the ranger's car. The little dogs were now safe and in good hands — all because Blake and Scott decided to stop and check the source of the rustling sound they'd heard. The runners then continued on their way, but the puppies didn't leave their minds. "We finished our run with renewed energy over the excitement of what had all just happened. A true animal rescue," Blake said. "I don't doubt for a second they would have frozen that night or become prey for the wild critters." The ranger and his family kept the five puppies at their house that night before taking them to a local animal shelter the next day. Blake and Scott dropped by after their run to visit the little dogs they saved. Photo Credit: Ashley Blake Scott decided to adopt one of the puppies himself. Barkley, as he's now known, has found a forever home, but his siblings will soon be made available for adoption from Tennessee's Oak Ridge Animal Shelter. With any luck, Barkley's brother and sisters will be able to live long, happy lives as cherished pets — an opportunity that was almost stolen from them, had their sad situation gone unnoticed. "We were in the right place at the right time," Blake said. 3. Tiny Kitten Found Crawling On Road During Rainstorm Is Barely Recognizable Now Photo Credit: Kathryn van Beek During the middle of a torrential rainstorm two years ago, Kathryn van Beek spotted a tiny, soaking wet animal crawling along the road in Auckland, New Zealand. He was so small, in fact, that she almost missed him completely. “I wasn’t even sure he was a cat,” van Beek told The Dodo. “He looked much more like a mouse.” Sure enough, as van Beek rushed over, she noticed that it was a newborn kitten — and he looked to be only a few hours old. His mom was nowhere to be found, so she scooped up the wet kitten and took him home right away. She soon named him Bruce. “At first, I thought his chances of survival were pretty good,” van Beek said. “But over the next few days, he got sicker and sicker. As I researched newborn kitten care, I realized that a lot of kittens in Bruce's situation don't make it.” Although the odds were stacked against little Bruce, van Beek was going to do everything she could to help him win the fight for his life. She started around-the-clock formula feedings — and while at work, made sure he always had a trained babysitter on hand to keep watch on him. “I'd pack him up with a giant 'mom bag,’ drop him off before work and pick him up afterwards,” van Beek said. “The round-the-clock feeds were a challenge.” After six weeks of many vet appointments and constant feedings, Bruce finally rounded the corner to recovery — and his fur started changing from gray to black. He had had a condition called “fever coat,” which happens to kittens born to a stressed or sick mother cat. It causes parts of the fur to turn gray, cream or red but eventually fades away over time. “By the time he was 3 months, his coat had turned completely black,” van Beek said. “He was prancing around like a mad teenager. That's when I really knew he was out of the woods!” Photo Credit: Kathryn van Beek Now just over 2 years old, Bruce still has that same feistiness that helped him survive as a baby. He loves play-fighting with his big sister, Jager, and prowling around outdoors with his mom. “He's very frisky and a very independent, free spirit,” van Beek said. “We often joke that you can take the cat off the streets, but you can't take the street out of the cat.” Although he marches to his own drum sometimes, Bruce makes sure to always show his mom how thankful he is to have her. And she makes sure to do the same. “He really gives me that bursting heart feeling when I look at him,” van Beek said. “I feel so proud of everything he's overcome. We’re lucky to have found one another.” Scientists Freak Out Over Crazy-Looking Animals [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( The Dodo 100 Crosby St., 201 New York, NY 10012 [Forward]( [Unsubscribe](