Video: Bear Caught Skinny Dipping In Los Angeles Foothills

3 tell tale signs that summer is upon us: 1. You discover that your air conditioning is broken. 2. You avoid getting into your car because you know you will have burn marks afterwards. 3. You look into your backyard to find a bear cooling off in your pool.

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Illinois May Approve Mini Seeing-Eye Horses As Service Animals

The state Senate voted Tuesday to add miniature horses to the list of service animals, like seeing-eye dogs, that can accompany people with disabilities. The vote sends the measure to the Illinois House.

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The Other Seabiscuit: Spooked Horse Swims Two Miles Offshore

An Arabian show horse named William was rescued this past week after he got spooked and ran into the open ocean, swimming two miles out to sea. The 7-year-old horse bolted from a beach photo shoot near Santa Barbara, California and plunged into the ocean, launching a rescue effort that included helicopter searchers.

http://tinyurl.com/7npbx5f

Video: Baby Penguin Reacts To First Sight Of Human

Humans love to line up in front of the glass walls at penguin zoo exhibits, staring at the antics of the black-and-white, two-legged creatures. But what about when the tides are turned, when penguins get a chance to meet the strange humans, observing them for the first time? That moment was captured on camera by a man traveling to penguins' home habitat, Antarctica.

http://tinyurl.com/d2defbz

Should Microchipping Dogs Be Mandatory?

I just heard a story in the news about a family who had lost their dog. They did everything to find him -- putting up posters, checking shelters -- nothing. Then, after two years, they get a phone call. Their dog was found. The person who found the dog took him to be scanned for a microchip and it showed who his family was and they were reunited.

http://tinyurl.com/bn8pd24

Tourists Get Too Close To An Alaskan Brown Bear

Picture this. A brown bear saunters out of the brush along a highway. A car pulls over, followed by a pickup truck. Passengers jump out to take snapshots. They edge closer, crowding the bear, deriving comfort from numbers and their self-possessed superiority over other animals. Soon a bear jam is forming, with more vehicles veering off the road and more people snatching cameras and leaving common sense behind.

http://tinyurl.com/7pevfpy

Baby Warthogs Born At Zoo Miami

Just as the Arsht Center hosts Pumbaa, the singing warthog in Broadway hit "The Lion King," Zoo Miami welcomes four new warthogs piglets. But that's not the first connection the local zoo's had to the Disney production. The film's animators visited Zoo Miami back in 1993 (when it was still called Miami Metro Zoo) and studied the resident animals as models for some of the characters in the film.

http://tinyurl.com/79e5fco

Video: Amazing Manatee Encounter Filmed On Fort Lauderdale Beach

Usually when you see a dark mass swimming among the waves along a Florida beach, it's best to stay out of the water just in case it's a shark. But Florida beachgoers recently received the surprise of a lifetime when a group of 5 or 6 manatees swam right up to them and played in the shallows for at least 30 minutes.

http://tinyurl.com/6o693jj

Returning Soldiers Adopt Embattled Afghan Dogs

Dogs are sometimes more than a just man's best friend. They are a soldier's salvation. When fighting abroad, many soldiers strike up bonds with stray mutts and other pets. Not only does the companionship give them much needed joy and solace during their deployment, but growing evidence now shows that canine companions can actually help a soldier to overcome post-traumatic stress.

http://tinyurl.com/77g6dne

Lost Bird Chirps Address to Police, Reunites With Owner

A Japanese woman was reunited with her missing pet parakeet last week when the bird began reciting his home address to police! Piko, a two-year-old blue budgerigar - or 'bugdie' - went missing on a Sunday and was spotted perching on a guest’s shoulder at a nearby hotel, according to the media reports. Piko was taken to the local police where he stunned the cops by chirping the street address of his home, near Tokyo.

http://tinyurl.com/6qagtwv

Video: Dogs Playing With Kittens

Just because someone is a lot bigger than you doesn't mean you can't be friends. This is no more true among humans as it is with other animals. Case in point: big dogs playing with little kittens. Check out these adorable kittens playing with their much bigger and incredibly patient dog friends.

http://tinyurl.com/6ok44za

National Zoo Welcomes 11 New Small-Clawed Otters

Where there was once two there are now 11. They're still really tiny. The Smithsonian's National Zoo is unveiling its 11 new Asian small-clawed otters this Saturday -- one of the largest groupings of this endangered animal in the U.S. These otters, which weigh in at less than 10 pounds, are the smallest and most social otter species in the world. Helpful, too -- the whole family pitches in for child-rearing.

http://tinyurl.com/d3s53ms

Video: Skateboarding Bulldog Thrashes Through Streets of Indianapolis

If you live in Indianapolis, you may have witnessed this incredible skateboarding bulldog first hand. Max the bulldog was first introduced to his skateboard via his owner, Erick Yorkman. From there he practically taught himself. Max is so adept at the skateboard that he has learned to shift his weight to guide the board. In the video (seen below), provided by ABC News, you can even see Max successfully thrash down stairs on his board.

http://tinyurl.com/7d6a7vc

Mother's Day 2012: Animal Parenting Styles, Pregnancies, And Child Rearings

The last thing modern moms need is yet another reason to feel that they're not doing a good enough job. In the animal kingdom, there are plenty of mothers who make your efforts pale in comparison, but don't worry — there are others who will make you feel a lot better about yourself this Mother's Day.

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Video: Zoo Elephant Rocks Harmonica

In what could be the abosolute cutest thing we've seen since this dog, Shanthi the elephant at the National Zoo in Washington is developing her musical chops by playing a harmonica with her trunk.

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Video: National Zoo To Live Tweet Giant Panda Artificial Insemination

Forget watching for celebrity baby bumps. We're much more concerned with whether or not the National Zoo's giant panda Mei Xiang will be expecting in the coming months. After going into estrus over the weekend, National Zoo scientists and Li Desheng from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong performed an articificial insemination on Mei Xiang. 

http://tinyurl.com/7zgdmyp

Video: A Seeing-Eye Dog... For Another Dog?

Seeing-eye dogs are invaluable companions for many blind humans. But have you ever heard of a seeing-eye dog -- for another dog? Wait until you hear the inspiring story of these two inseparable canine companions. Blair, a year-old black lab mix, and Tanner, a blind two-year-old golden retriever, were first introduced during a random play session at the Woodland West Animal Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

http://tinyurl.com/8638nh5

Hiking With Dogs: Tips For Taking A Nature Walk With Your Pet

Eager to amp up your daily walks and expose your dog to new sights, sounds and smells? Take a hike! Hiking offers many benefits to both dog and owner, including a great cardiovascular workout and a healthy way to combat stress.

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Video: Watch Blue Heron Chicks Hatch, Mature On Live Webcam

Researchers at the Cornell Lab of Orinthology are catching some surprisingly engaging footage after setting up a couple of webcams around a Great Blue Heron nest. The latest storyline is the hatching of all 5 of the nest's chicks, two of which you can see emerging in the clip above. It's like reality TV for nature buffs and birdwatchers. Located in Sapsucker Woods, a wildlife sanctuary just three miles from the Cornell campus, the nest is the first known Great Blue Heron nest ever recorded there. The herons have been gradually adding twigs to it for three years now, where they average between 2 and 6 hatchlings each year.

http://tinyurl.com/cmfhbfa

Dog Diet Tips: How To Slim Down An Overweight Pet

A friend recently shared that she would have a major problem if someone tried to control when, what and how much she ate. “I would KILL them,” she said. “And maybe eat them.” Pet owners dictate exactly how much kibble goes into those bowls each day — yet the majority of our pets are overweight. Perhaps those sad faces and lingering looks weaken our resolve. Whatever tactic your pet uses to score extra treats, a good offense often serves as the best defense. 

http://tinyurl.com/6lnbvph

Flying Bear Nails Perfect Landing On Air Mattress

Onlookers at the University of Colorado at Boulder watched a 200-pound tranquilized black bear fall from a tree onto a mattress on campus last week. According to University officials, a black bear estimated between three and five-years-old wandered onto the campus and broke into the dorm rooms and the car park before working its way up into a tree.

http://tinyurl.com/bmqpbcr

Ex-TV Host Barker Opens New Area At Chimp Haven

Animal activist and retired game-show host Bob Barker visited northwest Louisiana Thursday to open a new area at Chimp Haven, a national chimpanzee sanctuary, and to watch as five HIV-infected chimps transferred from a closed Texas facility were introduced to their new home. "They came down the hill through the timber, some of them running on their hind legs. Just running," Barker said after the ceremony. "They were so happy. One climbed a tree clear to the top. They played with balls and they ate bananas. "I had a lump in my throat. I almost burst into tears, I was so happy when I saw it."

http://tinyurl.com/85tvnzk

Animal Photos Of The Week

This was certainly a week for good animal news. 120 new camera traps have been added to the national park in Indonesia where the world's last 35 Javan rhinos reside. Heavily poached for their horns, the rhinos will be a bit safer with the cameras in place, according to Scientific American.

http://tinyurl.com/cnzcfe8

Rescue Wildlife In 'Animal Kingdom' Game

Most parents are aware that their teenage kids socialize on Facebook. But some parents might not realize that their teens also play games within the Facebook application. While many of these Facebook games are simply fun time-fillers, the new Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers teaches players about real world ecology and conservation issues. This Facebook game has even been tied to raising money for the Jane Goodall Institute.

http://tinyurl.com/7t22ad7

Celebrate The Human-Animal Bond Every Day

Being kind to animals is something we should do year-round, of course, but it never hurts to take a moment—or a week—to think about some of the best ways to do that. Here are some ideas to help make your dog or cat’s life  better—not just for a week but throughout its life:

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