Move over, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. It’s time for the biggest pet stories of 2017. The nation watched in suspense with April the giraffe as she awaited the birth of her baby calf. And who could forget watching hundreds of dogs get rescued from the devastating hurricanes that hit places like Texas and Florida? From uplifting stories to dogs running for mayor, these are Us Weekly’s most newsworthy pets of 2017. Watch the video and check out their full stories below!
Us Weekly’s Kitten Cam
Adoptable kittens from Best Friend’s Animal Society took over Us Weekly’s studio for eight hours in October for a live stream on Facebook. The studio was converted into a mini kitten apartment and the felines spent their time playing, lounging and being oh-so-cute!
After 10 long weeks… pic.twitter.com/pZUvyLjHN5
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) September 3, 2017
Chris Evans Reunites with His Dog Dodger
Chris Evan’s reunited with his best furry friend – his dog Dodger – in an adorably sweet video the actor shared on his Twitter. The Avengers star had spent 10 weeks away from his pooch after being on location for a film.
Liev Schreiber Adopts Hurricane Dogs
While doing an appearance at Live With Kelly and Ryan in September, Liev Schreiber brought home two pups – a brother and a sister – rescued from Hurricane Harvey.
Finn Runs For Mayor in St. John’s, Canada
Finn, an Australian cattle dog, ran for mayor of St. John’s, Newfoundland in Canada in September. The pup’s trainer, Glen Redmond, shared a playful campaign style video on his Facebook page, saying, “Potholes will be a thing of the past with Finn’s hands on leadership. Business owners will see a bright future with Finn at the helm. Finn’s tax reduction plan is a real eye opener.”
Mo, the Dog With the Longest Tongue in the World
Saint Bernard Mochi “Mo” Rickert broke the world record for longest tongue in the world earlier this year. The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, pup’s tongue measures 7.31 inches in length!
Frida the Hero Dog
After an earthquake hit central Mexico in September, killing more than 300 people, according to USA Today, rescue teams went out to search for people in need. One member of the search team happened to be a four-legged hero named Frida, an 8-year-old Labrador mix who rescued a dozen people, and found over 53 bodies buried under the rubble.
Hurricane Rescued Dogs
Furry friends across the nation needed some help after being displaced by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida. For more information on helping our furry friends in need, visit aspca.org.
Fiona the Baby Hippo
The Cincinnati Zoo must be saying “hip hip hooray” after Fiona the baby hippo became an internet sensation. According to the zoo, the “baby hippopotamus was born 6 weeks premature … and is the smallest hippo ever to survive.” The hippo even has her own Facebook page and show now. Follow her here.
April the Giraffe
April the giraffe made headlines earlier this year when she went viral during her pregnancy. The Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York, where she lives, launched a live stream so that millions of fans across the world could follow her pregnancy. After months of anticipation, April gave birth on April 15 to a baby boy, Tajiri. Rumor has it that April might be having another baby in 2018 … stay tuned!