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Closing one year and welcoming a new one is incredibly exciting. While this year was action-packed, to say the least, next is sure to bring many, many more surprises. Animal activists and organizations across the world have worked tirelessly this year to bring about change for animals and we can only imagine the wonderful things that are in store for next.
It can be difficult to keep motivated in the fight for animals. As animal lovers we have all been shocked or discouraged by the actions wrought against animals at one time or another. But, if this year has taught us anything, it is the importance of carrying on in defense of the world’s voiceless animals against all odds. We have come far, but there is still a long way to go in the world of Animal rights, captivity and entertainment. So, in order to help you kick off the new year on the right foot, we wanted to recap all the awesome things that people have done for animals in 2014. We have little doubt that we’ll be able to top this in 2015!
1. Man Dives Into the Ocean to Rescue a 400-lb Black Bear
After Animal Control tried to sedate a black bear who was roaming through a neighborhood in Alligator Point, Florida, the drowsy bear wandered into the bay and started to drown. Seeing the bear in distress, a kind bystander jumped in and helped tow the bear all the way to shore. Read the full story here.
2. Russian Sailors Rescue Dog Stranded on Ice
3. Firefighter Goes to Great Lengths to Save a Kitten
4. Theo the Dog Gets a Life-Changing Make Over
5. Animal Place Helps to Rescue 1,800 Egg-Laying Hens
6. Animal Rescue Corps Saves 136 Dogs from Puppy Mill
7. Orphaned Elephant Calf Rescued via Helicopter
8. Diver Saves Sea Turtle and Receives a Big Thank You
9. Patrick the Pit Bull Rescued from Trash Chute Makes Full Recovery!
After being abandoned in a garbage chute, Patrick was rescued and cared for for months until he made a full recovery. Patrick has been adopted and now gets to celebrate every holiday with the people he loves! See his full transformation here.
10. Divers Free Manta Ray From Fishing Line
11. Kind Passerby Saves Stuck Hummingbird
12. Man Dives Into Frozen Lake to Rescue Bird
This man in Norway saw a duck frozen upside down under the ice in a nearby lake. In no time at all he was able to rescue the bird and get him warm and happy again. Read the full story here.
13. Florida Beach Goers Band Together to Help Beach Manatee Back Into Water
14. Man Crawls on Thin Ice to Save Drowning Dog
15. Man Drives Car Into Canal to Rescue Dog
16. The Humane Society of the United States Rescues 50 Dogs From Dogfighting Ring
17. Rescue Workers From Animals Aid Unlimited Save Injured Cow From Garbage Pit
18. Raju the Elephant is Freed After Spending 50 Years in Captivity!
The story of Raju the elephant captivated an international audience when news that he had been rescued from a life in misery working on the streets of India made headlines. Raju’s freedom was secured with the help of Wildlife SOS and he is now learning how to be an elephant in the care of the Wildlife SOS elephant sanctuary. Read the full story here.
Wildlife SOS
19. Night Divers Rescue Bottlenose Dolphin From Fishing Line
20. Heroic River Boarder Saves Drowning Squirrel
So Green Monsters, what were your favorite stories about humans going to amazing lengths to help animals? Tell us in the comments!
Lead image source: Becky Bickerstaff and Adam Warwick of The Nature Conservancy
A pretty good vegan cooking video was made in 2014
https://y2u.be/VI6tBwVjyOY
Forgive my cynicism, but I don\’t think that large, national animal protection organizations with dozens to hundreds of full-time paid staff members and multi-million dollar operating budgets should make this list. After all, it is THEIR JOB to do nice things for animals. What is more remarkable are the individuals who risk their lives — at no benefit to themselves — to save an animal. The guy who saved the duck in the frozen lake, the divers who saved the dolphin and the manta ray — those are far more noteworthy stories of human kindness.
I lived in Taiwan for 7 years and a friend, Christopher Ward, found a circus tent in the jungle with four tigers. They were starving, no food, no water, living in cages full of their own shit. He contacted the local news station before contacting the police because he believed that the police were in on it. Of course these tigers were to be used for Medicines. All four of them, thanks to Chris\’s efforts, were rescued and sent to conservation and wildlife centers…NOT ZOOS.
True, it\’s their job, but the animals don\’t care.
Sorry, I put this in the wrong post.