Link & I would like to start 2019 off with a big THANK YOU to all those humans out there that help animals. From big, heroic feats to small acts of human decency, THANK YOU!

If you have rescued a hamster from a burning building, stopped your car for a squirrel that likes to dance in the road, adopted an animal in need, donated to your local shelter, or done anything to positively influence the life of an animal, THANK YOU!

YOU make the world a more tolerable place. YOU give others hope that we aren’t all selfish monsters. YOU help us let out a sigh of relief.

Thanks.

Here are some positive animal stories to start your 2019 off on a good note.

You know those little hermit crabs you see with tiny intricate scenes painted on their shells? You usually find them in mall pet stores, perhaps even a friend had one in growing up. Well, a lot of those end up forgotten or released onto the beaches of the East Coast (they are native to the Caribbean). People who get them often do not know what care they require, forget about them quickly, and they are left in the corner of the room like an unloved houseplant. But one wonderful woman named Sarah Porter drove across 3 states rescuing about 30 of  these under-appreciated animals. Read the entire article, and watch a cute video, at USA Today

A lot of people are nice enough to volunteer at shelters during the busy holiday season, and this magician (John Stessel) decided he wanted to help dogs get adopted by showing them magic tricks and then making adorable videos of their reactions! It always benefits shelters animals to get them to break out of their shell and forget about the stress of shelter life, that way potential adopters can get a glimpse of their true personality. Using treats in an illusion is always a good way to get an silly, yet honest reaction from a dog 🙂

This is utterly amazing. Sea Life Trust has done something pretty cool to help with those sea animals that have worked a life in showbiz and cannot return to the wild, specifically Beluga Whales, Sea Life Trust has made the very first Open Sea Whale Sanctuary and in Spring of this year it will be the new home to Little White and Little Grey, two Belugas that had been working at a Chinese waterpark for more than 7 years, and have recently retired. The whales are 12 years old and spend their days floating around a small concrete tank. Soon they will be taking a 6,000mi trip from Shanghai to their new 344,000 sq ft bay home in Iceland.

This story might be the hardest to watch, but it has a good payoff too. Classic story of sweet, kind woman walking through a neighborhood to meet abandoned, malnourished dog knocking on Death’s door and forever changing his life.