Dog abandoned because of his face finds mom who thinks he’s perfect

Also: A cat who won’t stop stealing. No Images? [Click here]( April 25, 2018 Good morning! Today we have a dog with the most unusual face, a cat who’s obsessed with stealing and a tortoise who ran away from home. 1. Dog Abandoned Because Of His Face Finds Mom Who Thinks He's Perfect Photo Credit: Jamie Hulit Beaux Tox has a face that’s hard to forget. His perpetually pensive, deeply wrinkled forehead seems at odds with his wagging tail and happy-go-lucky attitude. Some might be put off by Beaux’s unique look, but for Jamie Hulit, a single photo was all it took to convince her that the yellow Lab’s life was worth saving. “A friend of mine posted a picture of Beaux on Facebook saying he needed a foster or to be adopted — anything,” Hulit told The Dodo. “That day I sent him a message saying, ‘I would love to take that dog in and give him a home.’” Beaux has stood out since before he was born. With little room to grow in his mom’s womb due to his six brothers and sisters, he developed a sunken cranium and close-set eyes, according to Hulit. “He just kind of got pushed out of the way, and formed how he formed,” Hulit noted, “but it has nothing to do with his intelligence.” An MRI confirmed that the head deformity did not affect his personality or his chances at living a long, healthy life, she said. Beaux's early years were difficult nonetheless. “Because of his facial deformity, the people who were breeding couldn’t sell him,” Hulit said. “So they gave him away for free.” A man who lived nearby in Austin, Texas, took in the odd little puppy, but when Beaux Tox, named Lucky at the time, didn’t get along with the man’s cats, he was banished to the backyard, according to Hulit. For five years, the gentle dog remained outside, Hulit said, severely neglected by his owner and all alone — without even a dog bed for comfort. Local rescue groups attempted to intervene and find Beaux a better situation, but after spending his whole life in a small yard without any training or direction, Beaux was returned to the man’s backyard again and again. When Hulit went to meet Beaux at the man’s home, she was unsure of what to expect. Entering the backyard, she found a mere shell of a dog: the Lab’s rib cage jutted out from beneath his blonde fur, which practically hung off his emaciated frame. Covered in fleas and infested with ear mites, Beaux’s health issues didn’t put off Hulit, who knew she’d be his last chance at a real home. “At that point I didn’t care how badly he might be ill,” Hulit said. “I just didn’t want him to go into the foster system again and be returned.” Hulit, who was in foster care herself for two years before being adopted at the age of 9, knew what it meant to be passed from family to family. “I wanted him to have stability and a place he knew was his home,” Hulit added. “That is why I adopted him outright from the owner. Beaux Tox had already bounced around and I just wanted him to be a dog.” When Hulit brought Beaux to the Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic in Kerrville, Texas, his chances of survival were even worse than she had imagined. Beaux tested positive for heartworms, a disease that over time permanently damages the organs, and he was far too weak to begin any type of treatment. Dr. Jay Rydberg determined that Beaux only had a 50-50 chance of survival, but Hulit had already made a secret pledge to save the dog’s life. Photo Credit: Jamie Hulit “I told the vet I didn’t care,” she said. In and out of an oxygen tank for the first month of his recovery, Beaux’s health was touch-and-go. Dr. Rydberg stayed with him around the clock, even calling Hulit into the office at 3 a.m. to say goodbye when things looked bleak. But like his new mom, Beaux wouldn’t give up. As weeks turned to months, he slowly put on weight, and was finally strong enough to go through heartworm treatment. Though he had lost hearing in his left ear due to the ear mite damage and still has trouble seeing out of his right eye, Beaux was finally given a clean bill of health. Since arriving at Hulit’s home, Beaux has transformed completely. “He was an outside dog, but you’d never know because he does not want to go outside,” she said. “He’ll go out if you do, but if you stay in, he’ll stand right by the door and look through the window.” Photo Credit: Jamie Hulit The now 6-year-old dog has also bonded with his brother, Riley, a 13-year-old golden retriever. “Riley and Beaux absolutely love each other,” Hulit added. “They’re perfect for each other even with the age difference and even though Beaux acts like a puppy — it helps Riley stay young.” It’s been a year since Beaux left the backyard for good, and Beaux is fully embracing his new life, acting as hyper and joyful as a puppy. His mom almost can’t believe just how far he’s come. “He’s so full of life,” Hulit added, “and he’s just brought so much to us.” 2. Cat Who Loves To Steal Finally Takes Things Too Far Photo Credit: Simone Kirchner Don't let Lilli's sweet whiskered cheeks and adorably boopable nose fool you. This cat is pretty much a hardened criminal. Lilli lives in Weilheim in Oberbayern, Germany, with Simone Kirchner and her family. Before being adopted, she'd lived with her former owner in a small apartment in a big city, but her owner felt bad about the shortage of space and made the decision to rehome her. Kirchner, who resides in a quiet neighborhood with a yard, volunteered to take Lilli in. The grateful kitty has been working to thank her ever since. "Almost every day, she brings us a little present," Kirchner told The Dodo, "things like branches, apples, stones and moss." But recently, Lilli decided to kick things up a notch. Apparently having grown bored of gleaning gifts from her backyard, Lilli started venturing farther out to mix things up. One day, she came home carrying some yarn. Kirchner was a little taken aback by Lilli's colorful present, but figured she must have found it lying on the ground somewhere. No one would be missing a random bunch of wool, right? Photo Credit: Simone Kirchner But then Lilli came home with an object that had undoubtedly been stolen: a ball of yarn, some knitting needles and a half-knitted sock that someone had been very close to finishing. Carrying it indoors, it had already begun to unravel. The klepto kitty had claimed a victim. "She thieved the sock from our neighbor," Kirchner said. "I felt a bit ashamed, but the neighbor just laughed, so I laughed also." Lilli, meanwhile, seemed unrepentant. Had Lilli's crime spree ended there, it would have been much easier for everyone. But rather than quit her thieving ways after getting caught, the cat went all in. The next item Lilli stole? A purse. She stole a purse. "Lilli came through the cat flap with the handle in her mouth," Kirchner said. "I was very surprised." The cat deposited the purse so Kirchner could grab it, doing so with her typical air of nonchalance. Kirchner has no idea whom the bag belongs to, or where it came from. There was nothing inside indicating who might be its rightful owner, so she posted about it on Facebook. "The thief has struck again!" Kirchner wrote. "If someone is missing this purse, can you please contact me?" It's been about two weeks, but so far no one has come forward to claim the purse. Fortunately, in that time, Lilli has evidently decided to lay low for a while to let the heat die down. She's returned to gifting her owner more mundane items from the yard — for now. 3. Huge Tortoise Who Broke His Shell Is So Glad To Be Safe Photo Credit: San Diego Animal Services Humpty the tortoise is nearly 40 years old — but nothing could have prepared him for the trouble he got into last week. After escaping from his owner’s home in San Diego, California, Humpty was wandering the streets when a dog began chasing him. He got so spooked that he fell onto his back from a 10-foot-high retaining wall, breaking a portion of his shell in the process. The San Diego County Department of Animal Services responded right away — and it was clear how much pain the tortoise was in. “We’ve seen a lot of tortoises and turtles, but nothing to the size or severity of Humpty’s injuries,” Dan DeSousa, director of the department, told The Dodo. “We had to get his shell back together as soon as possible.” The team rushed Humpty to a reptile specialist, who began the long surgery to put the pieces back together. While the process to heal a broken shell is lengthy, it can be done with proper casting and care, DeSousa said. “Many of the pieces were raised, so they needed to be aligned back together,” DeSousa said. “After that, they used screws and zip ties to hold everything in place for the healing process.” The surgeons also filled the gaps between the broken fragments with a material similar to what dentures are made from, which will further help his shell heal over the coming weeks and months. Being that Humpty was in good health aside from the injury, DeSousa is confident he was someone’s pet. One person reached out to claim him after seeing local news coverage of the rescue, but after learning that the cost of the surgery would be nearly $4,000, they did not follow through. It’s unknown whether this person was actually Humpty’s owner. Photo Credit: San Diego Animal Services Humpty is an African spurred tortoise, or sulcata tortoise, which is the third-largest species of tortoise in the world. They can weigh up to 200 pounds as adults and live more than 70 years. Unfortunately, they’re a common breed in the exotic pet industry, and are often abandoned once they grow too large for their owners to properly house and care for. While Humpty’s recovery will take a while, he is being continually monitored by his caretakers to ensure he has everything he needs to stay comfortable. For now, he’s resting at the shelter — and when he’s feeling better, will be transferred to a local tortoise rescue. Luckily, he’s doing well so far. After this ordeal, it’s likely Humpty won’t try hitting the road on his own anytime soon. “Despite how slow they are, sulcata tortoises are very powerful animals,” DeSousa said. “They can burrow out of a yard or even break boards off a fence if it’s not secure. He’s not out of the woods quite yet, but we expect him to make a full recovery.” Why do my dog’s paws smell like Fritos? People often say the peculiar smell given off by dogs’ paws reminds them of Fritos. But rest assured: The smell is a totally natural and common side effect of the bacteria that live on even the cleanest dog paws. But why Fritos? The bacteria — called proteus or pseudomonas — that live on their paws give off an unusual yeasty smell, much like the smell given off by corn chips. But if your dog's "Frito feet" affliction is strong enough to bother you, there are things you can do to keep the odor a little less noticeable. The easiest way to keep your dog smelling fresh is to stay on top of grooming, in particular by keeping the fur between his nails trimmed and making sure his paws are scrubbed. Of course, if you’re finding the distinct smell completely unmanageable, it's always a good idea to get a veterinarian to check for infection, just to be safe! 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