When Owners Go to Extreme Lengths for Their Pets

For most of us, pet care and ownership is about more than just having an animal in our home. Our pets become a huge part of our family. We take them on vacations, we buy them birthday and Christmas gifts and we love them as if they were our own flesh and blood. Our intense compassion and commitment towards our pets also means that we sometimes let our hearts rule our heads.

Here are just a few stories in which owners have gone the extra mile when it comes to their pets.

Man vs Kangaroo

Back in December 2016, video camera footage of a man taking on a large kangaroo in the Australian outback took social media by storm. The situation arose during what appears to be a hunting trip in rural bushland. When the dog fails to return when called, his owner spots him being held around the neck by the marsupial.

With no regard for his own safety, the man immediately rushes in to save his beloved pet. Unfortunately, the roo has no intention of giving up the dog easily, and lashes out with his leg. However, after a few moments, the owner proves to be enough of a threat for the man-sized roo for it to release the dog which then runs away.

As the two square-off, the owner throws a forceful punch which lands on the head of the roo, sending him stumbling backwards. Seizing his opportunity to escape before the menacing creature regains his composure, the owner and his dog run back to the truck. Thankfully, the roo chooses not to give chase and instead bounds off into the bush.

Operation Goldfish

U.K newspapers broke the story of a highly unusual veterinary surgery, performed in the county of Norfolk. An avid goldfish enthusiast found that one of his beloved pet fish was suffering from severe constipation. Anxious to relieve the pain his fish must be feeling, he paid £300 (around $370) for an operation to return his fish to full health.

The operation was performed by British veterinarian Faye Bethell, who carefully putting a minute dose of anesthetising agent into the fish’s water. She then used tiny tools to remove the blockages from the body of the goldfish. The operation on the three-inch fish took around 50 minutes, and you will be pleased to hear that the patient made a full recovery!

Helicopter Charter to Find Missing Dog

Also in the UK, what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation turned into a nightmare for one dog owner when his adored Boxer dog went missing. The dog, named Murphy, disappeared while his owner and his partner were enjoying a few days away in a mountainous part of the UK known as the Lake District.

A mountain rescue team was drafted in to help with the search. However, when there was still no sign of Murphy, a social media campaign by a local rescue team went viral, even attracting the attention of some television and sporting stars. Donations began to flood in, enabling Murphy’s worried owner to charter a helicopter in order to continue the search.

Murphy was discovered around 100 metres from where he was lost, completely unharmed apart from some grazes. He had also lost around 5kg in weight. Since his rescue, Murphy has made a complete recovery and become something of a celebrity in his home town.