Parents trust day care workers will keep their children safe and put the baby’s needs ahead of their own as if it was their own child.

However, one North Carolina mom is furious after discovering that a day care worker who was looking after her son crossed the line and treated him a little too much like her own son after a security camera caught the woman breastfeeding him.

According to mom Kaycee Oxendine, the day care worker asked if she wanted her to breastfeed her son and she was very clear when she told the woman no. “She said that she had a son and did I want her to put my child to her breast and breastfeed?” Oxendine said. “And I said no, that’s nasty. We don’t do things like that.”

Yet a few minutes after Oxendine walked out of the room, the woman can be seen lifting up her top and putting her breast to the boy’s mouth. “As a mom, you’ve taken something from me, because I wasn’t able to defend my child,” said Oxendine, who knew something had happened when her son, who is lactose intolerant, came home feeling sick. “I wasn’t there,” she said.

“To me, a criminal act was committed against him,” she said. “Not only did you put your breast to my son, you also made my son sick because he’s lactose. So you’ve put something in his body that his body can’t digest.”The director of the daycare fired the worker, but Oxendine wants the woman to face criminal charges and is having police investigate the incident.

Watch the entire video below to see how this mom discovered that a daycare worker breastfed her baby.

How would you react if you found out someone else breastfed your baby? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: NBC]

Day Care Worker Caught Breastfeeding Baby Without Permission is an article from: LifeDaily

Many expectant moms have every intention of breastfeeding their baby. However, once they give birth, some find out it’s not as easy as they expected and are crippled with guilt and frustration.

Mom-of-two Ashely Clifford knows how devastating it can be to not be able to breastfeed when she struggled to produce enough milk for her first child, which is why she decided to donate almost 20 pounds worth of breast milk after having a much easier time breastfeeding with her second child.

“He latched just fine, but I wasn’t producing enough for him,” the 26-year-old mom said about her experience nursing her son two years ago. “I tried for about a month, exclusively nursing and pumping, but nothing seemed to help my supply at all. I was on an exhausting schedule with him, taking Fenugreek supplements, nursing every two hours and pumping for 20-plus minutes after each nursing session. I was so stressed out, tired, frustrated and felt helpless.”

Finally, Clifford accepted that she needed to supplement her milk with formula, and was stunned by how much her son improved once he was fed enough. “He was like a new baby,” Clifford said. “I absolutely wanted to nurse him longer, but I had to put what was best for him ahead of what I wanted. I kind of felt like a failure with not being able to provide for him naturally, but seeing him happy and growing made me happy.”

So when Clifford gave birth to her daughter Ellie, she decided to try breastfeeding again and was thrilled that she producing more than enough milk this time around. “Ellie won’t take a bottle from me, so I nurse on demand with her. Our deep freezer was starting to get full with the milk I had stored, and since she hasn’t had an interest in taking a bottle from me, I started looking into donation.”

“I’ve heard lots of people say ‘breast is best’ and while I agree that the nutrients are best for babies, I do not agree with shaming moms who can’t breastfeed, or have trouble with it,” said Clifford, who hopes her donations will help a mom who can’t produce her own milk. “I feel that as a parent, my job is to provide what’s best for my child and if that means giving my baby formula so they don’t starve, then that’s what I will do.”

“Moms already have enough going on emotionally after having a baby, making someone feel bad for choosing formula over nursing shouldn’t be added to the stress.”

What do you think of this mom’s reason for donating so much of her breast milk? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured Image: Instagram/ashleymclifford]

Mom Donates 295 Oz. Of Breast Milk For Moms Who Can’t Breastfeed is an article from: LifeDaily

There isn’t much that can get a person’s adrenaline pumping more than being a witness to an accident or seeing another living being in immediate danger.

It’s this kind of energy rush that can take a normal person or animal and turn them into a hero, just for being in the right place at the time and doing what their heart tells them to. That’s exactly what one brave hero did in Connecticut when he saw a child in a terrifying situation.

Milford man John O’Rourke doesn’t think he deserves the title of hero but after a recent trip to his nearby Mondo Pond while walking his dog, many people would beg to differ. The 62-year-old worried when he saw a group of kids playing on dangerously thin ice and was there just in time when one 10-year-old boy ventured even further and fell in.

O’Rourke told Patch.com her saw the boy’s face in the water and heard him shout out that he was going to die. “When you see this little round face screaming, that’s something you just can’t leave,” said O’Rourke.”I don’t think there’s a human in the world that would not jump out and grab him.”

Police Officers and a concerned citizen rescued a 10 year old Milford resident who fell through the ice @ Mondo's Pond. Boy taken to ER.

— Milford CT PD (@MilfordCT_PD) February 5, 2017

That’s when O’Rourke knew he had to help, but needed to be careful not to fall in himself. He then grabbed a stick and began to wiggle his way about 25 yards off the shore. Unfortunately, it was too risky and when O’Rourke grabbed the boy, he fell in the icy water as well.

“This citizen just went out there with nothing, so he’s the one who really risked his life,” Milford Police Department Public Information Officer Michael DeVito said. “We feel that the citizen who is not trained in this didn’t have the equipment, he’s really the hero in this case.”

Did this hero’s act of kindness put a smile on your face today? Let us know in the comments and please SHARE this video with your friends on Facebook today!

[Featured Image: Yahoo]

Good Samaritan Jumps Into Icy Pond To Save Little Boy From Drowning is an article from: LifeDaily

After a Kentucky woman went into labor three months before her due date, she and her husband worried if their tiny baby would ever make it out of the NICU.

Nicole and Blaine Mike have been trying to have a baby for 10 years, so they were absolutely thrilled when they found out they were expecting a baby. But their elation was short-lived. Nicole went into labor only 21 weeks into the pregnancy on Oct. 24.

Because baby Meredith was born so prematurely, she would have to overcome incredible obstacles if she was going to survive. The baby, who weighed just two pounds, faced pneumonia, lung collapse, heart surgery, blood transfusions, eye treatments and much more. Incredibly, she overcame almost everything and after three months in the NICU, baby Meredith was finally allowed to go home.

Meredith still needs continuous oxygen and needs to see eye and lung specialists for now, but doctors are confident she’ll outgrow the issues. “Other than lungs and eyes, Meredith is a medical miracle,” Nicole said. “She has been referred to as a ‘miracle baby’ many times by doctors and nurses at University of Tennessee Medical Center.”

And when it was time for Nicole and Blaine Mike to drive Meredith home, they were thrilled. Yet they soon found out that they weren’t the only ones excited. As they drove into town, the couple discovered the town had planned a parade just for Meredith that had almost 100 pink cars, pink fireworks, balloons, and streamers. Once they got home, they also found two giant pink teddy bears on their front lawn. “We had heard that our community had planned a special homecoming, but we could have never prepared ourselves for such an overwhelming and heartwarming arrival!” Nicole said. “We were beaming with pure joy and gratitude ― in addition to pride in being such a part of a wonderful town!”

While Meredith was in the NICU, the Middlesboro community came together to comfort and aid her family. “We were completely overcome by the continuous spiritual, emotional and financial support we received during our three-month hospital stay. We were receiving, cards, phone calls, and love offerings daily. People sent bible verses, prayers and words of encouragement via my mother-in-law’s Facebook page,” Nicole said about the support they received while Meredith was in the hospital. “Each of those cards, comments, prayers, and offerings were often what got us through many dark days,” Nicole said.

“Regardless of the situation, the bleak outlook, the tumultuous circumstances, the dim prognosis, NEVER give up on a prayer request! NEVER give up on a dream,” Nicole said. “NEVER give up on people!”

Watch the entire video below to see the heartwarming thing one town did to show their support for these new parents.

How would you react if you saw those touching messages while driving home for the first time with your baby? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured Image: The Mike Family]

Community Organizes Surprise Homecoming For Couple’s Preemie is an article from: LifeDaily

Many people think that the most difficult part of being in the military is the actual work itself, but when you’re a mom or dad first and a soldier second, leaving your loved ones is usually the hardest.

And every parent knows that what’s tough for themselves is usually a lot tougher on their kids. That’s why when Air Force Major Steve Dillenburger was chosen for his first deployment overseas since being a dad he wanted to make sure that his young son Sean wouldn’t miss him too much.

The Annandale, VA dad decided to put 190 Hershey’s Kisses in a jar for his tiny 3-year-old, one for every day he would be away.  “It was just something sweet at the end of the night and a reminder that (Steve) was thinking about him and loves him,” wife and mom Mary Ellen Dillenburger told TODAY.

When the kisses started running out, Sean got excited knowing that Steve would soon be home from Kuwait, and when that day finally came it couldn’t be any more precious.  “It was really sweet,” Mary Ellen said. “I was excited to see my son run out there, so I kind of hung back a little bit and watched how excited how happy he was to have daddy home finally.”

“It was really sweet,” Mary Ellen said. “I was excited to see my son run out there, so I kind of hung back a little bit and watched how excited how happy he was to have daddy home finally.”

Sean who also has a little sister, 1-year-old Ann Marie, made sure to eat his Hershey’s Kiss every day before bed and would take the jar of treats everywhere so he wouldn’t forget.

“We’re lucky because we were able to FaceTime with him while he was gone, so it wasn’t like he was never able to see them, but this was just a great way to end each day,” Mary Ellen told TODAY.

The family realizes that their sweet story might be able to help others military families in the same difficult position. “So many go through this all the time, and we were lucky it was a relatively short deployment in a relatively safe place,” Mary Ellen said. “It’s just nice to have a spotlight on all the military families because you can’t understand what it’s like until you go through it.”

Please SHARE this story if it put a smile on your face today!

[Featured Image: TODAY]

Military Dad Finds Leaves Son A ‘Kiss’ For Every Night He’s On Deployment is an article from: LifeDaily

A house fire can be absolutely devastating. It’s one disaster no family ever wants to have to try and recover from and sometimes never even make it out alive.

What happened to one Minnesota mom was a true nightmare. When her Alexandria home burst into flames, Amanda Scott’s five children miraculously made it out unharmed. She, unfortunately, did not.

“It was terrible,” Angie Burkhalter, Amanda’s sister, told local station Fox 9. “I’d never seen anything like it. It was like a horror movie. The stuff you see in scary movies.”Firefighters found the mom just a few feet away from the door, where she collapsed in the inferno.

“I just remember going to sleep – the next thing you know, I’m in the hospital,” she said. It’s incredible that the mom survived after suffering from smoke inhalation and severe third-degree burns all over her body. However, by some miracle, she started to recover at an escalated and unusual rate. She was discharged from the hospital just six weeks after the fire.

Amanda told Fox 9 her recovery was “Definitely a miracle. Never seen anything like it.” “I feel like I’m in my body, but definitely different…I feel remade.” The miracle mom said she cried after seeing the wreckage of the fire’s devastating path. “It was crazy,” Amanda told Fox 9.

She also recently had the opportunity to thank the heroes who saved her life.  “It was very nice,” she said. “Usually, they say it’s a victim, not someone who survives that they pull out. I was fortunate.”

Please SHARE this miracle mom’s amazing recovery story with someone today.

Mom Makes Miraculous Recovery After Escaping Terrifying House Fire is an article from: LifeDaily

This past Tuesday, a deadly tornado hit eastern New Orleans. It ran along the ground for about two miles and left total destruction in its path.

Mom Amanda Stockfelt, who works at an impound yard in the eastern part of the city, had been at work like any other day. But unlike most other days, she had brought along her 2-month-old baby named Autumn along because they had a doctor’s appointment later on.

Stockfelt had been keeping an eye on weather alerts when she suddenly heard what sounded like a freight train and realized that it was actually a tornado. “All I could think of was to put my daughter back in her car seat, to strap her in,” Stockfelt said. “I shoved her underneath my work desk and I got underneath it with her.” Seconds later, the tornado was ripping apart the trailer. “We heard the trailer ripping apart, it flipped over backward and it exploded. It was like the trailer just broke into a million pieces and then the tornado sucked us up.”

Thankfully, Stockfelt had managed to strap Autumn into her car seat because they got sucked up into the tornado as it passed by.“All I could think of when we were in the tornado is don’t let go,” the 35-year-old said. “I never let go because I was afraid if I let go, it was going to take her and I’d never find her. It was the most terrifying thing in my life. It’s a miracle, it really is.”

“I have no clue how I was able to hang on to that car seat but I did, because she was above my head,” Stockfelt said. “My tennis shoes were sucked off of my feet. I still haven’t found my shoes.” Stockfelt has no idea how long they were inside the tornado, but they miraculously landed just 10 feet from where the trailer was with just a few minor scratches and bruises. “It just looked like a bomb had exploded,” she said. Yet Stockfelt could focus on anything besides Autumn. “I thought she was dead,” Stockfelt said. “She wasn’t crying and at first her eyes were closed because of the dirt and the rain… I didn’t care about anything else. I didn’t feel my injuries ’till hours later.”

“I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it,” she said. “It’s just like you see that in a movie, and it happened to me and my 2-month-old daughter. We lived and I’m able to tell you our story. I don’t know, obviously, God has a plan for me and my daughter because other than by God’s grace, we shouldn’t be here.”

Watch the entire video below to see the incredible way this mom and her baby survived a tornado.

Can you believe how this mom managed to save her baby? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: NBC]

Mom Saves Newborn After Getting Sucked Up In A Tornado is an article from: LifeDaily

No one goes through childhood without getting a few scratches and bruises, however, one UK family learned the hard way that even the smallest cuts need to be taken seriously after a small scratch turned deadly.

Three-year-old Abbi Holland had been playing on the playground at school when she accidentally tripped and scraped her knee. The school’s staff gave her a wet paper towel to clean out the cut, however, just a few hours later, she rapidly developed a 109-degree fever and her parents, Caz and Dave Holland, rushed her straight to the hospital.

The small scratch became infected because it wasn’t properly cleaned or covered, and once at the hospital, her doctors tried giving her antibiotics to kill the infection but they caused severe reactions. Abbi ended up staying in the hospital for four months battling the infection, which ended up damaging her heart. In order for Abbi to survive, doctors told her terrified parents that they had to perform open heart surgery to treat the aortic valve leak.

“To be told that they are going to have to stop your little girl’s heart and there’s no guarantee they will be able to start it again is terrifying. Then to hear that if they did manage to there was a chance she could be brain damaged— well you wouldn’t wish that on your worst enemy,” David said.

Thankfully the surgery was successful, but the now seven-year-old will need more surgery in the future and has to take medication for the rest of her life. Now, the Holland family is spreading their story to show how important basic first aid is.

“We are not trying to bad mouth or blacklist anyone, we just want to promote basic first aid and get the message out about how important it is. You just don’t think this could happen as a result of a fall in a playground. It’s an eye opener, that something so small and simple could be life changing. Such a simple thing caused this and we wouldn’t want to see anyone go through what Abbi has been through.”

Did you know how dangerous a small scratch could be? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friend son Facebook.

[Featured image: Manchester Evening News]

Little Girl Almost Loses Her Life After Scraping Her Knee is an article from: LifeDaily

Finding out you’re going to be a parent is beyond exciting for any mom or dad-to-be, but as you can see in the following video, many times it’s the other members of a person’s family who just can’t handle the good news.

Just take this amazing video for example. Dad’s heartwarming reaction to finding out he’s finally going to be a grandpa didn’t have just their entire family in tears. Over 5 million views prove that surprising your parents with a pregnancy announcement is the very best way to spill the beans.

In the following video, we see a grandpa-to-be who clearly has been waiting for a while for his daughter to give her a grandson or granddaughter and when that time finally came, he could barely control himself.

“Surprise!! Great Dads get promoted to Grandpa!! Our dad totally didn’t get it at first…he couldn’t of been happier. Chelsea is his youngest daughter. His baby is going to have a baby!!”

Congrats to Mom, Dad, and the happy grandparents-in-training! We know this little one is in very good hands.

Please SHARE this video with your friends on Facebook today!

[Featured Image: Facebook

Daughter Surprises Dad With Amazing Pregnancy Announcement is an article from: LifeDaily

Babies born prematurely or with congenital disabilities don’t always meet milestones at the same rate as other children, and for one Colorado baby born both prematurely and with birth defects, that meant having to wait four long months before getting to hear his mom’s voice.

Matthew Swetnam was born eight weeks early and weighed only 2 pounds, 11 ounces. He was also born with several congenital disabilities because of a congenital cytomegalovirus, CMV, and had to spend the first 47 days of his life in the NICU. “Matthew was born with congenital cytomegalovirus (“CMV”), which is similar to the Zika virus and is the leading viral cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities. Matthew has suffered greatly from congenital CMV,” his mom Erin Swetnam explained.

“Matthew has hepatitis and an enlarged spleen, as well as cysts and calcification on his brain. Additionally, he is deaf,” Erin said. So for the first few months of his life, Matthew was never able to hear his own mother’s voice. That all changed when he was fitted with hearing aids at four months.

The emotional moments was all caught on camera and when Matthew first heard his mom’s voice, his eyes adorably bulged from their sockets before letting out a stunned cry. “Is mama’s voice not very pleasant?” joked Erin, who couldn’t help but cry at the special, yet overdue, moment. “In the future, he will most likely receive bilateral cochlear implants.”

Watch the entire video below to see the precious moment this tiny baby hears his mom speak for the first time.

Can you believe this stunned baby’s instant reaction? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured Image: YouTube/Erin Swetnam]

Deaf Four-Month-Old Hears Mom’s Voice For The First Time is an article from: LifeDaily

Teachers and school faculty are supposed to ensure that every child is protected and supported while in their care, which is why one Alabama mom was horrified when her daughter’s school tried to cover up what a bully did to her little girl.

On the morning of Feb. 3, mom Kelly Turpin got a call from her daughter’s school that 9-year-old Lanny was injured and needed to be picked up. “I got called to come to the school around 10 a.m. Friday,” Turpin explained. “They told me my daughter fell and I needed to come to the school.”

When she arrived at school and saw her daughter’s face, it was very clear that Lanny didn’t just ‘fall.’ According to Lanny, a girl grabbed her and jumped on top of her while walking to art class with friends. The impact of the hit caused her to fall and hit her head with a metal pole.

The girl told Lanny, “I’m so sorry. Don’t tell anybody I did it,” but when she went to the nurse’s office, she told the nurse everything. When Turpin asked the nurse what happened, she said it was an accident. “The nurse started telling me my daughter fell and was hurt accidentally,” Turpin said.

“But my daughter said ‘No mom,’ it wasn’t an accident.'” Turpin immediately rushed Lanny to the hospital so doctors could examine her black eyes and scratches, but they also determined Lanny also had a concussion. Turpin demanded the school do something to punish the bully, and they claimed the girl would be suspended for two days. “Then I found out they didn’t even do anything to her.”

How would you react if this happened to your child? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured Image: Facebook]

Mom Outraged After School Covered Up Bully’s Attack On Daughter is an article from: LifeDaily

During pregnancy, most parents can’t wait until they can dress their little one in all the adorable clothing they’ve purchased over the months and can’t stop imagining the moment they get to take their baby home and experience all the normal milestones.

However, that all tragically disappears for parents with a preemie in the NICU since nothing fits the ‘normal’ expectations of parenthood. Suddenly, their tiny babies are covered in clumps of wires instead of clothes, and even putting a diaper on is a reminder of the severity of the situation since their bodies are far too small to fit a diaper meant for a full-term infant.

However, recently diaper maker Huggies decided something needed to be done to help parents of preemie babies and the company recently released a new line of Little Snuggler Nano Preemie diapers specifically made for premature babies weighing two pounds or less.

“We’re passionate about helping all babies thrive, especially the smallest and most fragile. This Huggies diaper reflects our ongoing commitment to deliver innovative solutions for the NICU,” said Eleonora Daireaux, Vice President of Huggies North America. “After hearing of the need for a diaper that meets the special requirements of these babies, our expert teams in skin science, research, product safety and manufacturing were inspired.”

The diapers come in a variety of sizes to fit a premature baby at every stage, have a narrower inner pad, have a softer liner, and gentle leg gatherings that won’t irritate their delicate and extremely sensitive skin. “Good-fitting diapers are important to the healthy growth and development of our smallest patients,” said infant development specialist Anjanette from the Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, who tested the new diapers. “In our experience, we found Huggies Little Snugglers Nano Preemie Diapers conformed to the baby’s bottom without gapping or limiting leg movement. The thinner fasteners and less material at the waist provided a good fit for baby while still protecting their fragile skin.”

While preemie babies and their families have plenty other more serious concerns, something as small as a properly fitting diaper can be a massive confidence booster when nothing else seems to be going as expected.

Can you believe how small these diapers are? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: Huggies]

Huggies Released The Tiniest Diapers To Fit Premature Babies is an article from: LifeDaily

When it comes to treating those with disabilities and physical imperfections equally, humans have a lot to learn from our animal friends.

As we’ve seen time and time again, just like with this blind dog and his seeing-eye best friend, sometimes other living creatures can be the best teachers on how being different makes each person or animal so special.

We all can take away a lot from Bella, one disabled dog who despite struggling through most of her life, has never let her difficulties get her down.

Gwenn of rescue organization Pug Nation says sweet Bella, who is disabled as a direct result of cruel and inhumane inbreeding practices, looks like she’s part penguin, part seal and part Pug. However, all we see when we look at this sweet dog with broken elbows is an inspiration and a survivor.

“When she first broke her elbow her family took her to the veterinarian who was able to fix it. He told the family to keep her confined, keeping the pressure/weight off that limb. For whatever the reason, they didn’t follow these instructions and she re-broke the elbow,” Pug Nation wrote on Rumble. “At some point, Bella’s other elbow became broken and the veterinarian decided to keep her at the hospital to keep her confined so she could heal properly.”

Doctors soon realized the poor dog’s limbs would not recover and they suggested amputation, but her family refused. Nine months went by before a brave hero was able to convince Bella’s family to turn her over to Pug Nation and have a fighting chance. Today, she is 6 years old  and has a new family who loves her.

“Amazingly, after everything Bella has been through, she is incredibly sweet and has no idea that she is special needs: she barks at passing cars, begs for treats, asks for cuddles and loves going on walks – albeit she only walks with two legs instead of four,” Pug Nation wrote. “She does not let two broken elbows set her back. She is fast – whether she is waddling like a seal or running on two legs.”

Since this video was recorded, Bella has had her double amputation surgery and is now free from pain. Pug Nation reported she is doing well and is happier than ever!

Are you inspired to help a dog in need? Let us know in the comments and please SHARE this story with your friends on Facebook today!

[Featured Image: Rumble]

Disabled Pug Is Rescued From Her Cruel Family And Gets Lifesaving Surgery is an article from: LifeDaily

Dogs offer their unconditional and eternal love to their owners and best friends, which is why one Border Collie was heartbroken when she realized her human family didn’t feel the same way about her.

On Feb. 7, a family came into the Los Angeles County Animal Services facility in Lancaster, which is a high kill shelter because of the amount of stray and surrendered animals in their care, with their 17-year-old dog named Maddison, who had given the family years of unconditional love and companionship.

Tragically, the heartless family coldly told the shelter’s staff that they were there to surrender Maddison, who they claimed they had owned for five years yet the shelter suspects they likely had Maddison her entire life, and when the stunned staff asked why, they simply explained that she was ‘too old‘.

“They said that I spend most of my time indoors. I do not show interest in small children. I have begun housetraining, but I still need some work. I am good on a leash. I am just learning obedience skills,” The staff explained in Maddison’s adoption ad.

“Few dogs make it to 17 years of age – those who do should be spoiled by their owners, not dumped at a busy, loud and frightening animal control agency,” said Antje Stobbe, a worker from the shelter who shared Maddison’s adoption ad to help find a home for her before it was too late.

Thankfully, Antje’s plan worked. Her post went viral, and within a few days, it had been shared over 860 times. Maddison was finally adopted just in time and is now happily living with a new loving owner who will never abandon her.

Can you believe someone would give away their dog for being ‘too old’? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: Facebook/Antje Stobbe]

Family Abandons 17-Year-Old Dog Because She’s ‘Too Old’ is an article from: LifeDaily

Keeping up with the herd is an integral part of survival for baby elephants. However, after being shot in the leg, one African elephant calf was struggling to keep up.

Without the herd, he was a perfect target for lions or crocodiles, and if he didn’t get attacked, he’d likely die from the bullet wounds in both of his hind legs and feet. Thankfully, a pilot on anti-poaching patrol spotted the helpless baby in the Tsavo East National Park and called in a sky vet from the Kenya Wildlife Service.

The baby, who rescuers later named Luggard, had been shot with an AK-47 and the bullets had shattered his femur in his right hind leg, and another in his left hind foot. While the baby was in bad shape, the team was just relieved his front legs were fine.

“Had [the bullets] shattered his front leg, the outcome could have been very different, as the front legs are much more essential for mobility bearing more of the elephant’s body weight,” said Angela Sheldrick, CEO of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Luggard was then transported to Sheldrick’s orphanage, treated immediately, and began his long road to recovery.

Luggard was determined to walk again, and after nine months, he was already back on his feet. “As his body healed, Luggard adjusted the amount of weight on his leg, and he became very efficient on just three legs, determined to keep up with the rest of our orphan herd and loath to miss out on anything,” Sheldrick says.

Watch the entire video below to see the awesome moment this baby elephant walks for the first time after a long road to recovery.

Can you believe how far he’s come in just nine months? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: National Geographic/David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust]

Baby Elephant Learns To Walk After Being Shot In The Legs is an article from: LifeDaily

Rescuers who work at animal shelters are passionate animal lovers, so no matter how abused or neglected animals they save, it will always be hard for them to see a suffering animal.

This past week, a shelter staff member from the Nelspruit Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Lydenburg, South Africa found out that a local dog owner locked multiple weights around their dog’s neck after she jumped over their fence a few times. The rescuer was so furious that she had to leave the room to stop herself from screaming at the cruel owners.

“I’m a bit lost for words. This beautiful girl was signed over to the Nelspruit SPCA today. The owner said she had jumped the fence,” said the shelter worker, who was told that to stop the dog and make her less active, they had to tie weights around her neck. “I didn’t expect the dog to come in with the actual weights still around her neck, lock, chain and all. I had to leave the office as I was unable to hold my tongue.”

“Needless to say, we were told about the love that they had for her with tears in their eyes… I can not imagine this poor girl eating, sleeping and playing with the weights round her neck,” the rescuer said. “I always ask and explain to people especially in areas where dogs are “just a dog,” if they would do something like that to a child. Usually, I get the same shocked look, and they will say no, never. So can you imagine a 3-year-old child’s energy being kept low due to weights like this around the neck? There would be a public outcry.”

Thankfully, the sweet pit bull was freed of the weights and the chain around her neck, since it’s illegal in South Africa to attack anything to an animal that can cause suffering. “We are not sure what damage was done with the weights, but our vet will assess her,” the staff member wrote.

Do you think the family should be punished for what they did to their dog? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: Nelspruit SPCA]

Dog Saved From Family Who Chained Weights Around Her Neck is an article from: LifeDaily

It can be heartbreaking to have to say goodbye to sweet animals that rescuers have grown attached to, but putting them down was something Kayla Filoon has gotten used to since she started volunteering at a shelter.

For the past year, Filoon has spent much of her free time outside of class as a volunteer dog walker at the ACCT Philly animal shelter in Philadelphia, and over the months, she’s fallen in love with countless dogs but had to come to terms with the fact that she couldn’t save them all.

However, Filoon knew there was something special about a quiet 4-year-old pit bull named Russ the second she met him, and couldn’t bare to say goodbye to him. “He came in as a stray, and he was really beat up,” Filoon said. “He was missing fur on his tail and ears. He was also terribly skinny. They told me he was about 40 pounds when he came into the shelter.”

Despite everything he’d been through, Russ was still incredibly gentle. “He was just sitting there calmly, staring at me. And I thought, he is adorable! I need to take him now,” said Filoon, who left and then came back a little while after to check on him.”He was sitting in the same position that he was before, just being quiet while the other dogs were barking and causing commotion.”

She walked Russ for about 45 minutes, but it only took about five minutes for her to fall in love with him. “He was really cuddly with me, even when we went into the yard,” Filoon said. “He seemed like such a sweet dog, and he didn’t bark at any of the other dogs.” Filoon took Russ for a 45-minute walk, yet within the first five minutes, she knew she had to adopt him. “I told her, ‘I think I need to adopt a dog tomorrow,'” Filoon said to her mom that night. “My mom thought I was kidding, because I always fall in love with the dogs that I take out — it’s hard not to. So she didn’t really believe me, but there was something about Russ.”

Filoon knew she didn’t hesitate since Russ could be put down at any time. “Any dog had a chance of being put down, especially the ones who were sicker, and Russ was definitely one of them,” Filoon said. “He had kennel cough.” Filoon took Russ home that night, and the two have been inseparable ever since.  “He always has to be close to me… One night I’m sitting there on the chair, doing my homework, and he’s trying to find ways to cuddle with me. There was a whole other sofa open, and we had his bed on the floor, but he didn’t want to lie anywhere else. So he ends up positioning himself, and I look down, and I think, ‘Oh my gosh, look at him.'”

A friend posted a picture of the sweet moment online, and it quickly went viral. Now Filoon is hoping the attention will help show how rewarding it can be to rescue an animal and inspire them to adopt a shelter dog. “He’s such a love bug, honestly. I’ll be lying there, and he’ll put his head under my arm, or his paw over my chest. And he’ll even lay on my chest.”

Can you believe how grateful this sweet dog to have a new mom? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured Image: Facebook / Kayla Filoon]

Grateful Rescue Dog Won’t Stop Hugging His New Mom is an article from: LifeDaily

Last month, rescuers from the Michigan Humane Society were heartbroken when they found a sweet Rottweiler who had recently had his nose and ears chopped off in Detroit. Once back at the shelter, rescuers also discovered he suffered from lacerations to his legs, and his tail was severely damaged.

Over the past month, the Rottweiler’s doting rescuers have made sure he is comfortable while healing, and has looked into every option for the dog, who they named Baron so that he can have the most normal and happy life as possible. And after weeks of prep, Baron underwent reconstructive surgery this past Wednesday.

“Baron had his reconstructive surgery today and is doing great,” The Michigan Humane Society wrote in an update after surgery. “The surgery lasted around 2 hours and 30 minutes. His nasal passage is now covered and protected, and his tail was shortened and sutured. Our veterinary team reports that he came through with flying colors, and is resting quietly while he recovers.”

“Someone was extremely cruel to this animal,” said Dr. Bryden Stanley, a soft tissue surgery specialist at MSU who led the team in reconstructing Baron’s nose. Despite the severity of the case, the team is extremely happy with the results and are thrilled that Baron will get to lead a normal life and will eventually be able to find a loving forever home. “I think his muzzle looks quite good, and it’ll be even better once his fur grows back,” she said.

Can you believe how hard these miracle-workers are fighting to give this sweet dog the best life possible? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: Michigan Humane Society]

Doctors Perform Reconstructive Surgery On Dog Without A Nose is an article from: LifeDaily

As a parent, it can be hard to imagine ever having to rush your child to the emergency room until you’re in such an awful situation.

For the Loboda family of Tampa, Florida, such a nightmare happened all too quickly while they were away from home in Phoenix, AZ visiting family for Christmas.

At just 19 months old, poor baby Joy is fighting for her life after she fell into a pool and drowned. However, by some miracle, the little girl was saved and is expected to survive. A GoFundMe page that was set up says doctors expect she will be spending at least a month in the hospital followed by physical therapy.

“I scooped Joy up and ran her out to the front gate, giving her compressions and a couple of breaths as we ran out to meet Fire Paramedics who were almost on the scene. Fire immediately took over and got to work on Joy’s tiny, cold, blue, lifeless body. My heart was broken. I was convinced she had passed,” he continued.

The tiny baby didn’t have a heartbeat for over 20 minutes and even paramedics were convinced she had passed. “Everything in me said it was too late, and she was gone, but I had to try everything I could,” said Sergeant Ronald Bryant of the Phoenix Police Department.

“Due to the expenses involved with care for their four other children, meals etc., and most of all medical expenses, we have decided to set up this GoFundMe for them,” friends wrote on Joy’s GoFundMe page.

“Please keep Joy and her family in your prayers; our God is a God of miracles!! We hope in Him for a full recovery for our sweet Joy.”

Please help this sweet child if you can and SHARE her story with others on Facebook today!

[Featured Image: NC Registry]

Miracle Baby Recovers From Drowning And No Heartbeat For Nearly 30 Minutes is an article from: LifeDaily

Some of the best advice you can give to someone planning their wedding is to try their best to just roll with the punches. Because even if you plan out your big day with the ultimate precision, life has a funny way of not caring about your plans and you can just never know what might change things.

When Toronto bride Hannah Patterson and her fiancé Stuart Patterson were planning their wedding day, they could have never expected the terrible event that would side track their nuptials just five weeks before they were set to say “I do”.

The groom-to-be was challenged in his vows of “in sickness and in health” when 23-year-old Hannah broke her pelvis and ribs in a terrible car accident that would prevent the bride from walking down the aisle.

When it came time for Sarah to meet her groom at the wedding altar, her father pushed her wheelchair to meet Stuart, who picked her up and carried her down the aisle.

The special act that had everyone in tears. “I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house,” Powell said. “Stuart was so incredibly tender and protective towards Hannah.”

“It was really them embracing true love,” she said. “He was supporting her in every way. It was such an unconditional love they showed each other throughout the entire day.”

“It never crossed my mind to move the wedding during this hard time. I knew the Lord would give me the strength for the day.”

Groom Carries Bride Down The Aisle After Terrible Accident is an article from: LifeDaily