GiGi, a great horned owl, was brought to Wild at Heart Rescue –a wildlife rehabilitation center–in Vancleave, Mississippi, with a massive head trauma back in May. She was in such bad condition that she wasn’t expected to make it.
Luckily, though, Douglas Pojeky, president of the center, stepped in to care for GiGi. Apparently, he has a way with birds. "In all my years of working with birds of prey, I have never seen someone with such a bond with these magnificent birds," Missy Dubuisson, founder of Wild at Heart Rescue, told The Dodo, a website devoted to animals. "It literally brings tears to my eyes to watch him interact with these birds. They absolutely know him and trust him."
Well, GiGi found a way to thank Pojeky for all his hard work. After he returned to the center from vacation, GiGi “threw both wings around him and gave him an owl hug,” says Wild at Heart Rescue’s Facebook page.
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It’s amazing enough that a bird of prey would hug like a human. But the moment was particularly moving for Pojeky.
According to The Dodo, “Growing up, a great horned owl used to perch on the top of Pojeky's family barn. While Pojeky's father often saw the owl, Pojeky and the rest of his family rarely did. However, on the morning of his father's death, the owl was spotted overlooking the farm house, where Pojeky's father had passed away, before flying off into the woods.”
It’s no wonder GiGi’s embrace was so meaningful. "For some reason when that bird was hugging me,” Pojeky said, “all I could think of was my dad.”
Have you ever witnessed the remarkable bond between humans and animals? Share your story below!
Kago and Kumbali
Cheetahs are social animals in the wild, but two-week-old Kumbali was all alone. Born at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia, his mother lacked the capacity to feed him, so zoo staff had to bottle-feed him in isolation. Kumbali was terrified by his surroundings, and his health was suffering, until the staff introduced him to Kago, a ten-week-old lab mix puppy. The two became fast friends—according to the zookeepers, Kumbali has adopted some of Kago’s dog behaviors. “Dogs are less fearful of new surroundings and embrace them with confidence. That calmness helps the cheetah remain calm as well,” according to the zoo’s press release.
Batman and Pumpkin
Staffers at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter in Tennessee were most likely concerned when their feline greeter, Pumpkin, jumped into a rat’s cage while the cage was being cleaned. But Pumpkin didn’t eat little Batman the Dumbo rat —instead, she nuzzled him and purred. Staffers believe Pumpkin, who has an immune-deficiency disorder called FIV, found comfort in her little furry friend. The two were filmed for a National Geographic special, Unlikely Animal Friends, scheduled to air on May 21st. Sadly, Batman has since passed away of old age. “In human years, Batman was an estimated 85 years old and is considered to have lived an outstanding, above average life span,” a shelter official told a local news outlet, “Batman’s best friend, Pumpkin was with him as he passed.”
The BLT (Bear, Lion, Tiger) Crew
The Bible assures us that, with the arrival of the Messiah, lions and lambs would live in harmony, as they did in the Garden of Eden. Well, it's not quite the same, but at the Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary in Locust Grove, Georgia, a bear, a lion and a tiger—animals that shouldn't really get along in tight quarters—are the best of friends. Rescued as babies from a group of drug dealers who had illegally acquired the protected animals and abused them, Baloo, Leo and Shere Khan bonded together in a way never found in nature. Lions, tigers and bears are notoriously solitary creatures, but when the animal rescue staff tried to separate the animals, they grew agitated and refused to be pulled apart. If these guys can be friends, despite their differences, maybe there's hope for the rest of us, no?
Bubbles the Elephant and Bella the Labrador
One’s a 9000-pound African elephant, the other’s a 70-pound Labrador, but that doesn’t keep Bubbles and Bella from sharing the pool at Myrtle Beach Safari Park in South Carolina. Bubbles first came to Myrtle Beach in 1983 after ivory poachers killed her mother and left her an orphan. A contractor hired by the facility to build a pool for Bubbles brought his dog, Bella, along, and the two animals quickly became inseparable, choosing to cool off on hot days by swimming and splashing each other in the water.
Fum the Cat and Gebra the Barn Owl
These two friends became a YouTube sensation in 2010, an odd pairing brought together by their love of eating mice and a good game of tag. They met when both were only one month old at Camp de Tarragona in Catalonia, Spain, when Fum’s pet parents began domesticating Gebra using the ancient art of falconry. “Their spontaneous relationship, that nobody helped to happen, has captivated the interest of thousands of persons,” says Gebra’s trainer. “If they understand each other, what’s the reason for us not to understand each other, too?” Fum passed away three years ago, but her example of love for her feathered friend lives on.
Leo and Ellie
We usually think of seeing-eye dogs as highly trained animals meant to serve humans, but Leo, an 85-pound German Shepherd with no guide-dog training, has proven otherwise. Leo, who lives at the RSPCA shelter in Rochdale, England is generally protective of smaller dogs at the shelter, and when Ellie, a sight-impaired King Charles Spaniel puppy, arrived, Leo immediately took to her, guiding her on their walks and protecting her from larger dogs. Their special relationship is proof that our canine friends’ tendency to protect and serve goes beyond what they learn in obedience school.
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