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Some people can be pretty terrible to animals—but most people will try to help cuddly (and not-so-cuddly) creatures when they can. Here are some of the most incredible videos of people saving animals.
1. Surfers Saving a Shark
Ordinarily, surfers and great whites aren’t exactly friends, but when this great white shark pup washed up on a beach with a hook caught in its mouth, these brave surfers pulled it out of the water, removed the hook barehanded and then helped it get back in the water. Just a warning, you might want to watch this one on mute as the narration of the woman filming is more annoying than it is useful to understanding what’s happening.
2. A Diver Freeing A Dolphin
The coolest thing about this video isn’t that the diver helped remove the hook and cut the fishing line that was tangled around this poor dolphin, but that the animal seemingly knew the diver could help him. In fact, the group of divers probably wouldn’t have even noticed the dolphin’s predicament if it hadn’t come swimming right up to them and shown them something was wrong. The rescue sequence begins at about 3:30.
3. A Senior Climbing to Save A Kitten
Somehow a tiny kitten ended up on a tiny ledge, several stories off the ground. It meowed over and over, hoping someone would come to its aid; these cries managed to attract the attention of 60-year-old Kay Leclaire, who was jogging in the area. Leclaire just happens to be an expert climber who has previously scaled Mount Everest and is the oldest woman to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents, so she quickly headed home and grabbed her gear. By the end of the day, the kitten was not only back on the ground, but adopted by a loving family.
4. Rescuers Freeing An Owl
This poor gray horned owl flew into a chain link fence and got caught. Fortunately, Susan Clark of the Topanga Animal Rescue and Gary Strauss of Life Energy Institute were able to help cut the links away, free the owl, and check him for injuries. Perhaps one of the most amazing things about this video is just how calm the owl remains throughout the whole ordeal.
5. Power Company Workers Helping A Seagull
Somehow this poor bird managed to get his head caught between two electrical lines. Luckily for him, Nova Scotia Power sent out worker Yvon Blin to help free him. Unlike the owl stuck in the fence, this guy wasn’t particularly helpful to his rescuer—there’s a reason owls have a reputation for being wise while seagulls aren’t considered particularly bright.
6. People Pulling A Moose From A Swimming Pool
Perhaps they should change the expression “stubborn as a mule” to “stubborn as a moose.” After all, this guy seems to be doing all he can to help fight the team of nine people who are doing everything they can to help pull him out of the pool. While this video makes it seem like the moose might have just been enjoying a swim, an original, full-length version showed that he kept slipping further and further into the deep end and was unable to get back out.
7. Rescuers Cutting A Moose From The Ice
It seems not all moose are so difficult while being rescued. This big guy was relatively patient as he waited for people to cut away and smash the ice that was holding him in place. Of course, he was also probably trying to conserve his energy in the freezing waters.
While I’ve never been a part of a big-scale rescue like this, I always try to help stray dogs so they can be returned to their owners. Even knowing that I could have saved a pup from being hit by a car is a nice feeling. I’m sure any of you who have saved a critter have similar rewarding feelings—and of course, if you have any good stories, feel free to share them in the comments.