TWO tiny kittens have dodged death after being sniffed out by a plucky pooch.
The three-month-old kittens had been dumped in a cardboard box in a park near Blackridge Primary
School in West Lothian at around midnight on Sunday.
But after being discovered by the dog, the freezing felines are now under the care of the SSPCA.
Scottish SPCA ambulance driver Mairi Stewart was then contacted by the dog’s owner, and picked them up the next day.
Ms Stewart, 25, said: “”It was very lucky that a dog sniffed the kittens out, because if they had been left out there in the cold all night they could have died. Continue reading →
A DAD to be had to be quick off the mark to deliver his first son – in a birth that took just 15 minutes to finish.
James Bowman and partner Laura Sharp, 31, had been preparing for a quiet day with their young family in the final week before their new baby was due to be born in hospital.
But her waters broke after she went to the bathroom in a flash little Jae Thomas was born at the couple’s home in Dunfermline.
James Bowman, 30, called the ambulance but there wasn’t enough time and he had to deliver the 6lb 1oz tot himself.
A NEW arrival at Edinburgh Zoo is thrilling visitors – a miniature hippopotamus.
Little Leisha – which means “gift” in West African – is a pygmy hippo, the pint-sized cousin of the gargantuan beast that lives in the rivers of sub-Saharan Africa.
Born on 9 June, the tiny arrival is the 16th baby hippo to be born at the zoo in 30 years.
Darren McGarry, animal collection manager at Edinburgh Zoo, said that the pygmy hippo baby was an exciting addition to the zoo’s menagerie.
He said: “This baby will be very popular with visitors to Edinburgh Zoo this summer. Continue reading →
A PAIR of abandoned baby pine martens are being nursed back to health by the Scottish SPCA after falling from their nests.
Concerned members of the public handed in the pine martens, which resemble large weasels, after finding them lying abandoned, starving and exhausted.
Nine-week-old Aspen was discovered near a cottage in Banff, Aberdeenshire after tumbling out of her chimney-top nest, while walkers at Farr, near Inverness, stumbled across three-month-old Rowen who was lying on a path.
Both animals are now being looked after by trained staff at the SSPCA Wildlife Rescue Centre near Dunfermline, where they will be nursed back to health over the next two to three months.
Collin Seddon, manager of the centre, said: “These young pine martens were found in the daytime, lying out in the open, which is unusual for this typically nocturnal animal so clearly there was a problem and the people that found them did the right thing in contacting us. Continue reading →
HOLYROOD was given the cold shoulder yesterday as a group of penguins visited the Scottish parliament in a bid to raise awareness of climate change.
The seven furry activists built a fake Antarctic habitat using snow machines and icebergs.
Organised by Friends of the Earth Scotland, the event was aimed to urge Scottish politicians to back the upcoming Scottish Climate Change Bill.
Corinne Evans, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “We’re honoured that these animals have taken time out from fighting for their own survival to come to remind us that we don’t have to suffer the same fate.
“The message is clear – we need urgent action on climate change, and we need the MSPs in the Paliament to rise to the challenge and make sure we have it.
“The world’s eyes are on Scotland – a strong law here will have a massive knock-on effect on forthcoming laws around the world.”
AN otter saved from death by a kind-hearted postie has found a new best friend – a three-month-old kitten called Kevin.
Orla the otter was found last week lying abandoned in the middle of a country road by postman Kenny Wilson as he drove to a car rally in the Highlands.
But when Kenny tried to help the otter to the side of the road, the friendly bundle of fur kept coming back to him.
So he decided to take the abandoned otter on his 240-mile trip to the Highlands and back before handing his furry friend over to a local animal charity, near St Boswells.
And the cute little otter cub has now become best buddies with another of the centre’s rescued animals – Kevin the kitten.
Shona said: “It’s quite rare for us to have an otter brought to us; we only had two last year.
“But Orla has settled in nicely and is doing really well. Her and Kevin have become firm friends – it might be something to do with all the fish Orla has been getting.
“Kevin has trouble with his back legs and can’t be re-homed, but I’m hoping once Orla is fully grown we can release her back into the wild.
“We are doing our best to minimise the human contact she receives. She is a wild animal after all, and ideally she should be back in her natural environment.”
And even though the daily food bill for Orla is around £15 per day, Shona has revealed her local Asda supermarket has offered to supply all the fish Orla needs while she recuperates.
She said: “I got a call from Asda saying they would initially donate about two weeks worth of salmon and trout to help out. It was a really kind thing for them to do, and it is much appreciated.
“Breakfast consists of milk and trout, and she loves to play before, during and after mealtimes.
“She also has a special bed she loves – it’s a furry hot water bottle cover turned inside out which she squeezes into.”
Postie Kenny Wilson was on his was to car rally in the Highlands when he spotted the cold and terrified otter cub in the road last Sunday.
After checking with local residents to find out if any adult otters had been seen nearby, he decided to take the otter cub with him on his marathon journey.
He said: “The cub couldn’t find its mother and, in the time I watched, it was almost run over by three cars.
“I picked it up from the road and put it on the banking, but it kept coming back to the road.
“The otter was absolutely frozen and there was no evidence of the adult otters nearby. So I had no choice but to take it with me on a 240-mile tour of the Highlands for a classic car rally I was doing.
“I wrapped it in a jumper and stuck it in a postbag I had with me.
“It slept away fine.”
On his return Kenny handed the otter cub into the animal centre that will look after the otter cub for the next eight to ten months.
Proud mum and dad Mork and Mindy first arrived at the Five Sisters Zoo, near Polbeth, West Lothian, two years ago and this is the pair’s first litter together.
Owners Brian and Shirley are still to name the new arrivals, and are now being kept on their toes trying to keep up with the “lightning” fast piglets.
Mr Curran said: “We were keeping a fairly close eye on them as we knew Mindy was pregnant, but we weren’t exactly sure when they would arrive.
“In the end it was no trouble at all though, and they were all born in about ten minutes.
“They are incredibly healthy, and it was surprising to see how quickly they were up and about.
“They move like lightning now and it can be difficult to keep track of them, but fortunately they are not straying too far from their heated enclosure at the moment.”
The teacup pigs are becoming increasingly popular to keep as pets, although they are still extremely rare in Scotland.
The animals are seen as ideal pets because they are small, light and can be easily house-trained.
By Oliver Farrimond
Deadline Press & Picture Agency 