With bush fires blazing across Australia, there’s been just a bit too much bad news leaving lots of damage, and lots of dampened spirits in its wake. Many residents have been warned to get out or get hurt, and the wildlife has been suffering even more; 2.5 million acres of land are already burnt or burning, leaving many animals trapped inside of the potentially fatal flames.
Due to the skylines across the major cities are blurred with billowing smoke, many people are staying inside and waiting for a bit of good news – or at least some cute pictures to help tide their nerves over in the meantime.
Well, the world just gave us all a two for one special.
Australia is not about to turn its back on one of its most precious and prized mascots, who are in serious trouble against the turmoil: the koalas. Although many are sadly believed to have already been lost, there are still many more to save. And guess who’s been hired to find them?
DOGS. The cutest, sweetest, good-est boys!
With their astute sense of smell and easily trained obedience, dogs are coming in to save the day – and the Koalas – around their hazardous home turf in New South Wales. The UK-based International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has sent out their trusted Border Collie-Koolie mix named Bear, along with TATE Animal Training’s trusted canine nose, Taylor, to sniff around for koalas in the outback. Both dogs have been trained to recognize the most telltale sign of a living Koala: fresh Koala feces.
In just a couple of days, these dogs have rounded up 8 Koalas a few hundred kilometers north of Sydney.
And there’s nothing like a good doggie to inspire the masses: another woman has taken it upon herself, and the very clothes on her back, to save one koala she found literally on fire. She took out the flames by tearing off her own shirt and putting them out, then pouring water over the sizzling wounds.
It is a sad mess, but today we’re all about that silver lining.
