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dogs

Pets

Cat owners are 'fake fainting' and the reactions from their feline friends are unforgettable

"Was it just me or did one of those cats roll its eyes?"

Canva

A woman pretends to faint. A cat side-eyes her.

First things first: cats know everything. Well, usually. So if you attempt to fake them out by pretending to faint for online clicks, most of them will be onto you immediately. This has become quite the trend over the last few years, and the cat reactions are, let’s just say, so-very-catlike.

In a Facebook reel compilation posted by Kitty 1st, people pretend to faint and/or die in front of their cats to see how they’d respond. With the chyron, “Pretend to faint to test the cat,” the first subject falls to the floor while their little grey fluff-ball sweetly rubs its body on their arm.

The next scenario didn’t fare as well. Dropping to the ground and pretending to be dead, their cat glanced over and then just walked on by, seemingly without a care in the world.

The next clip might be the best. A person is face down on the floor and their cat trots by, a little skip in its step. When the frisky feline sees their person presumably passed out or worse, they actually jump and keep on walking.

One woman lies on the floor and, when her adorable black cat doesn’t react, she picks her head up. At that exact moment, her cat falls to the ground with the caption, “I die too.” This is met with sweet laughter.

Another guy slides onto the ground, and his black cat could not care less. As it skulks off, someone (seemingly the cat, but probably not) pulls the body off camera.

@ellie_thetabby
Ill take that as a win #cats

The commenters feel seen. One jokes, “Since cats try to kill you on a regular basis, I’m sure they just think mission accomplished and move on their merry way. Until they get hungry anyway.”

Another asks, “Was it me or did one of the cats roll its eyes? I swear the cat must have been thinking ‘Over Actor.’ Lol.”

But many people in the comments take it seriously, as they know their cats are brilliant and empathetic. “Cats are smart and intuitive. They know when something is really not good and feel when someone is pretending that it is bad. Simple! They really know how to help a person and save him when they feel trouble.”

cats, fake fainting, cat reactions, animals, cutness A cat rolls its eyes. GIPHY, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Research supports this. In Dr. Alice Barker’s article “Can cats sense illness in humans” for Cats.com, she writes, “Cats have a famously refined sense of smell and it has been found that they can detect pheromone changes coming from the human body.”

She further adds, “When people get ill and the decomposition of cells causes chemical changes in the body, it is well evidenced that cats can sense the hormonal changes using their olfactory pathway.”

This knowledge has been around for a while, but Redditors took it to a psychological test. In the subreddit r/cats, someone asked “Do cats really love their owners?” The first comment is so pure: “It depends what you mean by ‘love.’ If you mean being generally obsessed with me, following me everywhere, demanding constant physical contact and rushing to me whenever I’m hurt, then yeah: pure, unadulterated, unmistakable love.”

cats, love, pets, animals, humans Cat hugging person. Photo by Chewy on Unsplash

A few make jokes. “Love? Maybe. Stockholm syndrome? Possibly. Cats are tiny dictators who tolerate us because we’re their personal chefs. But when they curl up on your lap after a bad day, you’ll swear it’s love—and that’s all that matters!”

So if you fake-faint and your cat curls up next to you or just keeps walking, they probably love you either way.

One other note shared by this Redditor: “If you’re comparing cats to dogs (as most people unfairly do), a dog’s love is more like worship and a cat’s love is more human. It’s based on respect and if they like being around the person, rather than blindly adoring someone because they view them as a master. This is often why people who have only had dogs view cats as villainous and contemptuous; they’ve grown to expect absolute adoration from an animal whether or not they give anything in return."

To that point, for a little fun contrast, a person tried the “fake faint” with both a cat AND a dog. (Though it's noted more than once that both cats and dogs love their owners. Cats just aren't as equally fooled.)

-Fake fainting in front of a cat and a dog. www.youtube.com, @AxelineOfficial

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cats

Science

8th grader's award-winning experiment tested if dogs' tongues are really cleaner than ours

Here's what science says about letting your dog lick your face.

Photo credit: Canva

Should you let a dog lick your face?

With nearly half of the households in American having at least one dog, there's a lot people need to know about them. Our furry friends come in wide variety of breeds, each with their own unique traits and needs. "Man's best friend" can be a guardian, a helpful worker, a loyal friend, and a snuggly companion, but there's one thing almost all dogs have in common: Licking.

Some dogs lick way more than others, but it's rare to find a dog who never licks anyone or anything. Many dogs communicate and show affection by licking, which is sweet—if a little gross—depending on how slobbery they are. There's a common saying that dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans', which is a bit hard to believe when you see what some dogs put in their mouths, but it is true? What does science say about dog tongues and saliva? Is a dog licking our face something we should worry about?

dogs, dog mouths clean, dog tongues, dog licking, should you let a dog lick your face Pooch smooches are sweet if they're not too slobbery.Photo credit: Canva

It turns out, the answer to whether a dog's mouth is cleaner than ours isn't super straightforward.

An 8th grader named Abby tackled this question in a science experiment that won her a Young Naturalists Award from the American Museum of Natural History in 2011. Her family had gotten a dog and her mom kept telling her not to let the dog lick her face because dog mouths are full of bacteria. Instead of arguing, Abby decided to find out herself if this was true.

"I hypothesized that human tongues would be cleaner than dog tongues," she wrote. "I thought this because humans brush their teeth at least once a day. I hypothesized that dogs' tongues would be dirty because they were always licking dirty things like garbage."

After diving into the research about bacteria that live in and on humans and dogs, Abby decided she had a testable hypothesis. But this wasn't any old middle school science experiment. She applied for and got a grant to the State Hygienic Lab at the University of Iowa, where she was assigned a mentor to work with her.

You can read the nitty gritty details of her experiment here, but here was her conclusion:

dogs, dog mouths clean, dog tongues, dog licking, should you let a dog lick your face Many dogs will lick you if you give them the chance. Photo credit: Canva

"I concluded that dog and human mouth flora are very different. (Flora means the bacteria found in a mouth or anywhere else.) The bacteria found in human mouths are more similar to another human's oral bacteria than the bacteria found in a dog's mouth.

I also concluded that dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans' in some ways, and dirtier in other ways. Humans have more bacteria in their mouths than dogs do, based on the total number of bacteria. Most of the humans had a 'moderate' number of bacteria, and most of the dogs had 'few' bacteria. A possible explanation of this might be that dogs pant a lot, and maybe while panting, bacteria falls off their tongues along with their saliva. But dogs had more types of bacteria. The average number of different bacterial colonies in a dog's mouth was about 5.7. The average number of different bacterial colonies in a human's mouth was about 4.1. I think this is so because dogs sniff and lick a variety of things, like carpets, floors, chairs, grass, etc., so they pick up bacteria from many places."

But what about the licking of our faces? That's a bit of a subjective call, but Abby's results gave her some peace of mind:

"In conclusion, will I let my dog continue to lick me? The answer to the question is yes!" she wrote. "I will feel guiltless about letting my dog lick me because I found out that human and dog oral bacteria are different, so my dog's oral bacteria present no harm to me."

lick, licking, face, dogs, dog puppy love kiss GIF by Pickler & Ben Giphy

What do the experts say?

According to Colin Harvey, professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine and executive secretary at the American Veterinary Dental College, comparing dogs' mouths to humans' mouth is "like comparing apples to oranges." As Abby found, the microbes in a dog's mouth are very different than those in a human's.

The American Kennel Club elaborates:

"Most of the bacteria in your dog’s mouth aren’t zoonotic, which means you probably won’t get a disease from a big old doggy kiss. There are exceptions to this. Dogs that eat a raw diet are at an increased risk of contracting salmonella, which can be spread to humans. You also probably shouldn’t share kisses with a dog that regularly raids the litter box.

In other words, kissing your dog is less risky than kissing another human, but that doesn’t mean that your dog’s mouth is necessarily cleaner than a human’s—they just have a mostly incompatible set of germs."

dogs, dog mouths, dog kisses, dog teeth cleaning Keep your dog's mouth clean with regular teeth brushing.Photo credit: Canva

Keeping your dog's mouth healthy through regular teeth cleaning and dental check-ups can also help prevent issues that could potentially come from dog licks.

So there you have it. If your dog doesn't eat a raw diet and doesn't go snacking in the cat box (or some other equally fecal-bacteria-ridden place), their kisses are probably not going to hurt you. Guilt-free pooch smooches for the win!

This article originally appeared in April.

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dogs

Pop Culture

UPS driver breaks down into tears saying goodbye to dogs he's known for over 10 years

The driver was making his last route, and shared an emotional farewell with his furry friends.

Photo credit: Canva

Mail carriers are a vital part of our community.

People in service jobs can become really bonded and connected with the people they serve—as well as their animals.

For a Georgia-based UPS driver, his last shift meant having to say goodbye to two sweet Brittany breed pups that greeted him along his route over the past 10 years. Bidding that decade-long friendship farewell was nothing less than a tearjerker.

In a touching clip shared by @ABC News' TikTok on June 23, the UPS driver (named Mario) makes his way to the house, package in hand, as the dogs welcome him with full tail-wagging excitement. Honestly, without the sniffles of the dog mom capturing the video, you’d probably think nothing of this interaction.

ups driver, ups, brittany dogs, positive news, feel good stories, wholesome tiktok, dogs A Brittany puppy.Photo credit: Canva

“Hey Mario,” the woman says, overcome with emotion. “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Mario whispers back, also verklempt.

“I love you man, I really do,” the woman says, to which Mario replies, “Thank you I love you too.”

While the dogs don’t audibly say anything, the love they feel for Mario is also very visible. The entire video is five seconds shy of a minute, yet it packed quite the emotional punch in very little time.

@abcnews After more than a decade of dog treats and deliveries, a UPS driver in Georgia shared an emotional moment with a couple of pups and their owner as he bid them farewell during his last shift.
♬ original sound - ABC News

“This should be a UPS commercial," one person wrote.

Even the official UPS TikTok account chimed in, saying “You never expect a goodbye to hit this hard.”

So many people shared their appreciation for some truly positive interactions, especially in such dark and uncertain times.

“THIS is what our world needs,” one person wrote, while another echoed, “this is what this world is supposed to be like, nothing but love.”

“I needed this today. There's so much hate in this world. My heart really hurts,” added a third.

Indeed, there might be many unsavory things happening right now, but so much of the world also looks just like this, full of harmonious coexistence, shared appreciation, easygoing friendships, and love for one another. Those things might not always make headlines, but they do exist, and sharing these moments gives us reason to keep going.

ups driver, ups, brittany dogs, positive news, feel good stories, wholesome tiktok, dogs A mail delivery carrier.Photo credit: Canva

It also just goes to show how mail carriers provide not only a vital service, but a sense of much-needed community to animals and humans alike. As folks in the comments suggested, Mario, the woman, and the doggos can hopefully continue their friendship even if his time at UPS is ending. After all, why rob these pups of their BFF?

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tear jerkers

Pets

Tiny dog goes ballistic every time she sees a blueberry and it's truly a must-see situation

People are rolling at Spud's…uh…"enthusiasm" for finger fruit.

Photo credit: Canva

Ever seen a blueberry attack? It's a sight to see.

Every animal has its unique quirks, but some quirks are quirkier than others. Many people think their pets are uniquely strange, but then an oddity comes along that makes you say say, "Okay, now that is truly a one-of-a-kind creature."

Enter Spud, also known as Spud the cryptid, whose over-the-top reaction to blueberries has people cracking up. Or rather, her reaction to a blueberry. When her owner tosses a blueberry her way, Spud goes ballistic. That's the only word to describe it, and it really just has to be witnessed first-hand:

@spud.the.cryptid
she loves it

This is not a one-off reaction. Spud does this every time, with every blueberry.

@spud.the.cryptid
Replying to @SillyMilly

People lost their minds over Spud losing her mind over blueberries.

"This was completely unprovoked hostility towards an innocent, sweet little blueberry."

"And STILL, No blueberries were harmed during the making of this video. NONE."

"This is also how I act around blueberries so I get it."

"That blueberry is probably terrified and confused."

"I am both terrified and in love."

"Hitting pause at any time during this vid is sending me. 😭"

Seriously, try watching those videos again and pausing them at random times. Spud's owner just did that and shared screenshots, and they're as epic as you might expect.

dog, spud the cryptid, tiktok, fruit, blueberry, weird pets TikTok · spud the cryptid www.tiktok.com

People had things to say about the freeze frames as well, of course.

"I can't stop laughing. She looks taxidermied but also adorable."

"Spud was trying to go through the five stages of grief but never made it past anger."

"Like a wee little angel…of death."

"How is this dog both frightening and adorable."

If you're wondering if it's just blueberries that makes Spud go bonkers, no, it's not. While it appears blueberries are her favorite fruit to attack-yet-not-attack, she has similar interactions with radishes, strawberries, and even a pea.

@spud.the.cryptid
this might look like a strawberry and pea but really it’s men who have wronged her

Another thing you should know about Spud is that she has a particular affinity for Grandma. Watch how she "turns into a giraffe," as one commenter put it, when she hears it's time to go to visit Grandma.

@spud.the.cryptid

The blueberry enthusiasm extends to Grandma in real life, judging by the way Spud "attacks" her when she sees her.

@spud.the.cryptid
Replying to @EllieVision 🇬🇧

"It’s so funny because we can all be together for days and anytime i say 'is that grandma?!' spud just loses it even if she’s been sleeping on her lap lol," Spuds owner writes. "That word just activates something in her."

If you're wondering what exactly a "cryptid" is, it's a creature that people have claimed exists or existed, but whose existence has never been proven. Think BigFoot or the Loch Ness monster. Spud most definitely exists, but her looks and quirks do make her appear almost mythical, so it's an apropos nickname.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Spud's owner shared the lore about her, saying Spud is 3,000 years old, has a degree in fashion design, hates fascists, and went to "the earth worm university." If you can't get enough of Spud, you're not alone. People are taking note of Spud's spunky and "delightfully creepy" little self, and she's growing quite a following online.

dog, spud the cryptid, tiktok, pup, viral TikTok · spud the cryptid www.tiktok.com

Spud even has a line of merch, because of course she does. You can get a tote bag with Spud's face on it that says, "I hate fascists," a shirt that has Spud dressed up as a strawberry on it, and more.

As one person wrote, "If Spud were a cult leader I'd be the first member," to which Spud's owner responded, "Don't tempt her to start running another cult." Oh my.

You can follow Spud for more fruity, cryptid, cultish, Grandma-loving adventures at @spud.the.cryptid on TikTok.

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pets

Pets

17 outrageous, side-splitting photos from the Comedy Pet Photo Awards

The 2021 crop of winners remains legendary.

via © Jakub Gojda/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021 and © Zoe Ross /Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

17 of the funniest photos from the Comedy Pet Photo Awards

If kids say the darndest things, it's safe to say that pets do the darndest things. One of the great joys of having a cat, dog, or other small animal to call your own is the endlessly entertainment they bring you. The way we communicate, and miscommunicate, with our pets is magical and hilarious. When you're lucky enough to capture some of that magic on film, you get the memory of a lifetime.

Taking photos are also an expression of love. It's no secret that pet owners are obsessed with snapping candid photos of sleeping dogs, yawning cats, and anything that looks cute, cuddly, or hilarious.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are a fun-filled competition created by Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks to promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues. Past winners include a well-timed shot of a monkey who appears to have hurt the family jewels on a suspension wire. (Don't worry folks, no monkeys were harmed for the awards.) The competition has been so successful, the duo decided to branch out and create the Comedy Pet Photo Awards, where photographers can submit pictures of their furry friends for a £2,000 ($2650) prize.

Donations generated by the competition go to Animal Support Angels, an animal welfare charity in the U.K. The 2024 winner features a dog shoving his head through a way-too-small cat door. In 2023, the champion was a kitten caught redheaded trying to sneak attack his brother.

But even several years later, the crop of winners from the 2021 contest remains one of the best ever. The overall champion was Zoe Ross for "Whizz Pop," a photo of her labrador puppy Pepper who appears to be tooting bubbles.

“We never ever thought that we would win but entered the competition because we loved the idea of helping a charity just by sending in a funny photo of Pepper," Ross said in a statement. "She is such a little monkey, and very proud of herself, bringing in items from the garden and parading past you until you notice her. She is the happiest puppy we’ve ever known and completely loved to pieces.”

Here are the rest of the winners of the 2021 Comedy Pet Photo Awards.

Overall Winner: Zoe Ross "Whizz Pop," Penkridge, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Overall Winner: Zoe Ross "Whizz Pop," Labrador puppy, Penkridge, UK © Zoe Ross /Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

Did this puppy swallow a bubble? Either he drank some bubble solution or this photographer just happened to have remarkable timing.

Best Dog Category: Carmen Cromer "Jurassic Bark," Pittsboro, North Carolina

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Best Dog Category: Carmen Cromer "Jurassic Bark," Pittsboro, North Carolina © Carmen Cromer/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"My golden retriever, Clementine, loves to stick her face in front of the hose while I water the plants. Her expression in this photo made me think of a tyrannosaurus rex, hence the title, "Jurassic Bark." Duh nuh nuuuh nuhnuh, duh nuh nuuuh nuh nuh, dun duh duuuh nuh nuh nuh nUUUUUUhhhh." – Carmen Cromer

Best Cat Category: Kathrynn Trott "Photobomb," Ystradgynlais, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Best Cat Category: Kathrynn Trott "Photobomb," Ystradgynlais, U.K. © Kathrynn Trott/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

Jeff stealing the limelight from his brother Jaffa. What is it that cats love so much about photobombing?

Best Horse Category: Mary Ellis, "I Said 'Good Morning,'" Platte River State Park, Nebraska

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Best Horse Category: Mary Ellis, "I Said 'Good Morning,'" Platte River State Park, Nebraska © Mary Ellis/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"I like to visit the stable horses before I begin my hike at the State Park. This is the reply I received when I said 'Good morning.'" – Mary Ellis

When they say you should never look a gift horse in the mouth, maybe this is what they had in mind.

All Other Creatures Category: Sophie Bonnefoi, "The Eureka Moment," Oxford, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition All Other Creatures Category: Sophie Bonnefoi, "The Eureka Moment," Oxford, U.K. © Sophie Bonnefoi/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Cutie and Speedy are two chicks hatched from eggs placed in an incubator at home in August 2020. They spent their first few weeks indoors. In the photo, they are just over two weeks old. They were curious about everything. This is the day they discovered their own shadow. It was hilarious to see them wondering and exploring that 'dark thing' that was moving with them!" – Sophie Bonnefoi

Junior Category: Suzi Lonergan, "Sit!" Pacific Palisades, California

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Junior Category: Suzi Lonergan, "Sit!" Pacific Palisades, California © Suzi Lonergan/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Our granddaughter gave the command to sit. Beau is very obedient." – Suzi Lonergan

Anyone who's ever owned an oversized dog has been here before. This snapshot absolutely reflects the hilarious reality of keeping a gentle giant in your home.

Pets Who Look Like Their Owners Category: Jakub Gojda, "That Was a Good One!" Czech Republic

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Pets Who Look Like Their Owners Category: Jakub Gojda, "That Was a Good One!" Czech Republic © Jakub Gojda/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This photo was taken by accident during the photography of my ex-girlfriend with her beloved mare. For this cheerful moment, I thank the fly that sat on the horse's nose and he instinctively shook his head." – Jakub Gojda.

The resemblance is uncanny!

Highly Commended: Chloe Beck, "Hugo the Photobomber," Walsall, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Chloe Beck, "Hugo the Photobomber," Walsall, U.K. © Chloe Beck/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This is my best friend Faith, her husband Alex, and their cheeky Sproodle, Hugo. Faith wanted a photograph to mark a special occasion—her first outing after shielding at home for 14 months. Hugo jumped into the frame at just the right moment!" – Chloe Beck

Highly Commended: Luke O'Brien, "Mumford and Chum," Coventry, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Luke O'Brien, "Mumford and Chum," Coventry, U.K. © Luke O'Brien/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Losing the opportunity to play with my human bandmates during lockdown, Flint, my rescue dog, soon taught me that we didn't just have sharp bones in common, but musical ones, too. He soon became the perfect substitute for a collaborative stomp up at home, so much so that we felt we deserved our own band name (Muttford and Chum). With my camera set up remotely during this shoot, I think it's fair to say that the image is proof that his conviction as a performer matches my own." – Luke O'Brien.

Luke and Flint could have been strong competitors in the lookalike contest, if you ask me.

Highly Commended: Kathryn Clark, "Wine Time," Cichester, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Kathryn Clark, "Wine Time," Cichester, U.K. © Kathryn Clark/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"It's that time of day again! Little Blue enjoys it almost as much as me." – Kathryn Clark.

This cat just gets it.

Highly Commended: Diana Jill Mehner, "Crazy in Love With Fall," Paderborn, Germany

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Diana Jill Mehner, "Crazy in Love With Fall," Paderborn, Germany © Diana Jill Mehner/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This is Leia. As you can see, she definitely loves playing with all the leaves in autumn. It was really tricky to take this picture because you never know what the dog is going to do next." – Diana Jill Mehner.

Highly Commended: Christine Johnson, "Boing," Crosby Beach, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Christine Johnson, "Boing," Crosby Beach, U.K. © Christine Johnson/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"I was busy playing with my dog on the beach and this dog came to play. I liked the shapes he was making in the air." – Christine Johnson

Highly Commended: Manel Subirats Ferrer, "Ostrich Style," Platja del Prat de Llobregat, Spain

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Manel Subirats Ferrer, "Ostrich Style," Platja del Prat de Llobregat, Spain © Manel Subirats Ferrer/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

Nuka playing hide and seek at the beach. Hey, we've all buried our head in the sand at one point or another.

Highly Commended: Colin Doyle, "Nosey Neighbor," Bromsgrove, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Colin Doyle, "Nosey Neighbor," Bromsgrove, U.K. © Colin Doyle/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"According to Ozzy, we need a new fence panel ASAP. He is fed up with Chester our nosy next door neighbor spying on him every time he has a meal." – Colin Doyle.

There's a lot going on in this one, but the hidden camera is what really makes it a winner.

Highly Commended: Corey Seeman, "A Warm Spot on a Cold Day," Michigan

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Corey Seeman, "A Warm Spot on a Cold Day," Michigan © Corey Seeman/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Two of the morning regulars at the dog park are Gary (hound mix with the jacket) and Kona, one of the most chill dogs ever." – Corey Seeman.

Highly Commended: Lucy Slater, "So What?" San Diego, California

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Lucy Slater, "So What?" San Diego, California © Lucy Slater/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This is how I like to sit!" – Vincent the cat

Highly Commended: Mollie Cheary, "Photobomb," Poole, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Mollie Cheary, "Photobomb," Poole, U.K. © Mollie Cheary/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

'"Bailey was so excited to see her friends, she couldn't sit still for a photo!" – Mollie Cheary

The photos are hilarious and adorable, but you might wonder: What's the point of all this?

The founders have actually given that quite a bit of thought. According to the website:

"Lots of people ask us why we do the competition and what we are trying to achieve. This is an epic question. So, we’ve had a really good think, (with tea and biccies obvs) and come up with this: 'Through the Comedy Pets, we want to promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues and celebrate the incredible and valuable contribution that pets can and do have on our lives.'"

So you're actually doing a lot of good by viewing, laughing at, and even sharing these photos. Great work!

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.,

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pets

Joy

Dog mom shares adorable video of the 'chores' her pitbull pup thinks she’s doing

No one can call her a freeloader.

via Stiv XTZ/Pexels

A pitbull stares at the window, looking for the mailman.

Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

The mom says Rhubarb has chores because “we didn’t raise a freeloader.”

Here are 5 “chores” that Rhubarb has mastered.

1. Makes sure the laundry doesn't get cold

Translation: Sits on top of the clean laundry, ready to be folded.

2. Unlicensed therapist

Translation: Gives us kisses when we're tired or feeling down.

3. Supervise repairs

Translation: She gets in the way when you're in a compromised, uncomfortable position with a wrench in your hand.

4. Alerts us when there's an intruder

Translation: Stands at the window and barks furiously at the mailman.

5. Keeps mum's spot warm

Translation: Lays in her spot on her favorite chair in the living room.

The video inspired some funny responses in the comments.

“He’s carrying that household on his back. Give him a raise."

“Obviously the most valuable member of the household."

"Rhubarb needs a little vacation from working so flipping hard!"

"Hardest worker there ever was."

"He's carrying that household on his back."

Here's to Rhubarb, for earning his keep, and being adorable while doing it. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

This article originally appeared last year.

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humor

Pets

A young autistic man was scared of dogs. This stray changed everything.

"They were looking for each other."

Canva

A black dog lies on the floor.

Grab your tissues, if there are any even left after the world sees this video.

With Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" underscoring, we see a young man in pajamas sitting on a bed wearing noise-cancelling headphones. A tail-wagging black dog approaches as the TikTok chyron shares: "POV: Your autistic son was always afraid of dogs until..."

@lifeotspectrum
They were looking for each other ❤️ 🎥: @thecheyenneagains (TT) #autism #therapydog

We see him doing, perhaps, some self-soothing stimming, as he timidly reaches out to pet the dog, but his trepidation pulls him back. It then reads, "A stray dog randomly shows up at your house and changed everything."

As he continues to show interest, but is held back by fear, the dog sits…and waits, "allowing him the patience and time needed to work through his fears." He crosses his arms and the dog…just…keeps…waiting, while carefully sitting close enough to convey that he's safe.

We see a smile from the young man. "Gunner created a safe space and allowed my son to trust," the chyron continues. And then—his smile got even warmer as he bravely reaches out his hand and gently strokes the dog on his head.

man, dog, petting, love, animals A man and a dog stand near a dock. Photo by Joseph Pearson on Unsplash

The music ceases and he now feels more comfortable petting sweet Gunner. The final chyron reads, "Gunner is the best." And if that wasn't heartwarming enough, Gunner the dog turns around, faces the camera and appears to smile.

Originally posted on the @thecheyenneagains TikTok page and then reposted by Life on the Spectrum (@Lifeotspectrum), this video has half a million likes and thousands of comments. It clearly resonates with people in the spectrum community, dog-lovers, and just plain humans with hearts.

One top commenter writes, "Dog understands autism better than 95 percent of people." Another shares how lovely it is to see Gunner show so much patience and understanding. "Gunner read his body language and energy perfectly and said 'it’s ok dude, I can wait take your time it will be worth it.'" Another shares a similar sentiment, "Gunner just knew. What a brilliant dog and probably life-changing for this young man too."

As a follow-up, the OP shares another video of Gunner soothing her son after what she describes was a "tough day." In this clip, she shares that her son's name is Brodey and we see him again gently petting Gunner as the two look at one another.

@thecheyenneagains
Replying to @LuciaR they are so sweet together and Gunner just knows what to do ❤️ #creatorsearchinsights #fyp #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #viral #viralvideo #viraltiktok #autism #autismawareness #dog #dogsoftiktok #dogs #doglover

A commenter here writes, "Some dogs show up specifically to heal a part of your soul," to which the adoring mother writes, "He just loves Brodey."

Another shares the belief that the two are soul-healing: "I love dogs so much. This is amazing. Not even trained service dog, yet knows exactly what your precious boy needs. I think you found his soul dog."

And don't think Gunner isn't getting some great TikTok attention. After what appears to be a run-in with some skunks, he gets a bath and a talking to.

@thecheyenneagains
Gunner thought it would be a great idea to try and mess with a 🦨!!! 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 please pray for me #fyp #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #fypage #trending #dog #dogs #dogsoftiktok #doglover #gross #nose #bath #bathtime #clean #baddog

Mom asks him, "Are you gonna mess with the skunks again? Was it worth it? No more skunks. Good grief!" A commenter playfully replies, "He absolutely said yes to both questions."

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