WHAT A CRUEL BASTARD >:( Man 'stabs puppy 11 TIMES and leaves her to die in dumpster'... but dog miraculously survives

A Texas man confessed to stabbing his 14-week-old puppy Taz and leaving her to die in a dumpster.

Fortunately for the puppy, a nearby animal lover and neighbour called the police after she saw Larry Dollins Jr., 42, ‘maliciously’ stabbing Taz.

Now, the dog is recovering from surgery and is at a shelter waiting to be adopted by a loving family.

Busted: Police officers arrest Larry Dobbins Jr., third from left, at Dobbins' home in Abilene, Texas

Brave: Taz, a 14-week old female puppy, recovers at Key City Veterinary Clinic after surviving the weekend stabbing

Dollins’ neighbour Cheryl Ascol told KTXS that she saw him stabbing his puppy on Sunday.

‘I screamed at him and told him to please stop stabbing the dog,’ Ms Ascol told the Reporter News. ‘But he kept on walking toward me with the dog.’

That’s when she ran inside and called the Abilene police.

When the authorities arrived, they found the dog in a city trash bin with multiple stab wounds.

They carried the bleeding dog over to Ms Ascol’s porch and asked her to fetch a towel in which to wrap her.

Taz was taken to the Key City Veterinary Clinic, where she underwent surgery for her wounds. She is expected to survive, but continues to be monitored by experts.

Road to recovery: Taz was treated at a local veterinary hospital and is waiting to be adopted by a new family

Dr Natalie Matthews, who is treating the puppy, told the Reporter News that the dog has a ‘really loving attitude.

‘She’s an innocent animal and has a very positive outlook on life despite what she’s been through. She’s a really remarkable animal.’

Dollins was arrested Monday after confessing his crime to police. He is being held at the Taylor County Jail on $25,000 bail and faces felony charges of animal cruelty.

Local psychotherapist Dr Marc Orner said that Dollins may have taken his aggression out on a helpless animal because it made him feel more powerful.

‘That’s not anger, that’s rage,’ Dr Orner told KTXS, saying that there could be an external factor making Dollins so violent.

Weekend violence: Taz was stabbed at her owner Larry Dollins' Abilene, Texas home

Another neighbour and friend told the station that he noticed a recent change in Dollins’ behaviour.

‘I actually saw a change in this guy,’ Robert Thompson said, adding that he thinks a drug addiction might be to blame for his changes.

Dr Matthews expects Taz to find a new home by Wednesday.

Do you know an animal that is being abused? Contact the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) at aspca.org to find your local branch.

by dailymail.co.uk

Trio of tortoises arrive SEVEN months too early because of unseasonably warm weather

This adorable trio of tortoise babies gave their owner a shock when they turned up months too early because of the unseasonably warm weather.

Tortoises usually lay their eggs in early summer and youngsters hatch around August.

But the warm winter confused one female so much she laid her eggs in November.

Tiny: This adorable trio of tortoise babies gave their owner a shock when they turned up months too early because of the unseasonably warm weather

Early start to life: The warm winter confused the mother of these tiny tortoises so much that she laid her eggs in November instead of early summer

The tiny trio were born recently and are now enjoying an earlier than usual start to life for a tortoise.

Owner Sally Walker, from Waterlooville, Hampshire, said: 'Normally they go in to hibernation and come back in the spring.

'But because it was warm she produced eggs in November.'

Ms Walker is now hoping to sell the new arrivals, the proceeds of which will go towards an orphanage in Africa.

Last year was one of the warmest on record and led to all kinds of strange happenings during the winter months.

The Royal Horticultural Society said earlier this month that the mild winter weather confused some flowers into blooming almost six months early.

Sweet: The size of the newly-born tortoise babies can be seen when they are lined up against this ruler

Taking a ride: One of the babies takes the easier option of hitching a lift with a slightly larger tortoise

Daffodils, geraniums, hellebores, crocus and little pinks have all been seen well ahead of their normal arrival time.

The warm temperatures also confused some ladybirds in Watts Wood Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire this month.

They were tempted out of their winter refuge by weeks of unseasonably mild temperatures but found out to their cost that they had been tricked by nature.

Early bloomers: The snowdrops at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridge have flowered early due to the mild winter

Spot of bother: The warm weather confused these ladybirds which were tempted out of their winter refuge early but were later encrusted by a layer of frost

When the cold snap descended, there was no hiding place and they found themselves encrusted by a layer of frost.

The balmy temperatures in November convinced one female duck that it was spring and therefore time to give birth.

This led to Millicent, Margot and Mildred being born in a pond in King's Somborne, near Winchester, Hampshire.

by dailymail.co.uk

Given a home: The eight puppies left for dead inside a bale of hay... near mother who had been tied up and abandoned

It's little wonder that with such cute faces peering out over the edge of their plastic bowl, these eight abandoned puppies have found new homes.

But their futures could have been a lot bleaker.

The puppies and their mother, a mongrel named Amy, had been found by a farmer stuffed inside a bale of hay on his land in Newark.

Left for dead: The litter of eight puppies which had been dumped in a bale of hay on farmland. Their mother had been tied up next to them

Adorable: The gorgeous pups tugged on the heartstrings when their plight went public after being found by a farmer last month

But now, following an appeal by local newspaper the Lincolnshire Echo, the eight six-week old puppies have found caring owners who will be able to give them the life they deserve.

The Echo put out an urgent plea to animal lovers to adopt one of the puppies who were taken in by Lincolnshire Rescue Kennels on December 5.

The mother was discovered with a rope tied around her neck which she had bitten through.

The cute and playful nature of the puppies must have hit home as they were rehomed within hours. 

Speaking to the LIncolnshire Echo, Marek Cybulski, who gave one of the puppies, now called Nina a home said the family had been looking for a puppy since one of their other dogs was killed a few months ago.

Puppy love: Marek Cybulski gets a playful paw from one of the rescued brood, who has been named Nina

'I saw the picture on the front of the Echo and knew that she was the one for me. I went to have a look at the puppies and Nina came running up to me – that just sealed the deal.

'She's been settling in great so far and she's already met our cats and other dog.

'She's only six weeks old so she's still a bit skittish, but she's very playful and we're going to give her a loving home.'

Nina, joins a family which includes another dog, two cats and 20 chickens.

But there is still some sadness left in the story.

Abandoned mum Amy is still looking for a loving new home, according to the kennels.

Kennel assistant Beth Sutton said there was an amazing response, not just for the puppies in question, but also for other dogs that need homes.

Child's play: The puppies enjoy some much-needed attention from a young fan as they recover from their ordeal

by dailymail.co.uk

WHAT FUN CAN ANYONE GET IN KILLING AN INNOCENT ANIMAL DOING NO HARM TO THEM??? Is this really fun for all the family? The giraffe hunters who pay £10,000 to shoot the gentle giants with guns and bows for sport

Tourist trophy hunters are paying thousands of pounds to go and shoot giraffe's with high-powered guns and bows.

The gentle giants are loved around the world for their comical appearance and gentle nature.

Just like character 'Melman' played by Friend's-star David Schwimmer in Disney's Madagascar, they are a hit with kids who love their long necks and eyelashes.

But shocking images show how scores of big-spending men and women - and even families - travel from across the globe, some even from Britain, to kill them for sport.

The gentle giants are tracked down and killed so tourists can take home pictures showing they have killed the animals

Entire families go on the hunts and appear to relish having their pictures taken with the dead giraffe

Hunters pay up to a whopping £10,000 for the the chance to slay them - preferring bulls because they are the biggest.

Safari clubs and game reserves ask for a £1,500 trophy fee, and then add on rates for guides and trackers costing around £1,000 per day.

The hunts typically last three-to-five days and see tourists using .458 Winchester Magnum rifles to kill the animals.

With most hunters flying to Africa from their homes in Europe or America, the costs stretch into five figures.

The hunting continues even though numbers of the animals are plummeting.

But the world's leading giraffe expert said populations in the countries where it is legal - South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe - can cope with the killings.

The latest statistic show the number of giraffes in the world have nearly halved since 1988 from over 140,000 to less than 80,000.

Dr. Julian Fennessy produced the report for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Another recent IUCN report suggests the giraffe may already need to be listed as a threatened species - because some populations are being decimated in places like West Africa and DR Congo.

They are already thought to be extinct in Angola, Mali and Nigeria.

The animals are near extinction and are no longer found in countries like Nigeria, Mali and Angola

Tourist hunters often take the skin home or get taxidermists to mount the heads so they can be taken home as trophies

Dr. Fennessy also founded Giraffe Conservation Foundation - the only dedicated giraffe conservation group in the world.

He said: 'I'm not interested in hunting giraffe, but hunters obviously get a kick out of it like others enjoy a game of squash or cooking. It's a complicated argument. There are lots of factors.

'The loss of habitat and breaking up of populations by man-made constructions are the main factors threatening their numbers.

'In the countries where you can hunt legally, the populations are increasing but across Africa the overall numbers are dropping alarmingly.

'It shows that if properly managed with proper policy and controls, the hunting can be sustainable.'

In some African countries legal hunting can actually help local communities by bringing in money and making meat available to them.

'Many hunting staff like guides, trackers and skinners who assist the tourists are paid in meat from the kills,' added Dr. Fennessy.

'If the tourist has paid the fee for the trophy, the carcass is theirs. Some just like to have photo taken next to the dead giraffe, but others pay taxidermists to mount the head a neck so they can take them home as a souvenir.

'Or they might want to take the skin home.'

The hunts typically last three-to-five days and sees tourists using .458 Winchester Magnum rifles to kill the animals

It is legal to hunt the giraffes in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia - where they have greater numbers of giraffes

He added: 'Some hunters come from Britain but the big majority are from North America, Germany, Russia and Scandinavia.

'The worst part of trophy hunting is the fact that the hunters can miss their target and fail to kill the giraffe quickly.

'If they don't hit the right spot then it can lead to suffering for the animal.

'They might have a 'second gun' in the party whose job it is to take the animal down quickly if the tourist misses.

'But hunting guides need to asses the ability of the hunter and stop the hunt if they do not have the skills to do it humanely.'

Another factors decimating the giraffe population is poaching.

'Poaching is illegal and is not licensed,' said Dr. Fennessy.

'They set wire snares at giraffe-height in the trees to snare their necks, or to trap their feet and kill them when they return.

'It leads to huge suffering for the animals, sometimes for days.'

To help the Giraffe Conservation Foundation click here visit http://www.giraffeconservation.org/

by dailymail.co.uk

WHAT FUN CAN ANYONE GET IN KILLING AN INNOCENT ANIMAL DOING NO HARM TO THEM???Is this really fun for all the family? The giraffe hunters who pay £10,000 to shoot the gentle giants with guns and bows for sport

Tourist trophy hunters are paying thousands of pounds to go and shoot giraffe's with high-powered guns and bows.

The gentle giants are loved around the world for their comical appearance and gentle nature.

Just like character 'Melman' played by Friend's-star David Schwimmer in Disney's Madagascar, they are a hit with kids who love their long necks and eyelashes.

But shocking images show how scores of big-spending men and women - and even families - travel from across the globe, some even from Britain, to kill them for sport.

The gentle giants are tracked down and killed so tourists can take home pictures showing they have killed the animals

Entire families go on the hunts and appear to relish having their pictures taken with the dead giraffe

Hunters pay up to a whopping £10,000 for the the chance to slay them - preferring bulls because they are the biggest.

Safari clubs and game reserves ask for a £1,500 trophy fee, and then add on rates for guides and trackers costing around £1,000 per day.

The hunts typically last three-to-five days and see tourists using .458 Winchester Magnum rifles to kill the animals.

With most hunters flying to Africa from their homes in Europe or America, the costs stretch into five figures.

The hunting continues even though numbers of the animals are plummeting.

But the world's leading giraffe expert said populations in the countries where it is legal - South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe - can cope with the killings.

The latest statistic show the number of giraffes in the world have nearly halved since 1988 from over 140,000 to less than 80,000.

Dr. Julian Fennessy produced the report for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Another recent IUCN report suggests the giraffe may already need to be listed as a threatened species - because some populations are being decimated in places like West Africa and DR Congo.

They are already thought to be extinct in Angola, Mali and Nigeria.

The animals are near extinction and are no longer found in countries like Nigeria, Mali and Angola

Tourist hunters often take the skin home or get taxidermists to mount the heads so they can be taken home as trophies

Dr. Fennessy also founded Giraffe Conservation Foundation - the only dedicated giraffe conservation group in the world.

He said: 'I'm not interested in hunting giraffe, but hunters obviously get a kick out of it like others enjoy a game of squash or cooking. It's a complicated argument. There are lots of factors.

'The loss of habitat and breaking up of populations by man-made constructions are the main factors threatening their numbers.

'In the countries where you can hunt legally, the populations are increasing but across Africa the overall numbers are dropping alarmingly.

'It shows that if properly managed with proper policy and controls, the hunting can be sustainable.'

In some African countries legal hunting can actually help local communities by bringing in money and making meat available to them.

'Many hunting staff like guides, trackers and skinners who assist the tourists are paid in meat from the kills,' added Dr. Fennessy.

'If the tourist has paid the fee for the trophy, the carcass is theirs. Some just like to have photo taken next to the dead giraffe, but others pay taxidermists to mount the head a neck so they can take them home as a souvenir.

'Or they might want to take the skin home.'

The hunts typically last three-to-five days and sees tourists using .458 Winchester Magnum rifles to kill the animals

It is legal to hunt the giraffes in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia - where they have greater numbers of giraffes

He added: 'Some hunters come from Britain but the big majority are from North America, Germany, Russia and Scandinavia.

'The worst part of trophy hunting is the fact that the hunters can miss their target and fail to kill the giraffe quickly.

'If they don't hit the right spot then it can lead to suffering for the animal.

'They might have a 'second gun' in the party whose job it is to take the animal down quickly if the tourist misses.

'But hunting guides need to asses the ability of the hunter and stop the hunt if they do not have the skills to do it humanely.'

Another factors decimating the giraffe population is poaching.

'Poaching is illegal and is not licensed,' said Dr. Fennessy.

'They set wire snares at giraffe-height in the trees to snare their necks, or to trap their feet and kill them when they return.

'It leads to huge suffering for the animals, sometimes for days.'

To help the Giraffe Conservation Foundation click here visit http://www.giraffeconservation.org/

by dailymail.co.uk