Punch the Monkey turned ONE yesterday, and he got a lot of cards. His caregivers say he’s growing well, in good health, and is playing with others. He’s also less attached to his plush orangutan toy from IKEA. A zoo official says, “He is less and less turning to the orangutan doll. He is communicating with other animals and playing with other baby monkeys. He is building his position as a member of the group.” ……………..A small dog missing since the Fourth of July was rescued last week after witnesses spotted it swimming alone in the San Francisco Bay. The dog, named Prieta, reportedly bolted after being scared by a fireworks display. Prieta also endured an “aerial assault by an organized gang of seagulls” while struggling to stay afloat, which sounds wild. (Here’s footage. And here’s more.)……………..And finally…………….
11-year-old Nehemiah Turner has racked up 100 hours of reading to animals over the past two years at the Jacksonville, FL Humane Society. Encouraged by his grandmother, he’s the first kid to hit 100 hours of reading through the shelter’s Pawsitive Reading program. Nehemiah told the shelter he most enjoys reading to the dogs and said he hopes his reading calms them and helps them find their forever homes faster. The shelter said “In a world where we’ve become increasingly reliant on screens, here is a young man who quietly set a goal to help homeless animals by reading books and, in doing so, has inspired his entire community.”