These Amazing Animal Rescue Stories Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity

Man and animal can often form an unbreakable bond when a life is in danger. From 400 pound bears to helpless kittens, here are the animal rescue stories that left us in awe.

A Brave Rescue

John Fusco, a heroic Manchester, Conn. firefighter, saved this little poodle from a blazing house fire. The best part of this inspiring animal rescue is how Fusco bottle fed the helpless little pooch once he made it out of the fiery wreckage.

Fins are Friends

When this guide for Pelican Point Kayaking in Walvis Bay, Namibia found a beached baby Benguela dolphin stranded on the ocean shore, he didn’t hesitate to act. The brave man lifted the dolphin up and carried him back into the water. If it wasn’t for this heroic act, the dolphin surely would have not survived.

The Ultimate Dog Lover

Hurricane Harvey was the most devastating storm to hit the U.S. since 2005, causing catastrophic flooding in Texas. Over 30,000 people had to flee their homes, just like this young woman. Amid the chaos, she knew she could leave without her beloved dog. She carried her pup on her shoulders, wading through the water to find shelter and safety.

A Shock Discovery

Norwegians Erik and Torvald were out taking pictures with a new camera when they spotted a poor lamb in the rushing water of a nearby river. They simply couldn’t let the poor animal drown in the turbulent waters. The current was strong but the two never gave up. They eventually pulled the lamb from the stream and back on to dry land.

A Sticky Bind

Even majestic horses can need the helping hand of a human from time to time. This mare got her body stuck in a muddy bog. Luckily a determined British animal rescue worker managed to save the terrified horse from sinking any further into the depths. After a few hours of hard labor, the mare eventually was freed.

David’s Ark

Dangerous floods tore through Louisiana and Mississippi in 2016 threatening the lives of humans and their livestock This determined man in Church Point, La. named David Smith wouldn’t let the rising water levels get in the way of protecting his animals. He engineered a makeshift raft and waded his livestock to safety.

Help Needed Down Below

This little kitten got itself into a bind when it unknowingly made its way into a manhole. Luckily, everyone was all smiles as the brave firefighter and the little feline emerged after a successful rescue mission.

Bear Brothers

This 400-pound black bear almost drowned after Animal Control in Florida sedated him. The animal was tranquilized so he could be safely moved away from a residential area but the bear soon wandered into the nearby waters as the tranquilizers began to kick in. Without hesitating, Adam Warwick, a local resident, jumped into the waters to pull the drowning bear to the shore. Both man and bear happily survived the unbelievable rescue.

A Selfless Hero

This truly is a heart-stirring image. This young boy took to the waters to save a drowning puppy, threatening his own wellbeing in the process. The boy and the puppy made it safely back to dry land, only to become life-long companions.

Finally Safe

A picture says a thousand words, and this image speaks volumes. You can just see the fear and gratitude in this cat’s eyes after being heroically rescued from a burning building and certain death.

Piggy Business

Heavy rainfall flooded large areas of Serbia and Bosnia in May 2014, prompting life-threatening landslides and floods. In order to save this helpless pig form the raging waters, it was placed on a roof in the Bosnian village of Vojskova. Here, these Balkan men are shown taking a boat trip to the stranded pig in order to feed it. Sadly, not all animals were eventually rescued. Thousands of other pigs, cows, dogs, and sheep perished.

Carrying a Burden

When Mount Agung in Bali started to rumble, volunteers chose to risk their lives to rescue local wildlife from the erupting volcano. This man was part of a 12-person emergency response unit that made treacherous trips into the red zone in order to get relocate animals to shelter where they would receive water, food and medical attention.

Goose Rescue!

This little goose was distressed after being attacked by a swarm of bees. This firefighter wanted to ensure the animal didn’t have any severe injuries. After receiving some oxygen, the goose was calmed and happily waddled its way back home.

Would He Survive?

This little owl was hit by a car and found on the roadside by dedicated firefighter David Eastman. He scooped up the injured creature and wrapped him in a blanket before taking the bird back to his home to be nursed back to health. The owl had a minor concussion but made a quick recovery and soon returned to the wild.

Little Rodney

After a large fire erupted in a home in Mulberry, Florida, Polk County firefighter John Williams was sweeping the property when he found little Rodney’s cage. The Guinea Pig made a lucky escape and received some oxygen after his time spent in the toxic fumes of the fire.

Lucky Joey

This tiny joey was too weak to walk after getting swept away and almost drowning in the tumultuous waters during the Queensland, Australia floods of 2011. Luckily for the little kangaroo, Ray Cole was nearby. Cole said, “I couldn’t stand there and watch our coat of arms just drown.” He jumped into the waters and saved the struggling young animal.

The Time Had Come

The plummeting temperature of the water in this frozen lake wasn’t going to stop Norwegian Lars Jørun Langøien from diving into the waters to rescue a trapped duck. The bird’s body was frozen beneath a solid layer of thick ice. Langøien went on to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the poor animal. He recalled to VG News that “It felt like the right thing to do.”

A Dog in Trouble

When a devastating earthquake struck China, this poor dog was spotted trapped under the debris of the surrounding fallen buildings. Two rescue workers located the struggling dog and embarked on a rescue mission. Amidst the destruction, this animal rescue was a beautiful sight.

A Special Moment

This moving image shows a Country Fire Authority volunteer braving the scorching forest fires to rescue a koala during the devastating bush fires of 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. David Tree took a moment to offer the distressed koala some water, the moment was captured and the image went on to touch hearts the world over.

A Grateful Pup

So many people lost their beloved animals after unprecedented floods raged through the Balkans in 2014. Thanks to emergency service workers, this pooch was saved from a deadly fate. Despite the dog’s impressive size, the workers refused to leave the pup behind. Another touching moment between man and his best friend.

A Fearless Rescuer

This heroic Indian villager spotted a litter of newborn kittens struggling in the grave floods of 2011. The man chose to risk his life in order to get the kittens back to dry land. Another image that shows the lengths of human compassion.

Saving Bambi

This young deer was too frail to brave the raging waters during floods in Noakhali, Bangladesh. When a brave boy called Belal saw the drowning fawn, he waded into the vicious depths of the waters and held the young animal above his head as he made his way to the river banks.

 

A True Hero

Once local residents had fled the damage of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, thousands of animals were left behind to fend for themselves. Naoto Matsumura refused to stand by and do nothing. Despite the dangers of radiation poisoning in the area, the animal lover returned to feed the destitute animals. “They told me that I wouldn’t get sick for 30 or 40 years. I’ll most likely be dead by then anyway, so I couldn’t care less,” he exclaimed.

A Terrifying Accident

When this dog was hit by a car in a high traffic zone, this little boy rushed out to save the injured and bewildered pup. The boy risked his own life as he ran into the road to scoop up the trembling dog.

Roscoe Lives Another Day

Roscoe went missing and was saved by the Edmonton fire crew after they found him in the icy waters of the North Saskatchewan River in Canada. His tail was completely frozen after being immersed in the freezing water for more than 24 hours. The crew pulled him to safety with an inflatable raft and rushed the brave pup to a nearby veterinarian clinic for emergency treatment.

Doggyback Ride

When a catastrophic storm hit the Philippines and caused severe floods, thousands of people and animals were left to fend for themselves. This man wasn’t going to let the threat of imminent danger stop him from rescuing this dog. He waded through the waters with the dog on his back until both he and the pup were back on dry land.

Helpless Heidi

When Hurricane Harvey ravaged Houston, Texas, in 2017, animal lover Joe Garcia refused to abandon his beloved dog. He clung to his dog Heidi as he waded through the waist-deep muddy waters. Thankfully, both Heidi and her brave owner made it to the rescue boat unscathed.

 

Terrific Teamwork

Two kids saved this helpless dog from getting swept away in this water reservoir. They used their combined strength and a lunch box in order to reach the struggling pup.

A Tender Moment

This photograph was taken during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. The image captures a tender moment as soldiers helped a baby goat while a brutal battle raged on.

Braving a Fire

This cat might look angry but you would also be in a mood if you had just escaped a house fire. Thanks to this Russian firefighter, the feline made it out of the blaze after clinging to the ceiling with her paws.