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Horses on the lam to a wayward seal: Canada's top 2024 animal stories

Counting down the year's top stories involving our furry and feathered friends
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From pets reunited with owners – sometimes after years – to the perfect wildlife shot, Canada's top animal stories were anything but boring.

Elephant seals, horses and bobcats, oh my!

From pets reunited with owners – sometimes after years – to the perfect wildlife shot, Canada's top animal stories were anything but boring. Scroll through to read just some of Black Press Media's top animal stories across Canada.

Rewilded orphaned grizzly cubs found thriving near Bella Coola

A grizzly bear rewilding pilot project reached a major milestone this summer as two cubs, Isa and Arthur, orphaned in 2020 and released into the wilderness near Bella Coola in 2021, were found to be thriving.

Stolen Yukon dog reunites with family after being found in U.S.

A Burwash Landing woman’s dog was kidnapped near the Yukon-Alaska border from the roadside in late September and was found 10 days later in Kingman, Arizona.

Emerson’s celebrity grows as the Victoria seal thwarts relocation efforts

Emerson the elephant seal kept coming back to Greater Victoria in the spring – despite multiple relocation efforts.

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Emerson, a two-year-old elephant seal, will undergo a ‘catastrophic moult’ shedding most of his skin over a six-week period. (Tom Eley/News Staff)

Stabilized painted turtle released in Williams Lake

A painted turtle run over by a vehicle in May is once again basking in the marshlands and waters of Williams Lake.

Sooke wildlife photographer catches owl in a pinch

After two years patiently waiting for his moment, a Sooke wildlife photographer achieved his dream, capturing a rare moment when a barred owl went beak to claw with a crayfish.

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Aldergrove farm gives alpacas haircuts for spring

Alpacas can grow up to 10 pounds of wool over a winter, which can easily cause the animals to overheat if not shorn before the warmer months.

Support dog helps families through grief at Vernon funeral home

Funeral professionals know how to console grieving families; it’s part of the job description. And at Vernon’s Pleasant Valley Funeral Home, one of those skilled professionals is a four-legged friend named Odie.

‘From lab to love’: Former research beagles play in Kelowna after rescue

Ten sweet pups have made their first steps towards a life outside of a laboratory, thanks to the Beagle Alliance.

Wandering horses hit South Surrey streets after escape from field

A trio of Mounties was dispatched to South Surrey to assist with reining in a pair of wandering Arabian horses, after they were spotted on surveillance cameras at 5 a.m. roaming near Redwood Park.

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Surrey RCMP officers provided an escort for two escaped horses after an early-morning call in South Surrey on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Surrey RCMP/Twitter

Empathy of Island vet has touched 1,000s of pets and their owners

The moment when our pet family members need a trip to the vet is when people realize how important it is to have a vet they can trust. In Sooke, one such vet is Dr. Amanda Booth, who has touched thousands of lives as owner and founder of Saseenos Veterinary Services since 1989.

Record cat rescues leave society strained in North Okanagan

The skyrocketing demand for helping cats in the North Okanagan is greater than rescue group has ever seen in its 28 years.

Chilliwack woman witnesses bobcat attacked by cougar in tree

A Chilliwack woman is calling a wildlife encounter between a bobcat and a cougar a “life-altering moment.”

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Chilliwack resident Tammy Jordan witnessed a bobcat in a tree being attacked by a cougar on Feb. 16, 2024. Here, the bobcat is seen a few hundred feet in the air at the very top of a tree. (Tammy Jordan)

Memorial Dogs of White Rock calendar 'flying off the shelves'

There's a touch of sadness to the release of the latest Dogs of White Rock calendar – the senior whose love of the four-legged companions inspired the project isn't here to be part of it.

Piggies go 'Wee! Wee! Wee!' all the way around West Kelowna

Two pigs on the lam were seen wandering Rose Valley. For almost 24 hours the duo continued to be spotted digging up lawns and being mischievous.

Woman rides steer through Tim Hortons drive-thru in Sylvan Lake

Many Sylvan Lakers were likely doing double-takes upon seeing Kelly Landry ride her trusty steer Magnum through town.

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Kelly Landry and her steer Magnum could be seen riding through Sylvan Lake recently. (Contributed photo)

Newly notorious Youbou elk named for Metchosin singer-songwriter

‘May he live long and make many mini elks’: Jesse Roper (the human one).

Feline fine: South Surrey cat reunited with guardian 7 years later

The cat came back. But it was not the very next day. It was seven years later.

2-foot long deep sea creature spotted off Victoria shores

A warm spell meant several days in south Island waters. With the last sunny day looming, ironically the first day of spring March 19, Steph Brulot-Sawchyn headed into the waves near Clover Point with his brother, who quickly spotted something unusual.

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Steph Brulot-Sawchyn snapped a pic of this siphonophore while snorkelling near Clover Point in Victoria on March 19 and later identified it using iNaturalist. Courtesy Steph Brulot-Sawchyn

Terrace woman raising money for puppy's surgery

Trigger the beagle needs expensive surgery to correct improperly fused plates in his elbows.

Goats welcomed back to downtown Prince Rupert after council overturns ban

After a hiatus due to a bylaw ban, the goats are back at the Moby Dick Inn — and it seems they may be there to stay.

Kittens recovering after being rescued from wildfire in Port Alberni

One lucky kitten escaped with only a small amount of singed fur. The four remaining kittens have burns on their paws, tails, ears and noses.

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A group of kittens is recovering at the SPCA after they were rescued from a brush fire in Port Alberni. . (Submitted / BCSPCA)

Read more top animal stories from across Canada:

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