Heroic

A very special, friendly horse helps a woman during her cancer battle, and it is the sweetest thing. The horse is like a big puppy–their relationship is that special. Watch the video to see what we mean!

Australian native Rachel Vercoe met her horse, Willow, when Willow was only one year old, and bought her a few years later. Willow had never been ridden before, but after a little bit of training and almost instant bonding, she let Rachel ride her. The woman and her horse have been inseparable ever since.

Their relationship became especially important when the friendly horse helped the woman through her journey with breast cancer. 

“It’s just so unreal to be able to experience that kind of partnership with something that can be so wild and powerful,” Rachel said. ” Willow must have known that something wasn’t quite right, because she was so gentle and responsive, and I felt like she was taking care of me on our rides” 

Whenever she had her chemo treatment, the first thing she would do afterward was go see Willow. Being with Willow made her feel good in times of difficulty. 

The Power of Friendship

Rachel didn’t grow up with horses, but she always loved them. Willow completely changed her life. She means more to her than anyone, and even thinks of her as the “greatest love” of her life, and feels blessed that they found each other. 

It’s wonderful that Rachel had this loving companion by her side during her treatment. Seeing the friendly horse helps the woman, and loving her as best an animal can is so endearing and encouraging. Willow was exactly what Willow needed while she endured the tough, year-long treatment. 

Now Rachel is officially free of cancer. She spends her time taking photos, riding, and petting her horses. Hopefully, she remains healthy in the future. But no matter what happens, she knows she has comfort through her constant companion, Willow. 

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Two rattlesnakes were found in a home's ceiling during a remodel project, much to the homeowner’s shock and surprise. He just wanted to update his bathroom…not rehome some dangerous Western Diamondback rattlesnakes. Watch the video to see it. 

The homeowner lives in an older house in the Arizona desert. He found some snake skins but did not think much of them. As he continued renovations, he saw a snake coiled in the ceiling beams. He then called in Marissa, a professional snake remover from Rattlesnake Solutions, to help him. 

Marissa got a ladder and a snake-snatching tool and got to work. She was able to grab the snake and lock it in a special bucket, and went on her way.

The Story Was Not Over There

But soon after, she got another call. There was another snake in the ceiling. It was a terrifying moment for the homeowner to find 2 rattlesnakes in the bathroom ceiling. So Marissa headed back, trapped that one too, and released them into the wilderness. 

Rattlesnake Solutions says it’s very rare that they’re called about snakes being inside homes. They say there is a 0.4% chance of a snake being in Arizona homes, so this isn’t something most people need to worry about. 

Rattlesnakes come inside homes “the same way we do – right through the front door. Most of the time, a rattlesnake inside a house, and in fact a good portion of the other types of snakes as well, come in through a door left open,” Rattlesnake Solutions says. 

Anywhere there is a rattlesnake-sized gap, they can get in. Owners have found them in attics, behind walls, and behind cabinets. But again, there’s no reason to be concerned—it's extremely rare that a snake wanders inside someone’s home. It’s a good thing this homeowner called in an expert to take care of his snake problem. Those snakes are probably happier out in the desert where they belong.

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When a little boy was playing outside his Conneticut home, his trusty dog, Bella, had his back.  He barely had time to react when a large animal started to head toward him. But watch this hero dog save the 6-year-old from a bear attack.

The boy’s dad, Jeffrey Tazzara, heard Bella, a husky, barking aggresively. 

“A vicious bark, not like she barks and yips and howls and stuff … this was a different kind of bark,” he recalled.

When he watched his surveillance footage, he could see the small black bear start to head in his son’s direction. Bella chased it and nipped its tail, and it ran off under Jeffery’s boat and then into the woods. 

If she had not been there, it could have been a different story for Jeffery’s young son. Since the dog saved the 6-year-old from a bear attack, he made sure to give her a big juicy steak. After saving the boy’s life, she certainly earned it.

How Dangerous Are Black Bears?

Black bears are able to swipe their paws with over 500 pounds of force. The force of their bites are much worse—with over 800 pounds of force. It is perhaps needless to say, but bears can be very dangerous animals to be around. 

Earlier this year, another dog protected her family from a bear attack in New Mexico. In the evening one day, a farming family noticed their dog was very attentive to the farm’s parameters. When they woke up the next day, they found her badly wounded. There was evidence indicating she had chased a bear off the property, including scratch marks on trees. Her sacrifice meant all the other animals on the property, including 60 chickens, were safe from harm.  

It’s just incredible that these dogs saved their families from such huge threats. They certainly deserve lots of choice meats, pets, and belly rubs!

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Get ready to be amazed by this video! When you typically think of heroes, you might picture people with uniforms. However, this video is a brand new take on a group of unexpected helpers. Watch as these firefighter donkeys are helping prevent wildfires in Spain.

At the start of the video, you will see a group of adorable grazing donkeys in a European field. The narrator explains how this has been a very hot year for the entire continent, and multiple places in nature have been damaged by wildfires as a result. However, Donana National Park in Spain has remained untouched for nine years from wildfires. There is a precious close-up video of two beautiful donkeys. 

These donkeys have been strategically placed in an area of vulnerability to wildfire outbreaks within the national park. They graze the land and protect the nature around them. There is a small team of donkeys, some of which are named Leonor, Ainhoa, and Ume. They graze for seven hours on average a day. Because this has been so successful, others are following suit across the country.

How the Firefighting Donkeys Project Began

There has been research that reveals the lack of donkeys has increased the number of forest fires in Spain. Donkeys are larger than goats, so their impact is greater. It is shared that they also eat much more than goats. This inspiring act called The Fireflocks Project began in 2016. 

It is amazing to ponder the way that God’s creatures can help protect and prevent hardships on this earth. He is an intentional Creator. He told us that we have dominion over the animals, and part of that responsibility is understanding how to utilize His creatures to take care of His beautiful world. This video will inspire you that even unexpected animals, such as donkeys, can have a powerful impact and be heroes. 

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’” Ephesians 1:3

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