(Photo: Instituto Vida Livre)

Tieta the Toucan was in the hands of an illegal animal seller in Rio de Janeiro. Last year, wildlife rescuers freed her and addressed a pressing health problem: half of her upper beak was gone. That's a big deal. Beaks not only help toucans eat, but also help them stay cool by dissipating excess heat.

So last July, 3d designers built her a plastic replacement. They tested their prototypes on taxidermy toucans, then coated their final design with a castor oil-based polymer. After fitting it on Tieta, she took 3 days to adapt to the prosthetic. Then she began eating normally. The BBC reports:

Tieta's surgery only took 40 minutes to perform but was not without risks, veterinarian Thiago Muniz says.

He explains that the prosthesis will allow her to eat independently and also help her access glands on her body that keep her feathers waterproof.

With the help of the prosthesis, Tieta will also be able to feed any chicks she might have in the future.

-via reddit

Hi to all our new followers! Been a crazy couple of days, but we managed to get groomed and some new aircraft familiarization in today, sans cast! Thanks to everyone for all the comments, it really is humbling how many people find Piper's work worth following. Oh and Sorry if we're slow to get back to everyone, we will eventually! # #airportk9 #airport #airportops #k9 #k9team #k9storm #rexspecsk9 #muttmuffs #spikesk9fund #e175 #united #airlines #plane #bordercollie #bordercolliesofinstagram #proudbordercollies #dog #dogsoffreedom #dogsofinstagram #workingdog #workingdogsofig #traversecity #puremichigan @united

A photo posted by K-9 Piper (@airportk9) on Feb 23, 2016 at 6:16pm PST

Meet K-9 Piper. A seven-year-old border collie, Piper is a Wildlife Control Officer at the Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Michigan. His mission is to keep wildlife away from the runways, as a part of the airport’s federally-mandated Wildlife Hazard Management Plan. He is the only such K-9 in Michigan, and one of less than ten in the U.S. His duties include chasing birds away from the airport, as well as the rodents that attract birds of prey. Piper responds to reports of wildlife, and does perimeter checks for evidence of infiltration. In addition, he’s a great morale boost for the airport staff. K-9 Piper also keeps up with his Instagram account for his fans. -via Metafilter

P.S. The airport’s street address is notable, too. It’s on Fly Don’t Drive.

History is cool and all, but it's missing something....furry. Now that's been remedied thanks to artist Christina Hess.

With Hess' amazing talent and ornate style, the portraits really capture the aesthetic of the historical portraits they are meant to imitate. She even has some takes on modern icons such as Steve Jobs and Elvis, which are still as delightfully accurate to the subject matter.

Via Geek Girls

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Since he was a mere puppy, Gohan has trained in ninjitsu. He can appear out of nowhere, vanish without a trace, and be within biting range before you're even aware of his presence. Watch this Husky sneak up on his human's bone, then steal it, leaving no trace behind.

-via Nothing to Do with Aborath

Look how little he is! Sonja Ambrosino of Overlook Acres farm in New York found a baby bunny outside his nest box one night. He had been bitten by a larger rabbit, and his rear legs were paralyzed. Sonja and her husband Jason fashioned a wheelchair for the tiny bunny out of a finger skateboard held onto the animal with a sock and a bra strap. Now the bunny, named Wheelz, can move around faster than an able-bodied bunny his age! Read more about Wheelz, and see pictures and video, at Buzzfeed. 

Witness internet celebrity cat Coby, the British wonder with two big, beautiful pools of blue. This cat has everything it takes to be a Supah Stah. His chub is just an extender for that gorgeous white fur. His big body is in perfect proportion to his big baby blues. His expressions are large and in charge, and he looks great in a tux and with a champagne glass. 

Check out Coby's Instagram and Facebook to see the wide range of looks this kitty can pull off. Via Bored Panda

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Brazilian Oscar Filho shows his comedic chops as he imitates his friend's boxer in this amusing footage. As he does his boxer impression, Filho manages to completely confound the dog, who appears as if he's not sure what move to make next. Via Tastefully Offensive

Only a drunken buffoon would think it's a good idea to hand a knife to a wild animal, but for a monkey to swoop in and snatch up a butcher knife from a bar it's a brilliant idea

Witnesses in Patos, Paraiba, Brazil say this mad monkey came into the bar, drank a glass full of rum then grabbed a kitchen knife and started threatening the men in the bar, leaving the women alone.

Lt. Colonel Saul Laurentino of the local Fire department had this to say about the incident:

"It was a bar staff oversight that ended with the monkey drinking some rum and taking the knife,"

(YouTube Link)

At least a monkey with a knife could work for tips, there's no appealing to a crab's sense of capitalism when he gets his claw on a knife!

-Via FAIL Nation

Pixie, the adorable calf in the video above, was born with crippled front legs on which she was unable to walk. But luckily for Pixie, she was adopted into an Australian sanctuary for rescued farm animals called Edgar’s Mission. There the calf was surrounded by devoted and loving keepers who developed the right aids for her to gain mobility.

The staff accomplished this using a combination of latex splints to brace Pixie's legs and a crossbar to keep them from bowing under her weight. The footage of Pixie walking for the first time and then sharing an embrace with sanctuary founder Pam Ahern captures the expressive calf's sheer joy, excitement and gratitude over being able to walk for the first time in her life. Via Slate

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The dog and his owner walked to the elevator at their apartment building in Springfield, Missouri. The man got on, but the dog didn't. Then the elevator doors closed around the dog's leash. The elevator began moving up, grabbing the leash and slamming the dog against the doors.

Thankfully, maintenance supervisor Brian Ussery was on the scene. He ran to the elevator, grabbed the dog, and broke his leash.

In what must have been an excruciatingly long minute, the dog's owner traveled to the fifth floor, then back down to the first floor to see if his dog was still alive. WGN reports:

Ussery said the dog's owner went to the fifth floor and was expecting the worst when he finally made it back to the first floor.

"The guy was freaking out. He didn't know what he was going to come back to," he said.

The dog's owner was extremely gracious and thanked Ussery for his quick actions. The dog was not injured.

-via Nothing to Do with Aborath

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Mama always said that learning a second language would come in handy, but that old joke is about mice learning to bark. Here, Paula Mendes uses the promise of a treat to teach her dog how to meow like a cat. And when the incentive is right, a dog can do anything! -via Tastefully Offensive

(Image credit: Edward St. George/Reunite Dias)

A family of six fled ISIS-controlled Mosul, Iraq, by land and sea, taking a boat to Lesvos, Greece, in November. They carried their cat, named Kunkush, the entire way. There, the cat disappeared into the crowd of refugees. The family reported the missing cat, but had to move on to an unknown destination before finding him. Three days after they left, the cat was spotted in a nearby village. A volunteer group caught him, settled him with a foster mother through a shelter in Berlin, and launched a social media campaign to find his family with a Facebook page and a fundraising page for veterinary expenses. They named the cat Dias.

Meanwhile, Suva Al Alaf and her five children were living in Steinkjer, Norway. They thought their beloved Kunkush was lost forever. Suva’s brother heard about the search for Dias’ family, and knew that it was Suva’s 3-year-old cat. They welcomed Kunkush to Norway yesterday, after his three month adventure.

(YouTube link)

 -via reddit

Bears are the big, burly and sometimes scary critters we humans love with a passion, and even though they haven't totally made up their minds about us we can't get enough of them!

No matter what kind of animal makes your spirit soar there's a shirt that shows off your wild side available at the NeatoShop, home of the most hair raising designs on the 'Net!

Bears come in all shapes, sizes and colors

Coolest Bears On Earth by Tobe Fonseca

And whether they're monochromatic and super lazy

The Pandas Are Sleeping by Japu

Or colorful and full of magical bear energy

Electric Bear by Qetza

Bears are absolutely the coolest!

Ice Cream Bearstack by HelloTwinsies

YouTube Link

In this heartwarming footage, veterinarian Dr. Andy Mathis of Granite Hills Animal Care in Elberton, Georgia had a feeling about what would help heal Graycie, a pit bull rescue who came into his care in terrible condition. 

In a situation in which some facilities might have euthanized Graycie, Dr. Mathis sat with the terrified dog in her cage and ate his breakfast. Eventually this sort of quiet companionship gave Graycie the courage to begin eating and accepting compassionate touch once again. Dr. Mathis explained his philosophy via his website,

"I think of my pets as my children. They just happen to have 4 legs and fur. And whether your “kids” have fur, hooves, feathers, fins, or scales, I hope you do the same. They are members of your family. It is that underlying philosophy that guides my veterinary practice here at Granite Hills Animal Care. As a pet parent, I expect a high level of quality care for my pet. Whether it be routine medical care, emergency care, or surgery. Even something as mundane as a bath, or boarding if I happen to be out of town. It’s what we strive to provide to our patients in a kind, caring, and compassionate way. As if they were our own pet."

Bravo to Dr. Mathis and all of the heroic vets and techs who give so much of their time and effort to heal the sick animals of the world. Follow Graycie's story and that of other lucky rescue dogs on the Granite Hills Animal Care Facebook page.

⛄ #cat #katterpåinstagram #katt #catlover #catworldwide #norway #catoftheday #cats_of_instagram #catsofinstagram #catstagram #Jesperpus#thedailykitten #Mountain #adventurecat #awesomecat #agriakatt #agrianorge #bestmeow #adventurecats #redcat #mountain #petsnorge #instagramcats #instacat #petstagram #cat_features #thecataward#agriakatt

A photo posted by Jesperpus\A.Stormo (@jesperpusen) on Jan 3, 2016 at 11:02am PST

Jesper is a cat in Hedmark, Norway. Watch him on a ski outing with his humans! Jesper doesn’t exactly ski himself, but he’s pretty good at pulling a cross-country skier with his leash, at riding on a skier’s shoulder, or snuggling up in a backpack.

(YouTube link)

Jesper is quite the celebrity in Norway. See more of him at Facebook or Instagram. -via the Presurfer