funny

Animals do the funniest things. But sometimes they can get themselves in a bit of a pickle and need a helping hand to set them free.

That’s where the RSPCA comes in. The animal welfare charity’s dedicated officers and inspectors spend their days rescuing pets from cruelty, helping sick and injured animals, and freeing both domestic and wild critters from rather embarrassing situations!

Here are some of the most random (and ridiculous!) rescues of the past 12 months:

1. Bike cat-astophe!

Chris Kamara commentates on the most adorable clash of the century – the European pup

Grrr-eth Bale cheers on his team

Dogs Trust is getting behind the home nations ahead of England and Wales’ Group B clash at the European Championships by naming their own adorable teams of four puppies after the squads’ star players.
Leading England’s loveable line-up are Chris Pawlling, Spaniel Sturridge, Dele Allisation and Jamie dig up the Yardy, whilst Wales’ hopeful hounds have been named Gurr-eth Bale, Hal Dogson Kanu, James Collie and Joe Leadley. To help find homes for the eight abandoned puppies, who came to Dogs Trust Shrewsbury as an unwanted litter, the rehoming centre has filmed a video of the furry teammates in action, featuring commentary from dog-loving pundit Chris Kamara.

While they may not quite have the fancy footwork to rival their namesakes, the playful pups can’t resist bounding after a ball and would love to find a football-loving home where they can continue their training and receive plenty of adoration from their number one fans, in the form of a new family.

Louise Campbell, Dogs Trust Shrewsbury Rehoming Centre Manager, says:
“These adorable puppies are fantastic fun and would make wonderful pets for footy-loving families, whether they’re from England or Wales! They are always on the go and have bags of energy so will need active owners who appreciate the demands of a young puppy, and can happily kick a ball about for hours with their new four-legged best friend.”

“Our puppy teams aren’t as experienced as the human England and Wales squads, so they would benefit from a little extra training to get them in tip-top condition for their new positions as family pets. They will need homes with secure gardens to bound around in and would of course love a football to play with. As the pups are still very young, they will be cheering on their teams with us at the rehoming centre, but we really hope they will find their perfect match before the tournament comes to an end.”

If you are interested in rehoming a dog please contact Dogs Trust Shrewsbury on 0300 303 0292.

Dogs Trust is the UK's largest dog welfare charity with 20 Rehoming Centres across the UK. Dogs Trust cares for around 17,000 stray and abandoned dogs every year.

Celebrities and their dogs hit the headlines for all sorts of reasons - some good, some bad - but I spotted a story this morning that made me smile. Courteney Cox (star of Friends, the Scream movies and Cougar Town) has two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Hopper and Harley and along with her daughter Coco, the whole pack recently moved into a 25th floor apartment. Courteney was faced with the problem of needing to let her dogs have toilet breaks late at night without leaving Coco alone. Practical Courteney installed a grass pad on the balcony, but the dogs wouldn't "go" on it.