#OddlyHelpless: Coming To The Rescue

Raccoon Rescued After High Drama

A raccoon climbed up a high storey building and created a buzz on social media, says a report.

The raccoon climbed to the top of a 25-story St. Paul, Minnesota, skyscraper was captured after becoming a star on the web, where it won the hearts of followers across the US and around the globe, says a Reuters report.

“After a delicious meal of soft cat food, #mprraccoon has been caught and will be picked up by Wildlife Management. Goodbye friend!,” said a Tweet issued by building management of the building, UBS Plaza.

At a little before 3am local time, the animal made it to the roof of the building after it took a hours-long break on a 17th floor window sill, according to live feed posted by local media.

Cat’s Out Of the Bag For Russia

The cat is out of the bag and Achilles got it right the first time in the World Cup 2018.

Achilles, a cat in St Petersburg reputed to have psychic powers, correctly predicted Russia winning, according to a report.

Offered a choice of two bowls of food before, the white feline hesitated before choosing one with the Russian flag, dismissing Saudi Arabia’s chances of a win in Moscow on Thursday, the opening day – a relief to the host nation, considered one of the weakest sides in the tournament despite the home advantage, a Reuters report says.

And Russia won the opener in style, beating Saudi Arabia 5-0

Achilles, who lives in St Petersburg’s Hermitage museum, is deaf, something his minders say means he will not be easily distracted by onlookers while making his prediction. They did not say whether the sight of the national flags might sway his choice.

Death Row Cow Is Spared

A cow which illegally entered Bulgaria and was put on death row got a last minute reprieve, according to a report.

Bulgaria agreed to spare the life of Penka the cow after plans to kill her for crossing European Union borders without paperwork triggered an international outcry, according to a Reuters report.

Penka wandered away from her herd near the Bulgarian village of Mazarachevo last month and walked out of the bloc into neighbouring Serbia.

When she was returned two weeks later, authorities said she would have to be put down as she had violated guidelines under which animals entering the European Union have to have papers verifying their health.

Penka’s plight prompted protests on social media, particularly in Britain where eurosceptic campaigners and publications held her up as a victim of Brussels bureaucracy. Animal rights campaigners, including former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, signed petitions asking Bulgaria to save the five-year-old animal.

Dog’s Bark For Help Answered

A dog climbed out of a window and got stuck on a roof causing panic, according to a rep0rt.

Firefighters in the Minneapolis suburb of Spring Lake Park managed to help a 82-kg Saint Bernard named Whiskey who had gotten stuck on the small roof of the overhang at a side door of his home, says an AP report.

The homeowner’s mother was home sitting when Whiskey pushed out a window screen and jumped onto the second-story overhang.

She and police tried to coax him back inside with dog treats, but to no avail. , so firefighters with a ladder truck were summoned. One firefighter on a ladder and two inside eventually managed to pull Whiskey safely into the house.

Alligator Delays Flight In The US

Forget bad weather or bird strikes but even an alligator can delay flights, says a report.

Anthony Velardi says his plane had just landed at the Orlando International Airport when he spotted the large reptile casually lumbering across the tarmac toward a pond. He posted a 10-second video on Facebook, according to AP.

Velardi says the Spirit Airlines flight had to wait about five minutes before it could taxi to the gate. He says an airport truck arrived at the pond to make sure the alligator didn’t return to the taxiway.

An airport spokeswoman said that such sightings are infrequent, even though 280 acres of the airport’s land are covered in water. She added that the alligator’s presence didn’t impact any other airport operations.

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