(UPI) Insurance company Nationwide announced the finalists for this year's Hambone Award, which celebrates the most unusual pet insurance claims of the year.

The Hambone Award, named in honor of a dog who ate an entire holiday ham while stuck in a refrigerator, aims "to shed light on the everyday and sometimes bizarre incidents that can befall ...Read more

(UPI) An animal control officer in Kentucky came to the rescue of a dog found trapped in an old abandoned cistern.

The Caldwell County Animal Shelter said Animal Control Officer Kevin Lane responded Monday morning by driving to an empty lot next to the former Times Leader building on West Washington Street in Princeton.

Lane arrived to find ...Read more

Traveling with your dog can be very costly and stressful, especially during peak travel season. With plenty of activities in your area, you don’t need to stray far from home to enjoy your vacation with your dog included.

The American Kennel suggests the following tips to help you enjoy a fun “staycation” for you and your dog.

Picnic ...Read more

(UPI) Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority workers came to the rescue of a mother cat and kittens found trapped behind a stairwell at a subway station.

SEPTA posted photos to social media showing the rescue of the mother and two kittens found stuck behind a stairwell at the 63rd Street Station in West Philadelphia.

"All other ...Read more

(UPI) Animal rescuers in British Columbia enlisted the help of utility crews to rescue a cat stranded for more than 24 hours at the top of a power pole.

The Okanagan Humane Society said volunteers were summoned to the 30-foot pole on Gibson Road in Kelowna by a resident who spotted a cat perched precariously at the top.

The rescuers determined...Read more

(UPI) A cat who went missing from her Ontario family turned up one year later and more than 600 miles from home.

The Oromocto and Area SPCA said on social media that a stray cat was brought in recently by a group of young people who had been feeding the loose feline for months in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

"We immediately scanned her to see ...Read more

(UPI) The Oregon Zoo placed a hidden camera in its lion enclosure, but "it didn't stay hidden for long" and was soon recording footage of the inside of a big cat's mouth.

The Portland zoo posted a video to Facebook showing the fate that befell a hidden camera that was concealed in the lion enclosure in the hopes of capturing candid moments.

...Read more

(UPI) An estimated 210 dogs turned up with their owners to watch a movie in Vermont, but the event was just shy of breaking a world record.

The event aimed to gather at least 220 dogs to watch Andy Mitchell's Netflix documentary, Inside the Mind of a Dog, at the Memorial Sports Center in Middlebury.

Lisa Mitchell, the director's spouse and an ...Read more

(UPI) Firefighters and animal control officers teamed up in Texas to rescue a kitten trapped in an outdoor drain.

The Austin Firefighters Association said on social media that crews responded to a report of a cat in a French drain and initially attempted to lure it out with some food.

"Additional fire crews stopped by to offer some assistance ...Read more

(UPI) An Oklahoma canine is in the doghouse after being caught on camera starting a fire by chewing on a lithium ion battery.

The Tulsa Fire Department posted a video to YouTube showing the scene that unfolded inside the home earlier this year.

The security camera footage shows the dog chewing on a lithium ion battery on a pet bed while ...Read more

(UPI) A heartwarming reunion occurred in Las Vegas after a good samaritan found a dog missing for nine years.

Gizmo, a chihuahua mix, who escaped from a backyard in the southwest valley of Las Vegas as a young pup, was recently discovered and identified through his microchip.

The dog's owner, Judith Monarrez, received an unexpected email ...Read more

(UPI) A kitten was rescued from the axle of a car by firefighters in England and has now been adopted into a new home.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said on social media that crews from Market Harborough Fire and Rescue Station recently received a call about a kitten in distress and arrived to fine the feline was hiding in the axle of ...Read more

(UPI) Firefighters in England came to the rescue of a dog named Bramble who became trapped in a storm drain.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said on social media that Bramble went for a "'ruff' walk" through a storm drain system in Faversham.

Firefighters located the canine deep underground and removed a manhole cover, revealing the playful pup ...Read more

(UPI) A worker for a New Jersey recycling program climbed into the back of a truck to rescue a kitten that wound up in his waste compactor.

Burlington County Regional Recycling Program employee Mark Motta said he was checking on his truck when he discovered an oil-covered kitten trapped the waste compactor.

"I shut everything off and climbed ...Read more

(UPI) Police in Texas said a dog seen wandering with a plastic bowl stuck over its head has been captured and freed from her predicament.

The Manvel Police Department revealed earlier this week on social media that a yellow lab mix had been seen wandering the community with what appeared to be a clear plastic bowl stuck over her face.

Police, ...Read more

(UPI) Animal rescuers in Colorado came to the rescue of a stray kitten who "took a wrong turn and ended up on the interstate."

The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region said on social media that a pair of officers responded to a report of a kitten running loose amid the 90-degree heat on Interstate 25.

"This kitten took a wrong turn and ...Read more

(UPI) Animal rescuers and firefighters in England teamed up to rescue a kitten stranded for nearly two days on the roof of a three-story building.

RSPCA inspector Lisa Lupson said in a news release that the kitten, named Coco, somehow ended up on the roof of the Wilmslow, Cheshire, building, and her owners were unable to lure her down with food...Read more

(UPI) Firefighters in Colorado shared security camera footage from a home where a curious canine investigating some boxes on its owner's stove started a fire.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department said on social media that crews responded to a home on Rushmore Drive on a report of a possible structure fire.

Firefighters arrived at 4:47 a.m. on ...Read more