Doggie Saves Joey

A dog has rescued a tiny baby kangaroo, gently carrying it to safety in its mouth after the joey's mother was killed by car.

	Rex the dog found the four-month-old joey in the pouch of its dead mother and carried it to safety

Rex, the German short-haired pointer cross, was walking with his owner, Leonie Allan, near the Bells Beach in Torquay, on Australia's south coast, when they passed a dead kangaroo.

The marsupials are often killed while crossing busy roads, so Mrs Allan thought nothing of it. But Rex sensed something and when Mrs Allan went outside later in the day, she saw the ten-year-old family pet pointing and went to investigate.

"I was worried he'd found a snake and called him back, but when he returned he dropped the joey at my feet," Mrs Allan said.

"I was so surprised and delighted. Rex saved the day."

The dog had found the four-month-old joey in the pouch of its dead mother and gently prised it out, carrying it back to his owner.

"He obviously sensed the baby roo was still alive in the pouch and somehow had gently grabbed it by the neck, gently retrieved it and brought it to me."

The animals showed an instant fondness for each other, nuzzling and playing together, Mrs Allan said.

"The joey was snuggling up to him, jumping up to him and Rex was sniffing and licking him. It was quite cute."

Most joeys whose mothers are killed by cars die in the same collision. Those who survive the impact are rarely able to fend for themselves outside the pouch and succumb soon after.

But the prospects of this kangaroo - named Rex junior after its savior - are good. It will be hand-reared at a wildlife sanctuary until it is 18 months old, when it will be released into the wild.

Tehree Gordon, director of Jirrahlinga Wildlife Sanctuary, was amazed at the bond between the animals and said the fact Rex was so gentle with his younger namesake was proof that dogs - often criticized in Australia for killing native fauna - could live in harmony with local species if they were taught not to attack them.

"That Rex was so careful and knew to bring the baby to his owners, and that the joey was so relaxed and didn't see Rex as a predator, is quite remarkable," she said.

Dog Saves Australian Girl From Snake

Last month in Victoria, Australia, Roary the Staffordshire bull terrier turned lifesaver when he saw a deadly brown snake rear to strike three-year-old Ebony Davis.

Roary jumped on the 1.5-metre snake, bit it and swung it clear of Ebony and her father in the backyard of their home. But the family pet's bravery almost cost its life. As Roary held on, the snake bit him repeatedly on the flanks and one ear before breaking free and slithering under a shed.

Ebony's father, Tim Davis, 38, said the dog "did a lap of honour around the yard, with his tail on high, and then he went in the house and collapsed".

"As I wiped the venom off his body, his legs gave way and his head came down on the floor," Mr Davis said. "There was no sign of life in him."

Mr Davis put Roary on the front seat of his car and rushed the dog 10km to Kangaroo Flat Veterinary Centre, near his home at Lockwood in central Victoria.

"He was quite still and I kept stopping to breathe some air into his nose, but I was sure he was a goner," Mr Davis said.

"When we got there, the vet told me how expensive the anti-venom was and how slim his chances were with so many bites.

"I said, 'Money doesn't matter; he's saved my little girl's life. Just get on with it. A minute later, needles were hanging out of him everywhere."

But 10-year-old Roary is a fighter and within two weeks after the attack, he was running in the yard like a puppy.

The only sign of Roary's ordeal is some muscle wastage around his chest, but he is expected to recover.

"Ebony was feeding the guinea pigs in their enclosure when it happened," Mr. Davis said. "We'd lost three in the previous week and never dreamed it was a snake taking them.

"Suddenly the snake darted out from under the bush and reared up at Ebony. I had just grabbed her by the arm when Roary came belting in and latched on to the snake.

"He had it half way down its body, so its head was free and it kept thrashing round and biting him.

"It just slithered off and we haven't seen it since, so I reckon he killed it."