by Ben Holt
The dog seemed to be really struggling as he followed its path down the river. It was 30 feet out and there was no way Hinds could reach it – he felt sure the poor creature was about to drown. But just as the dog began to disappear beneath the surface a seal appeared and began to circle the animal, and nudge it back towards the mudflats. ‘I have never seen anything like it in my life,’ said Hinds.
In the meantime, Raymond had run to their car parked nearby and used his father’s mobile phone to call the fire brigade. Sub-officer Mark Baxter of Stockton Fire Station arrived with his team in time to see the dog back on dry land and three seal heads bobbing out of the water, just off the bank. The rescuer seal and his two friends stayed to watch as the fire crew captured the confused and sodden dog, which was handed over to the RSPCA until its owner could be found. Hinds later commented: ‘This dog would not have survived in the water if it hadn’t been for that seal.’
Dominic Waddell, an expert in seal behaviour and senior aquarist at Scarborough’s Sea Life & Marine Sanctuary, explained that common seals are instinctively protective, highly inquisitive animals, and rarely aggressive. He suggested the seal might have seen the dog as something unusual which should not have been in the water, then pushed it towards the river bank because it sensed it should be on land.
OUR AQUATIC COUSINS?
‘The happiness of the bee and the dolphin is to exist. For man it is to know that and to wonder at it.’
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Dolphins have played a role in human culture ever since ancient Greek times, when they appeared on coins pictured with a boy or deity riding on their backs, and when a dolphin riding the wake of a ship was considered a good omen. In the stories, tales of dolphins rescuing drowning sailors and guiding ships through treacherous waters abound. For Hindus, the Ganges River Dolphin is associated with Ganga, the deity of the Ganges. In modern popular culture they are typically represented as heroic, intelligent creatures, such as Flipper of the 1960s television series, and in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, in which dolphins are ranked as the second most intelligent species on Earth (after mice – and before humans!).
• AS WELL as being able to communicate efficiently with each other through whistles and clicking sounds, research carried out by Dr Vincent Janik of the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews University found that dolphins also have names – an individually distinctive signature whistle is developed in the first few months of life and appears to be used in individual recognition.
• DOLPHINS love to play, surfing swells, leaping about in the wakes created by boats, performing acrobatic jumps out of the water and interacting with swimmers.
• THE MANY REPORTS of dolphins rescuing humans at sea, and the mystery behind what their possible motives could be, have led experts to speculate whether they are the only animals besides humans to exhibit altruism.
• DOLPHINS are known to have sexual intercourse for reasons other than reproduction, and homosexual behaviour has also been observed in the species.
Did you know…
… that the average bottlenose dolphin’s brain weighs 1,500–1,600 grams, compared with the average human’s at 1,200–1,300 grams?
‘When I see a dolphin, I know it’s just as smart as I am.’
Don Van Vliet
INCREDIBLE SURVIVORS
The animals in this chapter are a true inspiration – through their courage, triumph over suffering and adversity, and sheer will to survive they are in many ways symbols of hope to us all. It is stunning what some hardy animals can endure – take, for example, the horse that received horrific injuries in a terrorist attack, or the tiny rodent that went through a recycling plant. Others – such as the dog that survived a tsunami and the cat that survived the London Blitz – are a source of hope because of their survival in conditions where many other animals, and humans, have fallen.
TSUNAMI DOG
A dog became the focus of an inspirational rescue in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake in Japan…
When an earthquake of 9.0 magnitude struck off the coast of Japan in March 2011 – the most powerful ever recorded in the country – there was widespread destruction caused by the massive tsunamis that followed. Whole villages were decimated, thousands of people disappeared and reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant went into meltdown.
The rescue operation, in which search teams looked for people in the rubble, was a long and gruelling affair, with only a few success stories. Three weeks after the disaster, a coast guard helicopter was out looking for missing people and spotted the roof of a house about a mile off the coast of Kesennuma, Miyagi. Those onboard didn’t hold out much hope but went to investigate in case anyone had been trapped inside the submerged house. Going in closer they were amazed to see a medium-sized brown dog trotting around the roof, before disappearing inside the house through a broken section.
One of the team was lowered down to investigate – perhaps the dog’s owners were still alive inside? The rescuer tried to entice the dog out, but when that failed he entered the house himself by ripping a wider opening. There was no one inside but thankfully managed to rescue the dog, who had survived alone at sea for three weeks. In such tragic times, even the smallest life saved can seem like a miracle and produce a spark of hope.
COMANCHE
Comanche’s extraordinary tale of survival made him one of the most famous battle horses in history…
Comanche was a mustang/Morgan bay gelding acquired by the US army in 1868 in St Louis, Missouri. He stood at 15 hands and had a small white star on his forehead. Along with other horses, he was sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, before moving to the 7th Cavalry’s camp near Ellis. He became the preferred battle mount of Captain Myles Keogh, and was injured several times – including one occasion when he was shot with an arrow through his right hind-quarter, yet still bravely carried on, while fighting the Comanche Indians, and it is believed this is where his name came from.
On 25 June 1876, Comanche was ridden into the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This infamous battle, also known as Custer’s Last Stand (and as the Battle of the Greasy Grass by the Indians) took place in eastern Montana Territory when combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples came to blows with the 7th Cavalry Regiment, a force of 700 men led by George Armstrong Custer. It was the most famous action of the Great Sioux War and an overwhelming victory for the Indian forces. Five of the 7th Cavalry’s companies were obliterated, including General Custer himself.
Of the horses that went into battle and survived that day, it is believed many were captured by the Indians but Comanche was too seriously injured to be of any use to them – close to death, he lay in a ravine, his poor body shot through in several places with bullets. Two days later he was discovered by Sergeant Milton J. DeLacey – he was too weak to even walk and was taken to Fort Lincoln, where he was given great care and attention and made a slow recovery.
On 10 April 1878, Colonel Samuel D. Sturgis issued an order declaring Comanche should never again be ridden or do work of any kind. He said of the horse: ‘Wounded and scarred as he is, his very existence speaks in terms more eloquent than words, of the desperate struggle against overwhelming numbers of the hopeless conflict…’ Comanche was also honoured with the title of Second Commanding Officer of the 7th Cavalry.
In June 1879 the by-now famous horse was taken to Fort Meade, where he lived a life of luxury until 1887, and was then moved to Fort Riley, Kansas, where he became a favoured pet, and was indulged in his fondness for beer and sugar lumps. He appeared in parades, including the official regimental mourning ceremony each 25 June, when he would be draped in black with stirrups reversed. Comanche died peacefully in November 1890 and is one of only two horses in US history to have been given a funeral with full military honours.
Buried with honours
Black Jack was the only other horse to have been buried with full military honours in US history. A coal-bla
ck Morgan-American Quarter Horse cross, he served in the Caisson Platoon of the 3rd US Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard) and was named after General John J. (‘Black Jack’) Pershing. He was the riderless horse in more than 1,000 armed forces full honours funerals, at which he appeared with boots reversed in his stirrups to represent the symbol of a fallen leader. Among the highlights of his long and respectable military career were the state funerals of presidents John F. Kennedy, Herbert Hoover and Lyndon B. Johnson, and General Douglas MacArthur. He died on 6 February 1976 and his cremated remains were laid to rest in a plot at Fort Myer, Virginia, on Summerall Field, 200 feet northeast of the flagpole in the southeast corner of the parade field.
FAITH
When St Augustine’s Church in London was hit in an air raid during World War Two, a brave little tabby named Faith stayed to protect her kitten, even as the building collapsed around her…
Faith first arrived at St Augustine’s Church as a stray, looking for food and warmth. She was turned out three times by the verger, but when the rector, Henry Ross, saw her he took pity. When nobody came to claim the cat Ross decided to keep her and named her Faith. She became a popular feature of church services, lying stretched out at Ross’s feet or on the front pew during the sermons.
In August 1940, the parish welcomed another new arrival into the fold when Faith gave birth to a black-and-white tom kitten, named Panda. The two were settled into a basket in the rector’s living quarters and getting on very well when Faith began to behave strangely, investigating the different rooms of the house and appearing very restless. One day she took the kitten by the scruff of its neck and moved it down to the basement. When Ross found them there he moved the kitten back upstairs where it was warm. But the next day Faith had moved Panda back to the basement. This happened three times, until Ross gave in and decided to respect Faith’s wishes by moving the basket down to the basement, where the pair happily settled in-between stacks of music sheets.
On 9 September, Ross had to go to Westminster on business. As he made his way home that evening, the air-raid warning was given and he had to spend the night in a shelter. That night the bombing was very severe and many buildings were destroyed, including eight churches. When he returned home, only the tower of St Augustine’s was still standing – his home had been reduced to a mass of rubble, some of which was still on fire. Firemen warned him to move away from the scene, telling him no one could have survived the blast, but the resolute Ross approached the debris anyway, still holding out hope for his beloved cats.
A faint meowing sound came from beneath a pile of rubble and timbers. Ross struggled to move the debris aside, revealing two dirty, bedraggled, frightened but completely unharmed cats. Relieved and thankful, Ross took the two cats to the safety of the church vestry, which remained intact.
Faith’s astonishing story was reported in the papers and, as the news spread, many tributes came in. As a civilian cat Faith was not eligible to receive the PDSA Dickin Medal – an honour reserved for military animals – but founder of the award, Maria Dickin, did present her with her own special silver medal in recognition of her steadfast courage. She was the first cat to receive such an accolade for bravery.
Perhaps some would argue that what Faith did is not so extraordinary – after all, it is a natural instinct for a cat to protect her young. But at a time when Britain was under attack and hundreds of people had died in air raids, or lost their homes, the story of this little creature and her kitten surviving against all odds would have brought hope, not just to the local community that had seen its church destroyed, but to the many others who heard her story as it spread through the land. Henry Ross had got it spot on when he named her Faith – she had brought the people of Britain just that.
SEFTON
The survivor of a horrific terrorist attack became a national symbol of courage and resilience…
On 20 July 1982, the new guard of the Blues & Royals Mounted Squadron left the Hyde Park barracks and rode out towards Whitehall, where they were due to perform the Changing of the Guard. The beautiful, glossy black horses, with their uniformed mounts, made quite a picture as they stepped boldly out in the morning sunlight. But on this day the ritual changeover was not to go smoothly. As the convoy approached Hyde Park Corner, admired and applauded by onlookers who lined the route, a nail bomb planted in a nearby car by the IRA detonated. The bomb contained up to 10 pounds of explosives, girdled by hundreds of 4- and 6-inch nails, designed to inflict maximum injury. Four members of the guard and seven horses were killed in the blast, and three horses were left severely wounded.
One of the horses that survived the explosion was Sefton, a 19-year-old black horse that stood out because of his white socks and blaze. Sefton’s jugular vein was severed, a 6-inch nail pierced his head, one of his eyes was burned and damaged, and his body was studded with 28 pieces of shrapnel and car body. He suffered severe shock and loss of blood, and yet his rider Trooper Pederson later said, in spite of the injuries, the brave horse didn’t try to throw him in the moments after the bomb went off.
In total, Sefton had 38 wounds to his body, and it was to be a long road to recovery, starting with a gruelling eight hours of surgery. The veterinarians treating him gave him a 50–50 chance of survival, and yet he somehow managed to pull through. Get well soon cards, mints and donations flooded into the hospital from well-wishers inspired by this brave horse – Sefton had become a symbol of courage and resilience for members of the public who had been shocked and outraged at this vile attack targeting innocent, noble creatures. The sum of donations was eventually enough to construct a new surgical wing at the Royal Veterinary College, which was named the Sefton Surgical Wing.
Incredibly, Sefton not only made a full recovery and returned to work with his regiment, but was able to pass the very spot where the tragedy had occurred with his head held high and not the slightest sign of panic. By contrast, some of the other horses injured in the incident had their nerves affected permanently, and would jump at the sound of a stable door slamming. He was awarded Horse of the Year, and he and Pederson received a standing ovation at the show.
On 29 August 1984, Sefton was retired and went to live out the rest of his days in peace at the Home of Rest for Horses, where he was the favourite of the staff and visiting public. He died, aged 30, on 9 July 1993, and his marble headstone overlooks the fields at the Defence Animal Centre, in Remount Road, Melton Mowbray.
ALDANITI
One very special horse-and-rider team captured the hearts of the nation at the Grand National in 1981…
Aldaniti was a racehorse named after his breeder Tommy Barron’s four grandchildren: Alastair, David, Nicola and Timothy. He was born in the summer of 1970 in Yorkshire and was later purchased by Nick Embricos, who lived in Sussex. He was trained by Josh Gifford and showed some promise, especially at jumping, but sadly he was constantly troubled by problems with his legs. After one particular injury he was stabled for seven months, and with a serious tendon injury in 1979 it looked like he was unlikely to race again – and he certainly didn’t seem like a contender for the Grand National. Yet, despite all these problems, he was a calm and gentle horse, and his trainers found him a pleasure to work with.
Aldaniti wasn’t the only one whose career was hanging in the balance. Jockey Bob Champion had enjoyed a successful career so far and he was set on winning the Grand National – but in 1979 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Doctors predicted that he had only a 40 per cent chance of recovery, and that if he didn’t recover he would have a maximum of eight months to live. An aggressive course of chemotherapy was begun immediately but, rather than take time off work during this exhausting period, Bob kept on training and racing, with the 1980 Grand National always in his sights. The treatment took its toll, however, and a large scale infection took Bob out of the game for a while, forcing him to shelve his Grand National dreams.
Once he was back on his feet, Bob began training again in earnest, and now had a fellow survi
vor to work towards his goal with in the form of Aldaniti. Bob realised straightaway that the horse had true spirit, after riding him for the first time in Leicester, saying: ‘This horse will win the Grand National one day.’ It was as if the two gave each other the will to keep going – Aldaniti struggling with leg injuries and Bob with his cancer treatment in the run up to the 1981 Grand National. Just a week before the big race, Aldaniti was almost hit by a speeding car, and three days before the horse was due to be transported to Aintree a foot-and-mouth scare looked set to close off the area.
In spite of all the obstacles that had faced them, the pair were there at the starting line on race day in April 1981. And what a race it was – there can’t have been a dry eye in the stadium when outsiders Bob Champion and Aldaniti raced to victory, coming in four lengths ahead of favourite Spartan Missile. Back home in Findon, 3,000 well-wishers awaited the victorious duo, and the stable was swamped with cards, flags and telegrams. Having fought against seemingly insurmountable odds they had not only won the race – they had won a victory over pain and suffering, and become symbols of hope and inspiration to others.
Aldaniti was subsequently to become a regular at fundraising events, and even played himself in the film Champions, starring John Hurt. The jockey went on to run the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, raising millions of pounds for cancer research. Aldaniti died peacefully of old age in 1997; as legends of the horse-racing world, their legacy lives on today.
MIKE
Thanks to advancements in technology many common household items can now be recycled, but no one ever intended this to include family pets…
