T-Rex of the Deep: Fossil of 135million-year-old predator dinosaur related to vicious meat-eater discovered completely INTACT

By ALLAN HALL

Sensational: Experts have hailed the discovery of the dinosaur as the 'best of its kind' in Europe

The 'best ever' remains of a predator dinosaur have been unearthed in Germany with 98 per cent of its skeleton intact.

The discovery of the dinosaur, nicknamed Otto by paleontologists in Bavaria, is being hailed as a sensation, and the German government has already decreed it cannot leave the country.

The Theropod - 'beast-footed' - dinosaur is of the same family as the T-Rex but the individual found in Kelheim has not yet been categorised.


Unearthed: Scientists uncovering the remains of the dinosaur thought to be a relative of the modern-day whale

Otto is 28 inches long and a juvenile. Hair and traces of skin have also been found on the skeleton.

The creature lived 135 million years ago and is being exhibited to the public for the first time on October 27 for four days at a special dinosaur exhibition in Munich.



Revealed: Part of the fascinating fossil remains is unearthed in a discovery that scientists have described as one of the finest specimens of its kind

'It is a truly outstanding find,' said Oliver Rauhut, curator at the Bavarian National Collection for Paleontology and Geology where the find was announced today.
'It is the best of its kind ever found in Europe.'

Most examples of killer-dinosaurs like theT-Rex yield up a maximum of 80 per cent of their skeletons.

But Rauhut said that it is 'remarkable' to find 98 percent of the creature after so long, with all the changes that the earth has undergone.

The German government was persuaded to make Otto 'German Cultural Property', which means the skeleton cannot be sold abroad where on the open market it could be worth millions to fossil hunters.

source: dailymail

Foal electrocuted by heartless cable thieves who tested live wires on it

By STEPHANIE DARRALL

Burnt to death: Callous copper cable thieves cut down a pylon leaving live wires exposed before using a six month old foal as a 'tester' to check if electricity was still moving through the line (file picture)

Copper cable thieves who cut down a pylon leaving live wires exposed may have used a foal as a 'tester' to check if electricity was still moving through the line.

The burnt remains of the six-month old animal were discovered in its field near Sittingbourne, Kent the next day by its owner who is in his eighties.

After the incident, around 3,000 homes were plunged into darkness as the criminals took stole the copper cabling cutting the electricity supply.


Cable thefts are on the rise in recent years due to the rising value of copper and other metals. Nick Rogers, head of health and safety at UK Power Networks, said: 'These are not victimless crimes'

One resident told the Daily Telegraph : 'Almost all of us had no electricity on the night in question, but when we heard about the foal being burned alive everyone was horrified.
'Most of us believe the people responsible used the foal to test whether the wires were still live - either by putting it on the cable or tempting it over with food.'

The owner of the field where the foal was found said the animal was horrifically burnt.

The thieves had climbed 18 metres before using cutting equipment on the cable before stealing it.

British Transport Police said that cable thefts have cost £43million in the past three years.

Last week thousands of commuters were left stranded in London after a massive cable theft sparked a track fire.


source: dailymail

Could this be a chupacabra? Homeowner thinks animal he shot dead is mythical creature

By Daily Mail Reporter


Strange: Is this the mythical chupacabra or just an emaciated dog? Truitt Barnard gunned the beast down in his Simpson County garden after spying it from 130 yards

With its blue hairless body, rounded ears and scarily sharp teeth, this strange creature has been creating quite a stir.

Shot dead by a Mississippi homeowner, it has re-opened the debate as to the very existence of the mythical chupacabra - which is said to hunt livestock by sucking the blood out of animals.

Truitt Barnard, who gunned the beast down in his Simpson County garden after spying it from 130 yards, said: 'Strangest animal I've ever seen. I've been hunting 50 years.

Identical: Truitt Barnard said the beast's 3/4 inch long double canines were the same as those seen by others on the mythical chupacabra

'It had a long face, no hair, red rough hide, his ears were rounded, and had double canines which were 3/4 inch long.'

He added: 'I saw the ones [that are said to be chupacabras] in Texas that look identical to it, the pictures are identical to it with the rounded ears and all of it.'

Dubbed the 'Bigfoot of Latin culture', the chupacabras - which means goat sucker in Spanish - have been reportedly seen since 1995.

Popular legend uses the phrase to describe unknown animals that attack livestock, usually goats, and allegedly drink the animal's blood.

Astonished: Truitt Barnard (pictured) said that it was the strangest animal he had ever seen in 50 years of hunting

Descriptions of them vary from reptilian with spikes or quills on its back to hairless dogs with fangs and claws.

But Jackson vet Troy Majure said Mr Barnard's unusual find was probably not the mythical animal.

He said: 'All the cases I know it would be a type of canine, whether it's a fox coyote dog.'

He revealed it also could be a hybrid of the animals, and said: 'This one looks like it's pretty emaciated as well, when I say emaciated it looks like it could use a good meal.

'Chronic mange will actually cause blue in color and give the appearance that you see with the so called Chupacabra.'


Doubtful: But vet Troy Majure said he thought the animal was not a chupacabra and was more likely to be a dog (pictured)


The first alleged sighting of the beast was in Puerto Rico, but reports have been made from as far north as Maine, U.S., to the south of Chile.

Scientists last year speculated that the creatures could be coyotes infected by parasites after one animal was discovered in July following a fatal attack on livestock.

In 1995, eight sheep were found dead in Puerto Rico with near identical puncture wounds to the chest and completely drained of blood which spawned the legend of the chupacabra in Latin America.

Months later, the creature was allegedly spotted in Canóvanas, where as many as 150 animals had been killed.

Since then there have been attacks allegedly carried about the legendary creature across South and Central America, and even into New Mexico and Texas.


source:dailymail

No wonder he looks confused: The mystery creature that nobody can identify

By Mail Foreign Service


Who am I? The unidentifed animal sitting in his cage after being handed in to Wenling Zoo, in China


If this cute little chap looks a wee bit confused, it's no wonder.

His big wide eyes stare out at the world around him - which in turn is staring back at him.

Because nobody has seen a creature quite like this one before.


With a nose that looks more like a rodent's but long, pointy paws and white fur dappled with brown and orange, he is quite unique.

And zookeepers at Wenling, in eastern China, who were handed the animal by an anonymous man, have been unable to work out exactly what species he belongs to.

They think they are looking at some strange type of monkey - but other students of nature might recognise the characteristics of a bush baby.

As he sits in his cage, the creature therefore awaits an uncertain fate.

And the zookeepers sit and monitor his development and hopes he grows up into something slightly more recognisable.

Where did I come from? The rodent-like creature was handed in anonymously


source:dailymail

How about a flipping lift then? Hitch-hiking seal wriggles onto country road miles from sea

By Daniel Miller


Wrong turn: A fur seal was discovered crawling onto a road in the Australian outback miles from sea


This lost seal was in desperate need of a lift home after ending up stranded on a back road in the Australian outback miles from the ocean.

Motorists gathered round as the fur seal wriggled out of bushland and flopped himself onto the tarmac bringing traffic to a halt near the small town of Naringal, near Melbourne in southern Australia.

Locals believe he got lost after swimming up a nearby river before taking a wrong turn and ending up in a shallow creek.


After crawling some distance onto the road the exhausted animal gave up and refused to budge.

Luckily rescuers managed to hoist him onto a horse trailer and he was driven over 15 miles to a boat ramp where he was due to be released yesterday.

Naringal resident Lawrence Hose told the The Warrnambool Standard newspaper: 'There were quite a few people who lined the road to look at this fat male fur seal.

'The next thing we knew he went under the fence and up onto the road.

'The seal finally decided to stay put in the middle of the road and he wouldn’t budge. It's very unusual, but there's always a first time.'

It's flipping hot here: The animal became stranded after swimming up a river near the small town of Naringal

Tail-back: The lost animal was hoisted onto a horse trailer and driven 15 miles to be released into the ocean


source:dailymail

Animal magic: Gorillas, elephants and lemurs sensed huge East Coast earthquake from their zoo cages before it struck

By THOMAS DURANTE, PAUL BENTLEY, JOHN STEVENS and LAURIE WHITWELL

Sixth sense: A gorilla named Mandara (right) gave a yell and gathered up her baby, Kibibi (left), before the earthquake hit at the National Zoo in Washington DC

Animals at zoos across the East Coast showed signs of distress up to 15 minutes before the huge earthquake struck, leaving $100m worth of damage.

Keepers at the National Zoo in Washington DC say that red-ruffed lemurs started barking an alarm call a quarter of an hour before Richter scales leapt at 1.51pm yesterday.

And about three seconds before the ground started to shake, the zoo's gorilla Mandara gave a yell, gathered up her baby, Kibibi, and then climbed a tree.

Zookeepers said Iris the Orangutan started 'belch vocalising' before the earthquake started, and did not stop until it was over, while a 64-strong flock of flamingos huddled together ahead of humans noticing anything was wrong.


Open space: Workers stand in Foley Square park in New York after the earthquake


A pride of lions had the foresight to walk to away from the shelter in advance of the quake hitting.

Elsewhere, at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the dolphins - in the midst of a training session - began to swim away from their trainers, paired up and began swimming rapidly around the tank about 10 seconds before the seismic waves began.

And closer to the epicentre, the Richmond Zoo in Virgina says the chimps began 'acting up and hollering' before the quake began.


Aghast: People who came out on the street after an earthquake look up at a window that cracked during the quake on Market Street in Philadelphia


'Animals we know from experimental studies, can hear above and below our range of hearing, that's part of their extra-sensory abilities,' said Don Moore, associate director of animal care at the National Zoo.

'They are responding to danger,' said Brandie Smith from the National Zoo. 'So when there is danger present, a lot of animals go to the place where they are safest from danger.'

The remarkable reports surfaced as it emerged that the earthquake has devastated historic buildings, causing a huge $100million in damage.


Shattered: Part of the library's roof crumbled during the 5.9 magnitude earthquake


Terrifying tremors were felt throughout the north east causing buildings from Washington D.C. through New York City to Toronto, Canada, to be evacuated yesterday for fear of collapse.

The 5.8 magnitude earthquake, which originated in Virginia, brought panic to the Pentagon and the White House, and sparked fears that the iconic Washington Monument would fall.

The huge structure, which was said to have tilted because of the shudder, cracked because of the earthquake and has since been closed indefinitely to the public for immediate repairs.


Gathered: People gather for safety in a garden in Lower Manhattan after the earthquake in Virginia was felt in New York


source: dailymail

A little trooper: Beryl the hedgehog on the mend after being shot in the head and having two legs broken

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Getting better: Beryl puts a brave face on her shocking injuries after being shot in the head with an air rifle

Sporting a bandage and still looking a little worse for wear, brave Beryl the hedgehog looks like she's finally on the road to recovery.

The tiny female hedgehog has amazed vets by somehow overcoming the shocking injuries inflicted on her just weeks ago in Northwood, Middlesex.

Beryl was cruelly shot in the head with an air rifle and kicked by heartless yobs.

The adorable creature was left with an air rifle pellet embedded in her jaw and also suffered two broken legs.


Horrific: An x-ray shows the air rifle pellet lodged in Beryl's jaw, as well as both of her broken back legs


She was found stumbling around Northwood a few weeks ago and was immediately rushed to nearby St Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital, Bucks, for emergency treatment.

Beryl was put in intensive care and had both her ankles plastered.
She will need physiotherapy and hydrotherapy and may need surgery on a knee fracture.

Les Stocker, founder of St Tiggywinkles said: "Everyone at Tiggys is appalled that some imbecile would shoot a hedgehog in the head and then kick it.

'Unfortunately it's too dangerous to remove the pellet from her jaw.

'It doesn't seem to have affected her eating as she's been eating like a horse since arriving here.

'She a little trooper and everyone here dotes over her. I'm sure she'll make a full recovery.'


source: dailymail

Eight million animals face death to test your toothpaste and washing-up liquid

By STEVE BOGGAN

Millions of animals are subjected to painful tests every year

Thought animal testing was banned? Think again. And it's all thanks to Brussels...

After a recent review by an expert panel determined that testing chemicals on animals in laboratories produced 'few real benefits' to medicine, but should continue regardless, STEVE BOGGAN goes behind the scenes at a testing facility to find out what still goes on behind closed doors... and examines the European policies that still allow it to happen.


Trapped: Dozens of bunnies are test at simultaneously in tests BUAV say are cruel and archaic


Clad in her customary white coat, the scientist carefully pulls the latex gloves up over her wrists and walks slowly towards the cage. Reaching in, she seizes one of the rabbits, cowering near the back and clamps it into a testing harness.

Taking it over to a sanitised laboratory bench, Dr Tamsin Decker supervises as solution is squirted into the defenceless animal’s eyes. She has done this many times before — and will watch as it’s done again until the rabbit shows some side-effects: pain, irritation, bleeding perhaps, and eventually, possibly, blindness.


Caged: The scared rabbits find their metal cages very distressing with some continually pacing and biting the bars


For what cause must the animal endure such a wretched, tortured existence? Once upon a time, Dr Decker would have imagined it was to find a cure for cancer, or, at the very least, to test a compound which would relieve suffering.

But now the young woman knows that she is verifying the safety of a chemical contained in toothpaste — a well-established brand leader that she had used to brush her teeth that very morning.


source: dailymail

I know I look grumpy, a little bird told me: Glum puppy dogs find unlikely playmates to cheer them up

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Chirpy: Angel Star gets close to a feathered friend

When worry is etched on your face, friends can offer a different perspective - even if they can't quite stop you frowning.

These two glum-looking bulldog puppies found some unlikely playmates to entertain them at a studio in Surrey.

Angel Star got close to a chirpy feathered friend, while Prince George showed he was too gentle to let the fur fly with his companions.

Photographer Mark Taylor, 46, said: 'I had no idea that bulldogs were such good fun.
'I expected them to be rather sedate and ponderous.'

Mr Taylor has an animal assistant who positions the pets but whips them out of the way if any claws come out.


Paws for thought: Prince George touches base with a kitten


His work with the iconic breed has seen him contacted by major calendar companies in the United States.

He said: 'A calendar company in the USA was keen on me supplying images for their 'Bulldogs & Friends' calendar so I arranged for the pups to come back in three weeks time.

'The dogs were absolute stars and they are extremely characterful and have such lovely natures.'


Glum-mates: Prince George (centre) settles down with some unlikely pals


source: dailymail

What's this? It certainly looks like Louis and Simon are jousting for X Factor supremacy

On guard: Lookalikes of Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell were in battle at Warwick Castle on Saturday to promote the return of jousting displays for the summer season

When Warwick Castle wanted someone famous to open their summer season they decided to go for the very best.

Pulling out all the stops, they secured the services of not just one X Factor judge, but two.

And true to their word, both Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh turned up at the castle on Saturday afternoon, looking to settle their differences.

Or at least two lookalikes did.


As close as they got: The pair, and their horses, wore traditional jousting clothing, and posed for photos but left the real battle to the experts


Crossing swords: The pair put down their jousting lances to do battle for supremacy with these weapons


The pair of 'celebrities' were at the castle to help it mark the return of its jousting knights for the summer.

As on the TV show, the two men caused divided loyalties between many members of the crowd.

And while they did pose for these photographs, they were unable to battle it out for real, as they left that to the experts.

Cowell and Walsh also joined in with some falconry, with each man donning a protective glove so a bird could sit on their hand.


Well protected: Cowell donned a falconry glove to let this owl species perch on his hand before Walsh did the same with another bird


It's a bird! Walsh looks surprised as he holds aloft another species during his go at falconry


While guests were also treated to the falconry, they also witnessed a show by actors performing the Arthurian legend 'The Sword and the Stone.'

And visitors could get within fire-breathing distance of The Great Dragon, a star of the BBC's Merlin drama.

Warwick Castle was built in 1068 by William the Conqueror and used as a fortification until the early 17th century.

It was then converted by Sir Fulke Greville into a country house and remained in his family until 1978.

Following the Greville's family's sale to Tussauds, the company performed extensive restoration work before opening it to the public.

source: dailymail

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! Chinese villagers mistake atrophied ape for alien

By Damien Gayle


Visitor from another world: A Chinese housewife caught this atrophied ape stealing cucumbers from her flat - and called the police


This ape made a monkey of Chinese villagers who feared it was a visitor from another world.

Locals panicked when Mao Xiping, a housewife from the village of Gezhai, in Henan province, central China, found the scraggy simian stealing cucumbers from her flat.

She thought it was a harmless rabbit, until she noticed it had an 'alien face' and her neighbours agreed it was like nothing they had ever seen before.


An alarmed Mrs Mao rang police for help. But officers thought she was monkeying around until she trapped the animal and took it to the police station.

She took it in caged in a washing basket and demanded that officers place it under arrest.

Experts were last night examining the malnourished monkey, which was so thin its ribs could be seen through its skin.

Frightened: Mrs Mao captured the monkey and took it to the police station


Mrs Mao said: 'At first I thought it was a rabbit, then I was shocked to see it had an alien face.

'My neighbours agreed it was like nothing we'd seen before.

'It stopped eating cucumbers when we gave it peaches - now it won't eat anything else.'


Feed me! Now the malnourished monkey has developed a hankering for peaches - while officers search for its uncle


source:dailymail

A monster of a find: Couple walking their dogs discover 30ft carcass of sea creature rotting on beach

By Daily Mail Reporter


A couple were left shocked when they discovered the rotting body of a sea monster while walking along a beach.

Margaret and Nick Flippence made the incredible find as they exercised their dogs at Bridge of Don, Aberdeen.

Mr Flippence, 59, who lives nearby, said: 'We were stunned. I thought, "oh my God what is it?"

Monster discovery: Margaret Flippence with the 30-ft long sea creature she saw at Bridge at Don, Aberdeen

What is it? Experts believe the carcass could have been a killer whale or a pilot whale


'It's like nothing we have ever seen, it almost looks pre-historic,' he told the Sun.

Curled up by the foot of sand dunes was the 30ft-long body of the unidentified animal with head, tail and teeth all discernible.

Experts are now examining the pictures with one suggesting it could be the body of a whale.

Whale of a time: A marine life expert suggested the body could belong to a killer whale, above, or a pilot whale, below

Rob Deville, a marine life expert at London Zoo, said the body could be that of a killer whale or a smaller pilot whale.


Whale expert Mark Simmonds told the Sun: 'it died a long time ago and tides caused the body to wash ashore.'


source;dailymail

Huge rise in vivisection as 3.7m experiments on animals are carried out in a year

By Daily Mail Reporter


The number of animals used in scientific experiments rose by 105,000 last year, the Home Office said today.

Just over 3.7 million procedures were carried out in 2010 in the UK, a rise of three per cent on the previous year.

The hike was mainly down to breeding of animals that are genetically modified and those that have potentially harmful mutations, which was up by six per cent to 1.6 million.

Animal testing: More experiments were carried out on non-human primates, with a rise of 10 per cent


The increase was mainly mice and fish.

If the breeding of these animals is excluded, the total number of procedures was up one per cent on 2009, to 2.1 million.

The number of experiments on animals was on a downward trend in the decade leading up to 2000, but since then has risen overall.

Today's figures show more experiments were carried out on non-human primates, with a rise of 10 per cent overall and 78 per cent for new world monkeys, which are those found in central and south America.

There was also an increase in the number of procedures involving mice, up two per cent, birds, 12 per cent, and fish, 23 per cent.

But the number of rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, horses and pigs dropped, as did the number of cats, down 32 per cent, and dogs, down two per cent.

In terms of why the experiments were carried out, there was a drop in the number for toxicology safety testing, which fell 11 per cent to 391,000, but a higher proportion were performed to meet government requirements: 72 per cent of the total compared to 68 per cent in 2009.

The number of procedures carried out in the commercial sector fell four per cent.

Lab mice: The increase was mainly mice and fish


Universities carried out 10 per cent more animal experiments, and there were increases in procedures looking at cancer, immunology and pharmacology.

But the number of procedures for pharmaceutical research and development fell by 56,700.

The Home Office regulates animal testing and those carrying out the procedures are required to look at ways to ‘replace, reduce and refine’ its use.

Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone said: ‘The figures released today once again show the important work being done in this country to regulate animal procedures and ensure the highest standards of animal protection are upheld.

‘The UK has one of the most rigorous systems in the world to ensure that animal research and testing is strictly regulated.

‘This government wants to take this further, and I will be making an announcement on the work we are undertaking to end the testing of household products on animals and to working to reduce the use of animals in scientific research shortly.’

The National Anti-Vivisection Society say there has been a huge increase in the use of new world primates


Jan Creamer, chief executive of the National Anti-Vivisection Society, said: ‘It is a national disgrace that the UK animal testing figures have increased for 2010 and the Home Office should be ashamed of itself.

‘There has been a huge increase in the use of new world primates, while the Home Office has pursued a relaxation of controls to make it easier and quicker to get a licence to use animals.

‘For example, GM animal use has increased by almost six per cent and the number of animals used in fundamental research has increased by 10 per cent.

‘We find it disgraceful that while the rest of Europe decreases its primate testing, as shown in the last EU statistics, the UK carries on regardless, and in some instances is even increasing animal use.’

The campaign group is encouraging supporters to make their views known to the Home Office as part of a public consultation on the topic.

It was launched in June and is due to finish in September.

Meanwhile, David Pruce, chief executive of Understanding Animal Research, said: 'Over the last 15 years, the number of normal animals used in research has gone down.

'The simple breeding of a GM animal counts as a procedure in the UK.

'The increased breeding of these animals has skewed the general trend since 1995.'


source:dailymail

Sea monsters really DO lurk beneath the waves, scientists claim

By Daily Mail Reporter


Sea monsters like those described in ancient mariners' tales down the ages really could exist, experts claim.

But they are probably not Jurassic Park-style survivors from the dinosaur age.

Scientists are discussing the possibility of large undiscovered creatures in the sea at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) today.

Unlikely? Some scientists suggest that present-day 'monsters' might be plesiosaurs, long-necked marine reptiles that lived at the time of dinosaurs, or other survivors from the prehistoric world


One of the speakers, science writer and palaeontologist Dr Darren Naish, said: 'The huge number of "sea monster" sightings now on record can't all be explained away as mistakes, sightings of known animals or hoaxes.

'At least some of the better ones, some of them made by trained naturalists and such, probably are descriptions of encounters with real, unknown animals.

'And, because new large marine animals continue to be discovered - various new whale and shark species have been named in recent years - the idea that such species might await discovery is, at the very least, plausible.'

Some have suggested that present-day 'monsters' might be plesiosaurs, long-necked marine reptiles that lived at the time of dinosaurs, or other survivors from the prehistoric world.

Dr Naish thinks this is unlikely and points out that the 'prehistoric survivor paradigm' contradicts what is known about the fossil record.

'The idea that these sea monsters might be such things as living plesiosaurs is not a good explanation at all,' said Dr Naish, who is affiliated with the University of Portsmouth.

The meeting, entitled Cryptozoology: Science Or Pseudoscience, is being organised by Dr Charles Paxton from the University of St Andrews.

He argues it is wrong to assume that any large animal living in the oceans would necessarily have been discovered by now.

'If the criteria is solely bigness, then this is not the case,' he said.

'In 1995 a benthic ray, that lives on the ocean floor, was found that measured 3.42metres.

'There's a difference between animals that live on the sea bottom and those that come up to breathe air, but we have discovered a number of new species of whale.'

Highland horror: The Loch Ness Monster, known as Nessie to Scottish locals, could be one example of a survivor from the prehistoric world


But he agreed the chances of anyone catching a live plesiosaur are extremely slim.

'If there are prehistoric animals alive today it would imply that there's something very wrong with our understanding of the fossil record,' he said.

Eight large marine species have been discovered in the last 20 years.

In 1905, zoologists Edmond Meade-Waldo and Michael Nicoll encountered a 'sea serpent' off the coast of Brazil.

Sighting: A shadowy image which is allegedly Nessie swimming in Loch Ness


Cryptozoology literally means the 'study of hidden animals'. It refers to the search for mythical creatures whose existence has not been proven, such as the Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot and the Abominable Snowman.

Dr Paxton said: 'Zoologists and cryptozoologists agree that the full inventory on large animals is not complete.

'What we now need to decide is whether cryptozoology data can be considered as valid scientific evidence when searching for new species.'


source:dailymail

Miniature pony owner launches desperate appeal to raise £6,000 for lifesaving surgery on Falabella's twisted legs

By Daily Mail Reporter


Desperate plea: Minxy's owner Joanne Morris, 29, is asking for animal lovers to help her pay for the £6,000 surgery on her pony's twisted legs


A rare miniature pony born prematurely with twisted legs is facing death unless his owner can raise £6,000 to pay for lifesaving surgery.

Cute mini Minxy, a Falabella pony, was born just ten weeks ago at stables in St Blazey, Cornwall.

Owner Joanne Morris, from Truro, spent two weeks living in her car so she could provide round the clock care to the sick animal at her parents' stables.


She moved the pint sized pony, which is claimed to be the smallest male pony in the world at 17.6 inches tall, to her home to continue caring for him.

Joanne, 29, said: 'He needed feeding every half hour and couldn't stand to suckle from his mother.

'He was around six weeks premature and not fully formed. His legs were severely twisted.'

Around £1,600 has already been spent on vets' bills splinting Minxy's legs to help straighten them and wrapping them in bandages every day.

'His front legs have become a lot stronger but his back legs will need pinning. He needs a scan which costs £800 a leg plus around £4,000 to operate.'

Best friends: The pony, weighing just 13.5kg, has become best friends with five-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Chloe

Tiny horse: Minxy, standing at 17.6 inches tall is not much bigger than a two litre bottle of Coca Cola


Joanne continued: 'Without these operations he would not survive.

'Even though he is able to walk with the aid of splints, they are causing pressure sores and if they were to get infected could kill him.

'He is such a strong willed little fella - we want to give him the chance of a normal life.'

Falabellas born with such deformities are often put down because of the cost of correcting their deformities but Joanne has launched an appeal to save Minxy.


Poor pony: Miniature pony Minxy desperately needs lifesaving surgery on his twisted legs and his owner has launched an appeal to raise £6,000 for it


During his short life so far, the pony, weighing just 13.5kg, has also become best friends with five-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Chloe.

The pair have become inseparable since Minx was born and Chloe ‘mothers’ the pony by licking him clean.

Joanne is hoping that these adorable pictures will pull on the heartstrings of animal lovers, who will donate funds to help her cause.


source:dailymail