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According to Wikipedia, cats on board of sea service ships were a common feature on many trading, exploration, and naval ships, and dates back to ancient times. Cats have been carried on ships for many reasons, the most important being to catch mice and rats. These rodents aboard a ship could cause damage to ropes, woodwork, electrical wiring, the crew's food and the products itself. Rats and mice were also sources of disease, which is dangerous for ships that are at sea for long periods of time. Over the years, the crewmen of those ships have developed a special affection towards the adorable cats who have joined them for those long trips. 

It's Wild Out There!

As humans continue to take up more and more space, bears encounters are becoming more common, with the animals venturing out of the woods into more civilized areas, often in search of an easy food source — like a dumpster or snacks left behind by campers. But the summer of 2019 was extraordinary as the big, furry creatures have spent it crashing weddings, making pit stops at hotel bathrooms and other shenanigans, all over the US, as mapped in the map below. 

You've probably heard that the rules concerning emotional support animals on airplanes are changing, after a few incidents including a hamster flushed down the toilet, a VIP turkey and a few dog bites. Now, all animals except for dogs, cats and miniature horses are banned from flying. Yep, you heard me right: miniature horses. If you're more interested in taking your doggo on board, check out this travel guide for your fur babies. But if you have equine inclinations, read on. 

Red pandas are adorable (even more so when they stand on their hind legs in the cutest defense mechanism ever). And no, they are not red-colored pandas (I know you're imagining that right now). A little floof has just been born at Idaho Zoo - the first ever red panda to be born there. As you can imagine, everyone is pretty excited about it. 

If you've been online in the past two days, you might have noticed that the internet is erupting with memes, jokes, information, and even an interactive game, about 30-50 feral hogs. What the heck is going on, you might ask? Well, what started out as a serious question by a Twitter user amidst America's seemingly never-ending gun reform debate is nonetheless a genuine question that we must address. The famous question goes as follows: "Legit question for rural Americans - How do I kill the 30-50 feral hogs that run into my yard within 3-5 mins while my small kids play?". While the specificity of this question has driven many to hilarity, feral pigs in America are no laughing matter. They can wreak irreversible damage on ecosystems, endanger native plant and animal species, and can even harm or kill humans. Here's what the deal is with feral pigs in America. 

You may not realize it, but patriotic animals appear often in our everyday lives — on the coins we use and the stamps we send our mail with. These animals have a more symbolic meaning to our country than we probably think about during the rest of the year, so this holiday is a great time to honor them. Via: Vet Street

Well, a big hug will definitely help today...

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! 

We all know pets make the workplace a happier and more productive place. A new survey has found that 65 percent of American pet parents believe that having pets in the workplace would benefit company culture. That same survey revealed that not only are pets beneficial to morale, but may help with recruitment and employee retention. While not every company has caught up to this idea, more and more offices are becoming pet-friendly in an effort to increase workplace morale and diffuse stress. Once again, Wellness® Natural Pet Food has put together a list of the most pet-friendly offices that go above and beyond to make their employees' furry friends feel comfortable and are setting the bar for what a pet-friendly office can be. So if you want to bring your pet to work, consider applying to one of these companies. 

The United States' embassy in Canberra issued an apology after the US state department distributed a fake meeting invitation with a photo of a cat wearing a blue Cookie Monster outfit. We really think that no apology is necessary in this case.   

These are the most unusual animal laws in America. All are among the wildest and weirdest things we've seen. Via: Pawculture

What is America's greatest natural resource? Some might say coal. Some might say oil. Some may even say it's our people. But looking across this great nation of ours, it's clear that one natural resource outshines them all: cute animals. The United States is a land rich and abundant in incredibly cuddly creatures, and it's high time we celebrated them all! That's why Forrent. com put together this list of the cutest animals from each state. 50 states of cuteness...