Paw Nation

They say Christmas is a time for giving, but one shepherd mix in Canada really went above and beyond. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, this severely injured single mother found room in her heart to adopt an orphaned kitten -- raising the feline like it was one of her own.

Esperanza, a fluffy white shepherd mix, was discovered on a wilderness reserve near Red Deer in Central Alberta by animal rescue worker Criss Gerwing earlier this month, according to the Free Press. Esperanza had reportedly been hit by a car and her leg was badly broken.

When Gerwing approached the friendly pooch, this exceptional mother led her straight to a den where she was nursing a very unusual litter. "I cried because she was in such bad condition with her leg, but she was obviously nursing her puppies and this kitten," Gerwing told reporters.published.

Here at Paw Nation, we love funny animal videos and we love pet stories. So we hit the streets to ask dogs (and their owners) about everything from how they were adopted to what the naughtiest things they've ever done are. It's our weekly video series, "Pet On The Street."

This week we're in San Diego asking owners to give us the scoop on their dogs' priorities in life.





More Funny Dog Videos

Last year, there were more than 100,000 cases of pet poisoning in the United States. Many of these were caused by substances you probably have in your home, substances that may seem perfectly harmless to you. But just because something is safe for people doesn't mean it won't hurt pets. Some of the most dangerous dog poisons are foods and medications.

Depending on how a particular substance affects your dog's body and how much was ingested or inhaled, pet poisoning symptoms can include gastrointestinal and neurological problems, cardiac and respiratory distress, coma and even death. Our friends at Web MD Healthy Pets share with Paw Nation what to watch out for.

The Poisons

No. 1: Medications for People
Drugs that might be beneficial, or even life-saving, for people can have the opposite effect in pets. And it doesn't always take a large dose to do major damage.

Some of the most common and harmful medications that poison dogs include:

- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, which can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers or kidney failure.

- Antidepressants, which may cause vomiting and, in more serious instances, serotonin syndrome -- a dangerous condition that raises temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, and may cause seizures.

- Isoniazid, a tuberculosis drug, is difficult for dogs to process. Even one tablet can cause problems in a small dog. Signs of poisoning include seizures and coma.

Name: Marley

Location: Greensboro, N.C.

Age: 4 years

Dog Breed: Mixed

Favorite Toy: Any squeaky toy.

Favorite Treat: Dingo's.

Likes: Playing with her water bowl -- throwing it and chasing it around. She loves getting rubs and being close to her people, and above all she loves walks.

Dislikes: Mushy canned food and when the family leaves.

Weird Quirks: She likes it when her "parents" cover her with a blanket when she's outside on the porch.

Fun Fact: When someone arrives she will "talk" to that person by howling, grumbling and offering up quick little barks.

Congratulations to our submitter, ucumari. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

More Cute Pets

This little red panda cub at the Calgary Zoo is called Keti. The name was chosen in an online contest and means "little girl" in Nepalese.

In the wild, red pandas typically don't see the outside world until 3 months old, which is the age that Keti made her public debut at the zoo in front of lots of onlookers. Until that day, she'd been out only at night. This video marks her first time basking in the light of day -- the same day she first met her father. Talk about a big event!