“[We don’t] let fragile seniors die like that.”
Published on Sep 29, 2023 at 6:00 AM
When Princess was abandoned at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, she was left in a tiny crate in the parking lot with every single one of her belongings crammed into shopping bags — and a heartbreaking request.
“Whoever ditched this gorgeous girl asked [that] she be euthanized and all her belongings be donated to other dogs after her death,” Georgia Dodson, director and cofounder of Miri’s Haven Senior Dog Rescue, told The Dodo.
At 16 years old, Princess needed more care than the shelter had the resources for, so she was transferred into the care of Miri’s Haven Senior Dog Rescue, who were just as shocked by her former family’s request as the shelter was.
“Miri’s Haven doesn’t let fragile seniors die like that, and neither does the shelter that reached out,” Dodson said.
Princess was confused and disoriented after being abandoned by possibly the only family she’d ever known. Once she was out of the shelter, though, she started to come out of her shell. It was clear to everyone that she still had plenty of life left in her.
“Princess is most likely hospice given her age and advanced kidney disease, but she is not in pain at present, other than the emotional upheaval of being dumped by her person,” Dodson said. “We see her thrive more and more each day, with a little TLC.”
Princess will live out the rest of her life with a loving hospice foster, knowing only care and devotion for however long she has left. She may be old, but she still has so much love to give, and everyone at the rescue is so glad they could help her.
If you’d like to help Princess, you can donate to Miri’s Haven Senior Dog Rescue.
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Woman Finds ‘Bird Poop’ On Leaf — Then Watches It Turn Into Someone Beautiful
It’s a clever disguise …
If you saw this white and grayish blob sitting on a leaf, what would you think it was?
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7MvYhUvrMA/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fwoman-finds-bird-poop-on-leaf-then-watches-it-turn-into-someone-beautiful#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A22152.100000023842%2C%22ls%22%3A17866.700000047684%2C%22le%22%3A22084.200000047684%7D
A post shared by Santa Clara River Conservancy (@santaclarariver)
If your first thought was “bird poop,” you’re actually not too far off. But if you look a little more closely, you might start to notice the “poop” looking almost … alive.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJiLZEPgp98/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fwoman-finds-bird-poop-on-leaf-then-watches-it-turn-into-someone-beautiful#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A22162.200000047684%2C%22ls%22%3A17866.700000047684%2C%22le%22%3A22084.200000047684%7D
That’s because it’s actually a caterpillar — a bird poop caterpillar. Yes, that’s the actual name most people use to refer to eastern giant swallowtails when they’re in their larval phase.
Bird poop caterpillars’ resemblance to their namesake isn’t coincidental — it’s their goal to look as unappetizing as possible. Their coloring is an adaptation designed to make them fly under predators’ radars.
A few months ago, Tala Alleyne started noticing what looked like bird droppings on her backyard lemon plant. She didn’t understand why her local birds seemed to be obsessed with using that specific plant as their bathroom.
But as a butterfly and moth expert, Alleyne quickly pieced together that her plant had become home to a group of bird poop caterpillars. When eastern giant swallowtails are in their larval phase, their favorite things to eat are citrus leaves.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGts-H4JFTJ/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fwoman-finds-bird-poop-on-leaf-then-watches-it-turn-into-someone-beautiful#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A22171.900000035763%2C%22ls%22%3A17866.700000047684%2C%22le%22%3A22084.200000047684%7D
Over the next few weeks, Alleyne watched as the caterpillars continued munching away at her leaves and getting bigger and bigger every day.
“[As] they continue to grow, they’ll look less like a slimy piece of dud and even more like a dried up and even bigger piece of dud,” Alleyne said on Instagram.
Alleyne also got to observe the caterpillars’ second line of defense against predators. When the caterpillars feel threatened, they release a red, forked appendage that resembles a snake’s tongue called an osmeterium, designed to scare away whoever’s attacking them.
When the caterpillars started forming chrysalises, Alleyne knew they were almost ready to turn into their final forms. Alleyne watched in awe as a beautiful butterfly emerged from her case and spread her multicolor wings.
As adults, eastern giant swallowtails are between 5 and 6 inches long and are actually the largest butterflies in North America. It’s hard to believe that such a gorgeous butterfly could have come from such a humble caterpillar. But eastern giant swallowtails are a great reminder to never judge an insect by their larval phase.
Next time you see what looks like bird droppings on a citrus leaf, look a little closer. You might end up finding a butterfly in the making.
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“He is always patient when they land on him” 🐶
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