Pup Gets Purple Heart; Whales Play With Dolphins: All in Calif.​

CALIFORNIA – Interesting animals from all over California made headlines the last few weeks. A hero police dog received a Purple Heart, while a cat was credited for saving its owner's life.

We pay homage to a retired police dog that recently died, and shed light on another retired K9 that needs the community's help. Don't miss the videos of mountain lions wrestling on a porch and whales playing with dolphins off the coast.

Some of the animal stories are adorable. Some will make you cry.

California Residents Love This Dog Breed The Most

• When it comes to dog breeds, California has a favorite. Do you own a different breed? Share pics of your pup in the comments section.

Hero Police Dog Gets Purple Heart For Taking A Bite Out Of Crime

• Puskas, Santa Ana K-9 officer, had surgery after losing many teeth during a takedown with a violent parolee Monday. Now, he's on the mend.

Rohnert Park Fire Victim Credits Cat For Saving Life

• A resident of Jubilee Court whose home was almost completely lost to fire last week tells Patch her cat woke her up, saving her life.

Stolen Mule Found Safe, Reunited With Owner In Escondido

• The mule, named "Little Girl," travels across the state with her owner.

Stolen Pup Resold Twice, Reunited With Family In San Diego County

• The 2-month-old French bulldog named "Sol" was stolen in Oceanside and resold twice to people in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Baaad Goats On The Loose...Fullerton Rookie Cop To The Rescue

• These cops got a little more than they bargained for when a couple of escapee goats managed to break out of their enclosure at his OC farm.

Wild Goose Chase Blocks Traffic In Beverly Hills

• Feathers were ruffled when an unexpected hazard blocked traffic in Beverly Hills.

Mountain Lion Caught Hunting Prey In San Gabriel Valley Yard

• A mountain lion was on the loose and hunting in an Azusa neighborhood on Monday. Police asked the neighbors to stay indoors.

Python Predicament In Baldwin Park: Who Gets The Ticket?

• A Baldwin Park California Highway Patrol Officers on a routine traffic stop made a startling and slithery discovery in this vehicle.

See Mountain Lions Wrestle On Santa Cruz County Porch

• The resident managed to surreptitiously (and safely) capture video of the big cats as they shared a few playful moments with each other.

See Whales Playing With Dolphins Off Orange County Coast

• It was a beautiful day as two gray whales stopped to play with a pod of dolphins off the Orange County Coastline. See this adorable display!

Watch Whales Trapped At Seal Beach River's End

• Onlookers worried two whales were trapped at River's End, Sunday & Monday. A beautiful sight, residents were concerned for the leviathans.

Wounded Sea Lion Spotted At San Francisco's Aquatic Park

• Rescuers from The Marine Mammal Center, based in Sausalito, have responded to the scene.

Woman, Dog Rescued From San Francisco Cliff

• The pair got into trouble when the dog's ball went over the cliff.

Also see: Bear Swims In Giant Pool; Seals Race to Ocean; Rescued Horses to Be Adopted: All in Calif.

LA Lizard Smuggler Gets Taste Of His Own Medicine

• A judge ordered a man convicted of smuggling monitor lizards in boxes to serve house confinement for his animal cruelty.

Thieves Ransack Long Beach Home, Stealing Their Dogs

• A Long Beach man came home to find his house ransacked and his two dogs stolen.

PETA Offers Reward In San Diego Puppy Dumping Case

• In less than two weeks, two separate pairs of puppies were found dumped in the trash in San Diego.

Dog Found Chained At Cemetery In Solano County: Report

• A good Samaritan found the dog tied up to a cemetery fence and turned it into the Humane Society of the North Bay.

Pit Bull On Leash Attacks 6-Year-Old Girl At East Bay Park

• The child was hiking with her parents when the dog took her to the ground.

CA Man Arrested After Dead Cows Found Stacked 10 Feet High

• Authorities said hundreds of dead cows and starving animals were found on the property of California rancher Raymond Frank Christie.

Beau Fund Me: Marin Police K9 Diagnosed With Deadly Brain Disease

• K9 Beau served the public for more than eight years. He now needs the community's help.

Beloved Police K-9 Dies After 8 Years Of Service In Pleasanton

• Gandalf served alongside animal services officer Roy Ficken handling animal-related calls and educating children about animal safety.

Also see: Swimming Rattlesnake; Adorable Baby Flamingo Tries Yoga; Giant Tortoise Loves Tiny Treats: All in Calif.

Founding Cheetah Of Safari West Park Dies

• Thula arrived at the Sonoma County park in 2001 when she was 6 weeks old.

World's Second Oldest Gorilla Dies At San Diego Zoo Safari Park

• Vila, 60, was hand-raised at the San Diego Zoo and later moved to the Safari Park.

LA Dog Owners Feel Guilty For Skipping Walks

• Is a compliment about your dog really better than chocolate? A survey of 1,500 dog owners reveals some interesting results.

New Top Dog Surpasses The English Bulldog As LA's Favorite

• It's the English Bulldog's cousin that dethroned the pudgy pup that's ruled Los Angeles for years.

LAPD Shoots Hollywood Family Dog

• Animal advocates and the owners of a dog shot during an investigation are questioning the LAPD officer's judgement.

Maggot-Infested Pup Rescued In RivCo When Owner Reported Her Dead

• Animal control officials say the dog was neglected and gave her a full makeover. (photos)

Camp ARF Summer Registration Open

• ARF offers nine themed options across the age groups spread over nine weeks during the summer, starting June 11. Sessions fill quickly.

ALSO SEE:

• Playful Otter At Point Reyes National Seashore: Photo Of The Week
• Puppy Love: Sonoma Valley Photo Of The Week

Images via Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF); Escondido Police Department; Santa Ana Police Department; Beverly Hills Police Department