Best Animal Stories Of 2017 From California

CALIFORNIA – Creatures, great and small, in California, we love them, all.

Animal stories abound, and many of these Patch posts in 2017 made us smile. To see police and fire crews, trained to respond to critical incidents, stop to rescue tiny ducklings from a storm drain or a weak kitty from a burning house is heartwarming.

Other stories of pets lost or missing, abused or abandoned broke our hearts.

Overall, these critters left their spirits and footprints in this world. And over the past 12 months, Patch chronicled many of their tales. There were numerous stories we found noteworthy. Have a read ...

Injured Pelican Rescued In O.C. Up For 'Bird Of Year'

• Cast your vote online by Dec. 31 with International Bird Rescue. #EveryBirdMatters

Watch: Officer Saves Kitten From Golden Gate Bridge's Center Divide

• The kitten, named Bridges, was taken to VCA Madera Pet Hospital in Corte Madera for an exam. He is now being fostered by the hero cop.

Severely Neglected Redondo Beach Cat Finds Love In Last Moments Of Life

• A swarm of flies surrounded the cat, a collar cut so tight into his leg that a deep, maggot-infested wound left him feeble & in pain.

Blind Dog Missing In Santa Cruz Mountains Rescued By Off-Duty Firefighter On Hike

• In quintessential firefighter style, he the hoisted dog, who was too weak to stand, across his shoulders and started the mountain ascent.

$5K Reward: Station Mascot Dog Still Missing Since Creek Fire

• A search for the fire captain's beloved French bulldog "Taco."

Confiscated Tiger Cub In Good Condition At San Diego Zoo Safari Park

• The Bengal tiger cub was smuggled into the United States from Mexico earlier this week.

Tiny, Tasty Treats Lure Giant Tortoise Out Of Tight Temecula Spot: Watch

• This wasn't just a small, pint-sized tortoise. This tortoise weighed the size of a person, at 140 pounds.

Mountain Lion Watches Calif. Hikers In Tense Standoff: WATCH

• Hikers stumbled upon the large cat but suddenly became potential prey after following the animal up the trail putting it on the defensive.

A Heartwarming Tail: OCFA Firefighters Continue Caring For 2 Kittens They Rescued From Car Engine Last Month

• OCFA Firefighters Continue Bottle-Feeding Sibling Kittens They Rescued Running Car Engine Compartment A Month Ago In Westminster

Holy Cow! 2 Calves Found Crammed, Abandoned Inside Honda Civic Off I-10

• "CHP began receiving 911 calls stating that a cow was attempting to climb out of the trunk of a parked car."

Bears Break Into Vegas Shooting Victim's Monrovia Home: VIDEO

• Three friendly neighbors snuck through a sliding glass door and made themselves comfortable, even grabbing a snack before they left.

Rescued Clydesdale And Trainer Meet Heroes Who Saved Them

• Rescuers spent 5 hours saving the huge horse from a ravine.

Hungry Bears Prompt Lockdown At Altadena School

• A black bear and her cub dropped in on Pasadena Rosebud Academy, prompting a 45-minute lockdown.

Owl Rescued From Tight Spot On The Peninsula Thanks To PHS/SPCA: SEE

• "As you can imagine, he was more than a little peeved to be stuck in his situation," Peninsula animal shelter officials said. (breaking)

'Feisty' Kitten Clings To Undercarriage Of Speeding Police Cruiser

• Officers at a crash kept hearing the kitten meow. The terrified kitty was delighted to be rescued.

Ball Python Snake Found On Peninsula Bus, Burlingame Shelter Finds Adopter [UPDATED]

• Lovingly dubbed 'Rumplesnakeskin,' this snake will get a new chance at life thanks to the collaborative efforts of many.

Swimming Rattlesnake Panics Folsom Lake Boaters

• The laughing quickly subsided and the screaming started when they realized the poisonous snake was trying to slither onto the boat.

Mountain Lion Crosses 101 Freeway In Rare Survival Story

• A young mountain lion has beaten the odds to make it across the 101 Freeway, and he didn't stop there, going on to test fate on the 118 too.

Wayward Goat Loses Police K-9 Job, Finds New Friends At Sheriff's Office

• "Betty didn't realize she was a goat… and we didn't have the heart to tell her."

Lucky Ducklings: Contra Costa Co. Firefighters Rescue Fledgling Flock Of 7

• Stuck in a storm drain: "One of the harder things was, mom was wandering around very mad so we had to corral her and keep her away."

Dying Dog Saved From Burning Trailer, Gets 2nd Chance At Life

• Fire officials say the "lifeless dog" was pulled from a Perris blaze and crews immediately began efforts to revive the dog.

North Bay Wildfires Spare Dog, Now Reunited With Family

• Katherine and Jack Weaver assumed Izzy was dead after the house burned down. Then she appeared, beaming at the sight of her family.

'Stern Warning' For Horse Who Halts Commute On Solano Co. Roadway: Photo Of The Week

• Several neeeiighbors helped corral the steed, sheriff's officials said about the horseplay incident.

Missing Georgia Cat Found In California

• Kitty Bitty went missing six months ago. She was finally found in Riverside County this week.

Influx of Baby Squirrels Arrive at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA [PHOTOS]

• The baby squirrels will require a convalescence period of about 2-3 months before they are able to be returned to the wild, the PHS says.

Horses Rescued From Burning Barn By Riverside Corporal: Video

• Corporal Mike Powell rescued the horses in the evening of Dec. 8.

Kittens Rescued From Zipped-Up Cooler Bag

• The kittens were found aboard a boat in San Rafael Yacht Harbor, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

Kitten Saved By Lake Forest Area Orange County Fire Authority

• This little guy was having a bad day until the Orange County Fire Authority showed up with a chicken drumstick. Share your #PatchGoodNews.

--Images courtesy of San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Alameda County Fire Department, Cristina Lorenzo, San Diego County News, Newport Beach Police Department, Youtube screengrab, Vincent Lopez, Orange County Fire, California Highway Patrol