Animal stories captivated Palm Harbor Patch readers in 2012; from a baby deer who survived a snake bite and Tropical Storm Debby, to a horn-honking dog, lovemaking manatees, an opossum family rescued from the engine of a mail truck and more.
1) Baby Deer Survives Snake Bite, Tropical Storm Debby
What would you do if you found a tiny fawn that was bitten in the eye by a poisonous snake and abandoned by her mother shortly after Tropical Storm Debby drenched the area? If you're the Suncoast Animal League, you do everything you can to save its life.
2) Rare Encounter: 25-Foot Shark Amazes Scuba Divers
"The sheer size of it was unbelievable," said Brennan Russell, one of two Palm Harbor scuba divers who videotaped a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a 25 foot-long whale shark in the Gulf of Mexico.
3) Lost Dog Found: Sydnie's Happy Ending
A Palm Harbor dog with an apparent case of wanderlust is safe at home again after she was rescued by a pet-loving teen in Dunedin.
4) Mother Opossum and Babies Rescued from Mail Truck Engine
Palm Harbor's Suncoast Animal League recently rescued a mother opossum and her babies after they were discovered sleeping in the engine of a mail truck at the Clearwater Post Office.
5) Photos: Meet Buddy the Horn-Honking Dog
No doubt, we've all experienced the sound of impatient drivers who lay on the horn. But, that's nothing compared to what a Palm Harbor family's impatient beagle does when he gets behind the wheel.
6) Lights, Camera, Action... Bark!
Dogs and cats from the Suncoast Animal League got to be stars for a day, when they modeled pet collars during a live segment on TV's Home Shopping Network.
7) Manatee Lovemaking Slows Cars on Courtney Campbell Causeway
About eight to 10 manatees are mating in the shallow waters off the east side of the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
8) What We Love About Palm Harbor: A Doggie Bike Ride
Suzy Q, Teddy Bear and Mickey D recently enjoyed the view of Crystal Beach from their trailer. Their owner, Tim O'Hara, had just taken them on a bike ride on the Pinellas Trail.
This happy pooch made us do a double-take! What do you think? Is he in the driver's seat, or just along for the ride?
Here's proof that it pays to have a camera handy!
11) Heron Rescue Unfolds on Twitter
You probably know that the Suncoast Animal League rescues and finds homes for unwanted pets. But, the non-profit regularly comes to the aid of critters of all types, as this string of Tweets that were cross-posted on Facebook illustrates.
12) Dogtoberfest: Tail Sniffing, Wiener Dog Jokes and a Skateboarding Yorkie
One of the highlights of Dogtoberfest was the popular Running of the Wieners races. Ninety-one wiener dogs of all sizes and ages competed in races in which their owners coaxed them over the finish line.
13) Photo of the Day: Dog Rides in Style on Golf Cart
Here's one of the reasons why Palm Harbor is such an awesome place to live.
Other 2012 Favorites on Palm Harbor Patch-
