One of the best things about this planet is animals. These precious little and giant creatures helped us through dark times in 2017, when we desperately needed to feel inspired and have hope again.
Let’s take a look back at some of the cutest animals that made headlines in 2017.
This soi dog enjoyed a nap in the sweet aircon of a 7-Eleven doorway so much that he didn’t even care when the automatic door kept bumping him in the head.
The aircon not only attracted street dogs, but in Pattaya, a big hairy goat also regularly chilled in front of a 7-Eleven for the cool breeze.
It’s probably all the countless Scottish Fold cat videos that made this extremely ordinary, dusty street cat stand out from the feline celebrities on the internet.
This year we met Toong Ngern, the cat who lived at a Phang Nga pier. He’s known for being dusty, grumpy, and just naturally cute.
On a Sunday night, Bangkokians were perplexed by a live chicken who was proudly and fearlessly standing in the middle of Siam Square, the city’s popular shopping area.
No, nobody knew where he was from or how he got there. Although some people made a cruel speculation that he escaped from Bonchon.
When Bangkokians were stuck inside their houses because of the floods during the rainy season, these soi dogs made the best out of the situation by splashing away on the watery streets. Awww.
To guarantee a delicious meal, every day, a smart stray dog in Krabi carried a leaf in his mouth to bring to a woman who fed him as if he was making a trade with her. What a good boy!
‘Teacup pig’ that won’t stop growing
A Thai man bought a female teacup piglet from an exhibition outside of Bangkok, but to his surprise, the baby grew into a normal-sized pig twice his size.
The 25-year-old shop owner from Nonthaburi and his 150-kilogram pig named “Junior” made headlines in local media this year, after photos of the giant pig wearing a pink bow took social media by storm.
A wild long-tailed macaque that hung out in Bang Khun Thian area drew attention from wildlife officials this year for “being fat.” The monkey nicknamed “Uncle Fatty” had the world root for him when his binge-eating photos spread across the web, and wildlife officials had to quarantine and put him on a diet.
Here’s a video of Uncle Fatty on the weightloss journey at a government facility, where he dropped about 3 kilograms, before he was released back to the wild.
“Kaew” the wild elephant known for straying away from his national park home managed to walk 90 kilometers away from his habitat this year. After he was found near the city hall, guess what officials did? They walked him home, and he followed them like a good boy.
Last but not least, this heard of rescued elephants
This video of great beasts running to greet a new baby elephant touched the hearts of people all over the world.
When the baby elephant “Dok Kaew” lost his mother, the orphan was transferred to a government facility in Lampang province, where he met his new family. When he arrived, the older rescued elephants ran excitedly to welcome the baby. You’re home now, Dok Gaew.
