Pet Scoop: 25-Year-Old Horse Stuck in Mud, Dogs’ “Guilty Look” May Stem From Wolves

April 18, 2017: We’ve scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it’s all right here.

1,100-Pound Horse Freed From Mud

Fire rescue crews in Palm Beach County, Florida, came to the rescue of a 25-year-old horse named Skip who was stuck in mud up to his belly near his home on Monday morning. Skip’s owners weren’t sure if he was spooked or somehow wandered into the mud. Firefighters struggled to free him because as they dug, the 1,100-pound horse sunk more deeply into the mud. But the team used what they’d learned in an equestrian rescue class to get straps around Skip and pull him free. Skip, who was sedated during the ordeal, was later able to stand on his own and was examined by a veterinarian on the scene. — Watch it at Florida’s WPTV

Your Dog’s Guilty Look May Come From Wolves

When your pooch bows his head low and looks at you with big sad eyes after he’s done something wrong, he may be using a complex survival tactic evolved from wolves, writes Nathan H. Lents, a molecular biologist with the City University of New York, in Psychology Today. Young wolves use the “apology bow” as they begin social integration into a pack. If the young wolf bites too hard, for example, he might be spurned by the pack. He will then use the apology bow to get back in the pack’s good graces. “Dogs have inherited this behavior and they will use it after any kind of infraction that results in being punished,” Lents wrote. “As social animals, they crave harmonious integration in the group and neglect or isolation is painful for them.” — Read it at USA Today

April the Giraffe’s Baby Needs a Name

More than a million people were watching online as April the giraffe finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy at the Animal Adventure Park in New York on Saturday. Now, the zoo’s owner is asking April’s many fans to help come up with a name for her little guy. The naming contest is a fundraiser for the park, a charity that helps sick children and giraffe conservation, so votes are $1 each, and there’s a five-vote minimum. After about 10 days, the top 10 names will be selected by the zoo, and you can go back and vote on those finalists. — Read it at ABC News

Tank was reunited with his family a year after he was stolen from their backyard.

Family Spots Missing Dog on TV

Tank is back home with his family a year after he was stolen from their backyard after his owners spotted him on the local news. Michelle Miller and her son Josh Calderon, 10, were watching KSAT News when they saw a story about a dog being called Mr. Big who’d been shot in the chest, miraculously survived and was being cared for by the Animal Defense League. “I jumped up from the couch and was like, that’s Tank! That’s him!” Michelle said. “My son was really, really attached to Tank. So to hear what he went through and to see him like that it was very emotional.” Josh was in tears. His dad had gotten the dog for the family before his death, so the loss was especially difficult. Once Michelle proved to the shelter that Tank belonged to her, he was happily reunited with the family. He’s now taking it easy at home as he recovers, and Michelle is keeping a close eye on him. — Read it at San Antonio’s KSAT

Jennifer Garner Visits Cat Café After Filing for Divorce

For many of us, animals are the key to getting through tough times. Maybe that’s why actress Jennifer Garner’s first public appearance after she and Ben Affleck jointly filed for divorce last week was to a cat café. Garner was seen leaving Crumbs & Whiskers in Los Angeles on Saturday with an iced coffee. “She was in a great mood and very sweet. She had a tour and seemed interested in learning more about the café,” an insider said. — Read it at People Pets