Dogs are some of the most loyal creatures on the planet, they love both other animals and humans with the same depth of feeling.
So what happened when tragedy struck 2 Pitbull brothers?
10-year-old Tonka and 2-year-old Little P were on an adventure with their human dad when the unthinkable happened.
Kris Busching had taken Tonka and Little P on one of their usual hikes along a mountainous trail and, unfortunately, all three of them fell from the edge of a cliff.
Kris tragically passed upon impact and Tonka broke both of his front legs.
Little P waited patiently with his family until rescue came, keeping a close eye on his injured brother.
Both dogs were quickly brought to a local animal hospital and, while Tonka did have 2 broken legs, it was nothing more serious than that and Little P had escaped the incident physically unscathed.
While Tonka lay on a hospital bed, being prepared to get his casts on, Little P sat beside his brother and gave him supportive kisses.
Due to his injuries, Tonka would have to spend a lot of time recovering and wouldn’t be able to play.
Unfortunately, the dogs had to be separated so that Tonka could heal properly. He was taken in by a foster family who helped him to recover and gave him all the love they could
Little P stayed with Kris’s cousin, Crysti, and was cared for and loved in the same way that his dad would have wanted
Unfortunately, none of the Busching family were able to take on both dogs full time.
Crysti wanted to ensure that whatever home the dogs did end up in that they would remain together and that the family would give them a life as close to what Kris would as possible.
Eventually, Crysti found Heilea and Brandon and quickly knew that this would be the family for the 2 pups.
When the day finally came to meet their new owners, the whole Busching family came together for one last family portrait.
As everyone huddled together to take their photos, Tonka started singing! He was always known as the more vocal of the two and he let his voice be heard loud and proud on this day.
Soon, even Little P, who was usually the quieter of the 2, joined in as well and the pair sang their hearts out.
Now in the loving home of Heilea and Brandon, both dogs have become even more vocal than before.
Heilea says that she believes they are still talking to their dad and she really enjoys the sound they make as they sing to him.
The first few days in the new home were tough on the pair, but with the love and support of their new owners, both dogs have come out of their shells and relaxed much more.
And luckily, they still get to go on tons of adventures.
They run and swim and play to their hearts content before returning home to snuggle up together and get a good nights rest.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
