2 cats, falcon chicks and a donkey: Hamilton's top animal stories of 2020

COVID-19 was undoubtedly the biggest story of the year, but we also had some interesting stories involving animals.

They include a cat found after being missing for nearly 10 years, two falcon chicks hatched in Hamilton, and Max the dog, credited with saving his owner.

Here's a look at some of Hamilton and the surrounding area's top animal stories of 2020.

Hobbs found after nearly 10 years

In July, Frances Lommen of Smithville, Ont., found her cat, which had been missing for nearly 10 years.

Lommen said after years of searching for Hobbs, she believed that her now 14-year-old male, grey, possible Maine coon-cross cat, had found a new home.

"When they called me Wednesday night and told me they had my cat, I was in total disbelief," Lommen told CBC News.

Hobbs turned up at the Lincoln County Humane Society (LCHS) in St. Catharines. He was turned over by a resident who found him around his house in Jordan Station, more than 25 kilometres away.

The man brought Hobbs to the LCHS shelter, but lost him in the parking lot. After working to find wayward Hobbs throughout the day, the LCHS caught him, and moments later staff scanned a microchip implanted in Hobbs and traced his owner.

Kitten left in carrier in a Grimsby park

In October, a Niagara humane society was looking for a suspected "cold-hearted individual" it said ditched a black kitten — still in a carrier — in a Grimsby park.

The Lincoln County Humane Society said a woman walking her dog spotted a cat carrier in Murray Street Park. The kitten inside weighed less than a kilogram.

Executive director Kevin Strooband says it can be hard to find homes for black cats, but that's no reason to leave them and walk away. 

"Dumping a kitten in a park, or anywhere other than bringing it to someone who can provide care, is unacceptable and cruel," he said. "Bring any unwanted pets to your local humane society or rescue for re-homing."

Max the dog saves owner

When 73-year-old Alan "Van" Vizniowski went missing, police advised that he might be with his dog, a silver and black Norwegian elkhound named Max. Vizniowski suffers from dementia and had last been seen near Chippewa and Glancaster roads.

Neil Bannon walked out into blowing snow, not sure if the search for his missing neighbour would end with a rescue or recovery. Then he heard a dog bark.

Bannon hunts in the bush and was asked by police, after the canine unit had searched for a few hours, to go and check the trail cams he used to see if Van had walked by.

The 41-year-old said he'd seen Van walking in the woods with his dog before and had a rough idea of where he might have headed.

He walked into the blowing snow and rain, calling for Max because he figured the dog would hear him first.

"The dog started barking and I called out Van's name and he said 'Hello I'm here,'" said Bannon.

"It was kind of an overwhelming feeling to hear his voice, because the outcome could have been different. I was very grateful to hear his voice."

Matt Llewellyn, a member of the family, said Max basically stayed with Van the entire time he was missing.

"I don't know if I believe in miracles, but honestly, in the last 12 hours I haven't been able to figure out another way to describe that we found him," he said.

"Had it not been for Max, I don't know what would have happened."

Falcon chicks hatched in downtown Hamilton

Hamilton welcomed two new peregrine falcons in April.

Lily and Ossie, who have been nesting on a ledge high above downtown at the Sheraton Hotel since 2015, were kept busy with two new mouths to feed.

"We're just delighted we've got them," said Pat Baker, a senior monitor with Hamilton Falconwatch.

Chicks that hatched in the city have flown as far as Rochester and Syracuse in New York, Lansing, Mich., and even Kentucky and Tennessee.

Concerns over Smooshi the walrus and her baby

Animal rights activists raised concerns in November that a pair of walruses Marineland had died. There haven't been any updates since Smooshi gave birth in June.

The activist community, including Smooshi's former trainer and whistleblower, "walrus whisperer" Phil Demers, had been preparing for the worst. But Demers later tweeted out that he's heard from four separate sources that Smooshi and her baby are actually alive and well.

CBC News also emailed Marineland multiple times about whether Smooshi and her baby were alive, but did not receive a reply. When reached by phone, the marketing department said it had passed the request on to its public relations department, but would not comment. 

If Smooshi died, it would mean five walruses at the Niagara Falls zoo and amusement park have died in a span of just over three years. 

Stolen pure-bred donkey was found safe

A stolen pure-bred donkey was found safe and in good health.

Niagara Regional Police Service said the four-year-old Mammoth Jackstock donkey, "Royal Major League," that went missing from a barn in Grimsby in August 2018, was found and returned to its owners.

Police believe the donkey, known for having "massive legs" and "especially long ears," was being used for breeding. 

A 55-year-old woman was arrested and charged with theft over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. 

Meet Maci, 1st Canadian dog to test positive for COVID-19

Maci happens to be the first Canadian dog to test positive for COVID-19. She weighs five kilograms and is "kind of a little princess."

An active case of the virus was discovered in the four-year-old poodle-bichon mix in October after she was tested by researchers from the University of Guelph's Ontario Veterinary College.

"She's just a sweet little thing," said her owner, Tanja Loeb.

"She's definitely a lapdog. She knows she's one of the only girls in our house and we just love her to pieces, so we just spoil her like crazy."

Maci was swabbed after four people in a Niagara Region household, including Loeb, tested positive for the virus.

Their other dog, Theo (short for "Theo-dorable," Loeb joked) was also determined to be border-line positive for COVID-19, leading researchers to suggest he was infected earlier or at a lower level.

While Maci was the first confirmed positive Canadian researchers have found, she probably isn't the first dog to have the virus. And she likely won't be the last.