Liz O'Connell

Redmond, Tucson

Pet Reporter at Newsweek

Pet Reporter for @newsweek || Previous: Arena Group, @CBJnewsroom, Anson Record || UA ‘18 🐻⬇️

Articles

Hearts break as senior dog gets to be in her backyard one last time

1 day ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

The moment a senior dog enjoyed her backyard for the last time, surrounded by her family, left viewers online sobbing. Dana Lewandowski and her family welcomed home their golden retriever, Nala, nearly 14 years ago. The two grew up together, forming a bond she didn't know was possible between humans and pets until Nala. "[Pets] really become family," she told Newsweek. But, as all pet owners experience, Nala's time with the family was coming to an end.
Cam captures cats sprinting indoors, then owner realizes what's outside

1 day ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

Living with 13 cats means a house full of chaos, which owner Kristiina Wilson is used to, but when a few sprinted inside from the catio, she could tell something was off. Wilson told Newsweek she lives in a wooded area of Connecticut frequented by wildlife. They see bears, coyotes, raccoons, squirrels, birds and more. She believes her house is on a bear path, with one specific black bear visiting often. "For some reason, this bear really loves to come up on our deck and look out," she said.
"Worst feeling ever"

1 day ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

A pet parent who was overcome with guilt after accidentally hitting her pup while cleaning the house called the incident her worst nightmare. The owner's black l abrador puppy, Guinness, couldn't keep his distance as she tried to clean the house. His curiosity followed her everywhere she went. She started vacuuming, which drew Guinness closer to her. The new sound intrigued him. The home security camera captured Guinness following his owner around while she used the vacuum.
Man furious with his cat unleashes the unexpected: "I was so mad"

1 day ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

Frustrated by his feline's refusal to listen to him, a pet owner decided it was time to bring out his serious voice to discipline his cat, who snuck into the pantry. In a February 27 Instagram post to the account @reggieandrico, the cat dad noticed that the pantry door was open slightly. Knowing his cats occasionally cause chaos, he felt one snuck in to have free range of the food, and trusting his instincts, he checked.
Woman rescues dog, finds human bite mark on his head

2 days ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

A dog's story of abuse before being rescued shared on TikTok left viewers wondering how people could be so cruel to animals. TikTok user @zahidewonthistrend.1 came across a person selling a 6-month-old puppy named Theo online. The dog's eyes were filled with sadness. She saw what horrible shape he was in, covered with marks and cuts all over his body. He appeared to be inching closer to "death's door."Plus, the person held Theo in the picture like an object.
Hearts break as dog circles couch "looking for her brother" who died

2 days ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

A video of a confused dog searching for her canine brother a few days after his death shattered people's hearts. An owner's two dogs, Phoebe and Oliver, were inseparable, always playing together and being by each other's side. But Phoebe and the owner's world turned upside down when Oliver died at the end of January. The owner, known on TikTok as @pawsitivelyhappyvibes, shared about the difficulty of grieving a pet -the endless tears, the new routines and sudden emptiness.
Man gets in car and drives off, but cat decided to a hitch ride on the roof

2 days ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

A recent video of a cat refusing to leave his napping spot proved that a feline's stubbornness can overpower an owner's concern for safety. Cats are known to be independent creatures, often resisting commands and rules. While they thrive on routines, any attempt to disrupt their schedule feeds into the stubbornness, which a home security camera recently captured of a black cat.
Tears as "oldest and longest" cat resident watches kittens get all the love

5 days ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

A video of an older cat sitting with his head down as other felines received attention broke viewers' hearts. Three-year-old Wyatt had been living at Crumbs and Whiskers, a cat cafe in Los Angeles that partners with local rescues to save cats from euthanasia, for five months at the time of the December 30 TikTok video. He became one of the cafe's "oldest and longest" residents, waiting day in and day out for someone to adopt him.
Bernese mountain dog hailed "boundary setting king" for telling groomer no

5 days ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

A dog's clear answer to a question from the groomer immediately went viral on TikTok as people hailed him the king of setting boundaries. A TikTok video posted by @pikapupp on March 23 showed a Bernese Mountain dog standing by the door at the groomer. He wanted out of the situation, which dogs commonly experience the same feeling as going to the groomer can be overwhelming and scary. Unsure about the groomer, the dog kept backing away.
Hearts break at what cat spotted doing in church: "Poor baby"

6 days ago | newsweek.com | Liz O'Connell

A churchgoer's video quickly went viral online as it captured an unexpected visitor getting holy water, which left TikTok users heartbroken and divided in the comments section. TikTok user @mattreal17 of the Philippines stood at the back of a filled church while music played and mass started. However, he became distracted when, in his direct line of sight, he spotted a white and orange cat pop up among those sitting.