Christine Spain was walking home with her dog late at night when she collapsed on a local train track. A witness reported seeing the woman’s dog, Lilly, desperately trying to pull her out of harm’s way as a train appeared coming down the tracks.

He reached the scene after the train had already made an impact, but discovered Christine completely unhurt. Lilly however, who was found with her head lying on Christine’s chest, suffered extensive injuries in her efforts to save her owner.

The pit bull’s condition is said to be improving after several fractures to her pelvis, but unfortunately she had to have a front leg amputated after the skin and muscle was torn from her paw in the crash.

It has since emerged that Lilly was given to Christine, a recovering alcoholic, as a therapy dog. Her son, David, has said his mother may have had a relapse after receiving upsetting news, and fell unconscious on the tracks after a drinking binge.

David says he hopes the incident will help improve the pit bull’s image: “I just want to raise awareness on how special these dogs truly are. They are the most affectionate, loving dogs that you’ll ever meet.”

Christine was arrested for obstruction and animal cruelty at the scene. She has been ordered to stop drinking and will be subjected to random alcohol testing. “If it wasn’t for her dog, I don’t think my mom would be here today,” David added.

Dog food brand Pedigree has launched its annual Adoption Drive to end the needless destroying of rescue dogs. By providing under-funded rescue centres with donations and food, they hope that no dog will be lost because of a lack of basic resources.

With the support of Irish celebrities such as Ronan O’Gara, Caroline Morahan, Sinead Desmond and Aidan Power, they are aiming to raise €100,000 this year – but they need your help.

If you’ve been considering adopting a dog then now is the time to do it – take their test to see if you’re suited to animal adoption. If you’re not in a position to give a pet a home there are still plenty of other ways to do your bit:

• Buy Pedigree Products – for every purchase of Pedigree dog food made by June 6th, Pedigree will donate a percentage to the charity.
• Like Pedigree Ireland on Facebook – for every new ‘like’ the page receives, they’ll donate a bowl of dog food to a rescue centre – so get clicking!
• Food Donations – rescue centres always welcome donations of pet food, ask your local centre how you can help.
• Bedding & Toys – have unwanted animal blankets or toys? Charities can always put them to good use if you no longer need them.
• Volunteer – lend a helping hand at one of the many animal homes around the country.

The tortoises are all but extinct in the wild, with very small numbers found only in parts of Syria. The adorable new additions will join ten other Egyptian tortoises under care at the centre, but will be housed separately to the others until they are big enough to fend for themselves.

The first hatchling weighed only 3.9 grams at birth and is just over 2cm tall. Approximately the same height as a British 20p piece, the tortoise is actually lighter than the coin.

At most, these teeny tortoises will grow to 15cm in length and weigh up to 500grams, but for now all four fit snugly into the palm of a hand.

Workers in the Colorado Drive-Thru were startled to find the bovine peering through their window and butting her head against the glass as though waiting to be served. A few disbelieving phone calls later, they discovered Darcy had hoofed over half a mile from a local farm before arriving at the fast food restaurant.

The cow’s owners, who were unaware she was missing until the police contacted them, seemed unsurprised by her escapades. Unlike Yvonne the fugitive cow, Darcy was not on the run from the abattoir – she’s simply fond of attention. The family have shrugged off the surprise of locals, saying ‘she’d probably go there again if she could get out’.

The Winns have since reassured neighbours that Darcy is not fed on McDonald’s diet, saying she was ‘not making orders. Maybe visiting relatives but not making orders.’

The hunt for an escaped Dublin tortoise came to a happy, if anticlimactic, end last night. After a weekend of frantic searching, 100 year old Florentine was finally discovered hiding out in his own garden.

The story of the runaway reptile went viral over the weekend after the distraught owners took to Twitter in an effort to locate their missing pet. Within hours, #RathgarTortoise was trending on the site and the news was picked up by media both at home and abroad.

After spending a second morning looking for Florentine yesterday, the Eogan family returned home to find the slow-moving centenarian emerging from the flowerbeds. It’s believed the tortoise, who hibernates throughout winter each year, had buried himself in the garden to take shelter from the weather.

The family have thanked those who helped out with the search, saying “we are very grateful, if a little embarrassed given the outcome.” Florentine was last night being treated to his favourite meal of lettuce and strawberries and said to be “loving his new-found fame”.

 “Some time ago Panchita was caught up in a net, which left deep cuts all over her body. She managed to make it to this hotel where animal advocates nursed her back to health for 3 months. Every day she returns to rest after being out to sea. She is now pregnant and expecting within a month.”