Fernie the dog helps kids to read

Fernie the dog is helping to give children the confidence to read at a school in Somerset in South West England.

He can understand words written on flash cards,

Fernie is shown words like sit, and turn around then he does the action.

Studies have shown that a school dog calms children down, improves skills and behaviour.

CBBC Newsround

Squirrel caught 'diving' in snow

Everyone's been enjoying the snow this weekend - including this little squirrel in Estonia, Eastern Europe.

Temperatures in the area reached around minus 12 this month. 

He was diving into the snow to find some food - watch this clip to see how he gets on.

So cute!

From CBBC Newsround

Police officer gives donkey a lift in his car

This police officer in Oklahoma, USA picked up an unusual furry character wandering the streets.

'Squishy' the miniature donkey escaped its enclosure and decided to go for a wander down the middle of a busy road.

Officer Kyle Canaan was called out to collect the poor lost fella, and eventually managed to get him safely into his police car, with the help of a few treats!

He then drove Squishy to a local donkey sanctuary, where it will stay while they look for its owner.

From CBBC Newsround

Skateboarding bulldog breaks Guinness World Record

A bulldog called Otto has broken the Guinness World Record for skateboarding through the "longest human tunnel" in Peru.

Otto passed through the legs of 30 people and was presented with an official certificate.(BBC News)

Pugs dress-up in costume for Halloween

Check out this special Halloween costume parade with a difference, it's just for pug-dogs.

Cute aren't they?

The parade was held in Ukraine, where about a hundred pugs showed off their finest costumes.

The devilish-doggies dressed up as spiders, angels, dragons and Halloween themed film characters.

It's simply pug-tastic! (CBBC Newsround)

Thirsty leopard gets head stuck in pot for six hours

An unlucky leopard got its head stuck in a metal pot after wandering into a village in India on Wednesday.

Local media reported that the leopard was thirsty and had become stuck after trying to drink water from the pot.

It took forest officials more than six hours to temporarily put the leopard to sleep and then free it from the pot.

The animal was later released back into the wild.(CBBC Newsround)

Vancouver black bear relaxes in hot tub in Canada

A family had to share their swimming pool with an unexpected visitor at their home in Vancouver, Canada

A black bear decided to take a dip in their pool then climbed into the adjoining hot tub where it seemed to relax for a while.

After around 15 minutes, the bear, which had been tagged by wildlife officials, strolled off, back through the hole it had made in the family's fence. 

 From CBBC Newsround

The animals who love cuddly toys

Doodlebug the orphaned baby kangaroo from Grafton, New South Wales in Australia has been a big hit on social media after getting snapped cuddling a teddy bear, who's his best friend.

So cuuute, all of them!

Doodlebug the baby kangaroo sleeps next to this teddy and gives it cuddles.

But Doodlebug isn't the only animal who has a favourite teddy...

Pudsey the dog from Who Let The Dogs Out prefers to hang out with a teddy bear with his own name - Pudsey the bear from Children in Need.

A zookeeper at ZSL London Zoo is hand-rearing this baby sloth with the help of a soft toy she bought in a gift shop. Now it's a firm favourite.

 Yooranah the koala joey, born at Edinburgh Zoo, likes to cuddle a stuffed toy koala whilst getting weighed.

Iggy the Blue Peter guide dog loves playing with cuddly toys when she hangs out back stage at CBBC.

From CBBC Newsround

Diving dog takes flight

Move over Tom Daley, because there's a new diving champ taking flight.

At St Peter's Pool in Malta this man and his Jack Russell are apparently a regular sight, doing their synchronised dives into the naturally formed pool.

The footage was shot by photographer Mark Casser and has already notched up 150,000 views on social media. (CBBC Newsround)

Dog rides bus alone to the park in Seattle, US

A dog in Seattle takes herself to the local dog park - by riding on the bus by herself!

The two-year-old black Labrador named 'Eclipse' gets on and off the bus on her own and later meets up with her owner at the park for a nice walk.

From CBBC Newsround

Could Microdave be the UK's smallest horse?

Measuring in around 45cm tall, Microdave is the newest contender for the title of Britain's smallest horse.

So cuuute!

Born in Kent, in the south-east of England, the American miniature stallion is half the size of a regular foal of the same breed.

Microdave got his unusual name from his dad, who is called Littledave.

His owner Jen Baldwin-Murphy, says that Microdave is very cheeky, and has become really popular with visitors.

From CBBC Newsround

Cat wins 'Hero Dog' award

Tara the cat has been given a National Hero Dog Award in America after saving her six-year-old owner Jeremy when he was attacked in 2014.

Jeremy was ok after and the video of the heroic kitty went viral, attracting over 24 million views.

It has been over a year since the attack happened in California, America, and now Tara has been honoured for her bravery.

The president of the organisation that gave the award said: 'We were so impressed by Tara's bravery and fast action that the selection committee decided that a cat this spectacular should be the National Hero Dog.'(BBC News)

Rescue pugs Jasper and Jasmine get married in Australia

Jasper and Jasmine got married in front of a crowd of 350 human guests and 60 pugs in St Kilda, Australia.

So cuuute!

The pugs were adopted 18 months ago by a couple who own a pug rescue and adoption charity.

The charity's founder, Joanna Herceg, said a lot of other charities held dinners to raise money, but she thought they needed something with a difference.

"So I thought let's do a pug wedding!

"Weddings are happy things and we are all about happiness."

The wedding has got a lot of attention, with the pair even having their own social media accounts.

There was "a puggy treats bar" full of dog food for the pugs to eat.

Human guests enjoyed drinks, canapés, wedding cake and music.

From CBBC Newsround

Election 2015: Fox makes a bid for Downing Street

The general election campaign is under way, after Parliament was officially dissolved. Journalists waiting outside 10 Downing Street on Monday morning spotted a fox, apparently chasing a duck.( From BBC News)

We already know how smart and sly foxes are, but this one is much more than that. She revealds really  bold . Maybe this wasn't her first raid on the area and for some reason she didn't feel any kind of threat, so she wasn't afraid of being chased and there she was, right in front of the Prime Minister's official residence, chasin a duck, a delicacy for her sharp teeth enough to fill her belly for the day.

Spot on this video!

Nine puppies saved from fires in Chile

As huge forest fires hit areas of Chile in South America, nine lucky puppies have been found and rescued.

"Negrita" was reunited with her nine puppies after their rescue.

Thousands of people have been evacuated in Chile and Valparaiso, a city in South America, has been in the middle of some of the fires.

But some lucky puppies in the city have been rescued. The puppies and their mother are safe and sound and are now being looked after by vets.

From CBBC Newsround

This intelligent and caring mother dog saved her nine puppies from burning alive in a huge forest fire in Chile .She dug a deep hole and placed her babies inside where they were later found untouched by the flames, according to rescuers.Volunteers located the puppies following a massive forest fire in Valparaiso last week, CNN reported. It took about an hour for rescuers to locate all of the puppies and lift them out of the deep hole.

Lucky Smokey

Firefighters have rescued a dog from a crevice high above a beach in California in the US.

Dramatic rescue of Smoky - the dog who fell 50 feet down a tiny cliff crevice chasing a SQUIRREL but somehow survived. Smoky is lucky to be alive after he got stuck in a cliff crevice in Santa Monica on MondayThe 80-pound mutt had got trapped after chasing a squirrel and had to be rescued by firefighters. Two Santa Monica firefighters were hoisted up a ladder to try and coax a very scared Smoky from his position

Aerial images showed a team approaching the stranded dog on a ladder and coaxing him from a small hole in the cliff.

They were then able to secure the dog and slowly lower the animal on the ladder back down to the ground.

Sources: BBC News and Mail Online

Christmas trees donated for lions to play with

Lions at a zoo in Cambridgeshire have found a new use for old Christmas trees.

They've been given the real trees to play with and have been enjoying rolling around with them.

Linton Zoological Gardens are also using some of the trees in their bio-burner to provide heating for the buildings.

Zuri, an African lion, has become quite attached to his tree

Manager Dawny Greenwood said: "They just love the trees, it gives them hours of fun."

People have been dropping off their trees and some companies have donated unsold ones.

FromCBBC newsround

It's really a good use for those "old" Christmas trees, but it's a pity that they were cut off the forests where they belong and have a much worthy role. Nevertheless I love animals and I always feel happy when they have a nice treatment in Zoos as well as in reserves or in the wild. We all must protect animals if we want nature to survive to development.

Mª Dulce Branquinho

Little piglet rescued from sea by RSPCA off Suffolk coast

A piglet has been rescued after tumbling down a cliff and swimming out to sea off the Suffolk coast in England.

The little pig had been stuck on a cliff, but when RSPCA staff arrived it had run down to the beach and was heading into the sea.

Inspector Jason Finch said it seemed "unfazed" as it splashed in the waves.

"I thought he was heading to France," he said.

                            Can you spot the piglet?

"I have never seen anything like it. I couldn't believe it when he darted straight into the sea like that," he added.

"He was completely unfazed by the bubbling surf and was in the water upwards of 10 minutes."

"He became a tiny black dot in the distance... I was just wondering whether I would have to dive in myself when he started swimming in the more shallow end of the surf, so I just ran in and grabbed him."

"He was safe and sound and in good health, in fact he did not even seem puffed out. Far fitter than many I know," said Mr Finch.

RSPCA inspector Jason Finch went into the sea to get the piglet

The adventurous little pig was later returned to its owner.

From CBBC newsround

Stray snake mistaken for loom band bracelet in Aberdeen

A wildlife charity wants to find the owner of a tiny stray snake which was mistaken for a loom band bracelet in Aberdeen.

The Scottish SPCA was called in when rubbish collectors found the baby corn snake outside a house.

The little snake, nicknamed Mac, is now in the care of the charity's Aberdeenshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

Animal rescue officer Kim Butrym says snakes are great escape artists.

'Thought he was a loom band'

She said: "Mac was discovered by two waste removal men who were loading an old sofa onto their van.

"He had slithered his way between the cushions and the men actually thought he was a loom band before he started moving.

"Mac is good to handle and it's possible someone is missing him."

If no-one comes forward to collect the snake, rescue officers will try to find a new home for Mac.

From CBBC newsround

Meet Jasper, the dog saved by a social network

Jasper the dog has been through a bit of an ordeal.

He went missing on the highest mountain in England - Scafell Pike.

Owner Adam shared a photo of Jasper on the internet, and hundreds of people offered to help search for him.

Amazingly Jasper was found - and couldn't wait to give Adam a friendly lick on the face.

Hayley met the adventurous pair when they popped into the Newsround office.

Frpom CBBC Newsround