2015 TOP STORIES: Cute, fuzzy, and far out animal stories from around the Southern Interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – From the cute, to the sad, to the downright weird, 2015 definitely had its share of animal tales.

There were celebrities like Miss P, the tail-wagging beagle from Enderby that won best in show at Madison Square Garden, and Clover the spirit bear in Kamloops.

There were unusual animal encounters, like this standoff between a cougar and a horse, and downright frightening ones, like this man’s experience hitting a moose in the unlikely location of downtown Kelowna.

There were heartwarming stories, like this lamb and its wheelchair, and this cockatiel that was reunited with its family through the power of social media. Also, this goat that likes to ride around on a donkey.

At times, it felt like the Wild West as cattle rustling became an issue in the North Okanagan. Numerous cows were killed and slaughtered, several with only the most expensive cuts taken. Meanwhile, a man was sentenced in a Kamloops courtroom for stealing cows in Alberta, a crime the judge didn't hear enough about. We brought you the untold story of what he really did, according to the owner of the farm he worked on.

An SPCA cruelty investigation resulted in more than 100 horses removed from an Armstrong man’s care and auctioned off to new homes. Gary Roberts’ cruelty trial is expected happen in the New Year.

Problems also piled up for the owner of a reptile and exotic animal facility in East Kelowna. Read more about Croc Talk here.

A Kamloops man also got in some trouble for feeding crows. Toby Jackson, who is interested in the intelligence of crows, was handed nuisance-related bylaw violation tickets, but vowed to dispute them in court.

Another animal that made headlines in 2015 was the rat. We heard some hair-raising stories about the rodent, and learned how it's making its way across the Interior.

We also heard about a controversial animal rescue in Vernon called Saving Grace. The rescue closed down amid numerous allegations about poor practices.

The year ended with perhaps the most sensational animal story of all: a cheetah roaming the Kootenays.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.