April 8, 2016: We’ve scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it’s all right here.

Vincent, here at his last weigh-in, only has a pound and a half left to lose.

Rescued Doxie Gets in Shape

Eight months after he was surrendered to a Texas animal shelter when his owner passed away, a Dachshund named Fat Vincent has lost more than half of his body weight. Vincent weighed 38 pounds when he went to live with his foster, Melissa Anderson. With her help, under the watchful and concerned eye of veterinarian Dr. Sharon Anderson, Vincent was put on a strict diet and exercise plan. Now, Vincent weighs in at a svelte 17 pounds — and he’s just a pound and a half away from his goal weight. "He is the sweetest, funniest, happiest guy now," said Melissa Anderson. Once the 7-year-old dog reaches his ideal weight, he’ll be ready for adoption through K-9 Angels Rescue of Houston. "The perfect home will continue his daily walks and the monitoring of his food," his dedicated foster said. — Read it at CNN

California Condors Raise Stealthily Placed Foster Chick

A pair of critically endangered California condors is nurturing their first chick, who, unbeknownst to them, is a foster. Biologists watching their nest via a web cam noticed that the egg the pair had been incubating had disappeared. They don’t know what happened to the egg, but said it’s likely a predator got to it. So, the biologists came up with a plan to ensure the pair would still be parents. First, they rappelled into the nest and replaced the missing egg with a fake egg. It worked — the 22-year-old mom returned and sat on it. Then, they were able to get one of three condor eggs that were being raised at the Los Angeles Zoo, and swapped the dummy egg out for the foster. It worked, and the following day, April 4, it hatched. The mom and dad are now taking turns warming and feeding the chick. — Read it at Discovery News

Rescue Dog Helps Save Kittens

Two kittens found abandoned in a Sacramento, California, yard in need desperate need of medical care are getting some help — from a dog named Jemmie. The kittens had severe eye infections that made it hard for them to see. One of the kittens had infections in both eyes, and veterinarians at the Sacramento SPCA are now trying to save at least one of his eyes using antibiotics and a special serum. That serum is made from blood donated by Jemmie, who was adopted from the shelter by foster coordinator Sarah Varanini. "It looks a little better; the kitten is able to open it just a peep, and so hopefully we’ll be able to save it," Varanini said. As for Jemmie, Varanini said, "She’s giving back to kittens and there’s nothing she loves more in life than kittens so I know she would love to do it if she could talk." — Read it at CBS News

Penguins walk the blue carpet to their new home at the Detroit Zoo.

Penguins Waddle the Blue Carpet

The Detroit Zoo rolled out the blue carpet Thursday to let the first of their 80 penguins waddle to their new home, the largest penguin facility in the world at 33,000 square feet. The penguins are getting a head start on exploring the $29.5-million facility, which will open to the public on April 18. It was designed to look like a tabular iceberg, and it includes 25-foot-deep pools for the new residents to swim and dive in. So far, the best part is watching these guys get their moment in the spotlight on the blue carpet, with some racing down the path and others stopping to soak up the attention from their fans. — Watch it at MLive.com

Wanted: Chief Wombat Cuddler

An island off the coast of Tasmania is looking to fill a very important position: Chief Wombat Cuddler. Orphaned wombat Derek was rescued from his mom’s pouch after she was hit by a car in December. The job posting actually temporary — it’s a contest to win a 3-night stay on Flinders Island, where winner will get the chance to meet and cuddle with little Derek. And there’s stiff competition! There have already been more than 2,000 entries with a statement of 25 words or less on why the applicant should be the Chief Wombat Cuddler. Unfortunately for those of us in the U.S., only Australian residents are eligible to enter the competition. — Read it at CNBC