November 23, 2011: We’ve scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it’s all right here.

Houdini the dog

GPS Devices Are a Boon for Dog Owners

After Houdini, a Lab-shepherd mix, was placed in a Utah foster home by the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he escaped by pushing an air conditioner out of a window. Luckily, the sanctuary had anticipated his escape artist ways and put a GPS tracking device on his collar. Thanks to the technology, he was found in an overgrown lot.

There are now several GPS tracking devices on the market that can send pet owners a text or email to help them pinpoint a pet’s location. “They will undoubtedly help in a lot of cases where pets would otherwise not be found and returned home,” the adoption manager at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary told the AP. — Read it at Today

Yellowstone Grizzlies Remain on the Endangered List

In a big win for conservationists, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was wrong to remove the “threatened” designation for Yellowstone grizzly bears under the Endangered Species Act in 2007. — Read it at the LA Times

Loyal Dog Won’t Leave His Owner’s Resting Place

A sweet dog in China has refused to budge from his elderly owner’s graveside. Villagers have tried to coax the dog back to the village with food, but he keeps returning to the site. They say that they will continue to care for the dog. — Watch it at YouTube

Bulldog

Is Bulldog Breeding Putting Dogs at Risk?

A New York Times writer finds that modern breeding practices meant to play up the Bulldog’s flat face, big eyes and large mouth may be harming the breed. Since the 1800s, the breed has changed significantly, making the dogs much more likely to suffer health problems than other dogs. — See the photos at The New York Times

Bees Protect Crops From Elephants

You know what they say about elephant memory, right? Well, one thing that pachyderms seem to never forget is how a bee sting feels, which is why the animals are cautious around beehives. So a biologist in Kenya decided to put this knowledge to use by helping farmers protect their fields from elephant herds. — Read it at Discovery News

Rescued Penguins Return to Sea

Sixty penguins who had been covered in oil following an October spill in New Zealand have been cleaned up and released back to their ocean home. A crowd watched and cheered as the birds ran back to the water this week. — See the photo at People Pets