Oct. 1, 2015: We’ve scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it’s all right here.

dog rescued from truck in lake

Dog Pulled From Truck in Lake

A man came to the rescue of a Yorkshire Terrier Sunday after the dog accidentally shifted the pickup truck he was sitting in into gear, and it rolled into a lake, police said. A man was walking the dog near Branch Lake in Ellsworth, Maine, when it had an encounter with another dog. The man put the pup into the truck alone while he talked to the other dog’s owner. Then, the Yorkie bumped the Chevrolet Silverado into gear, making it roll 75 feet into the lake. It hit a rock before starting to sink into about 10 feet of water. Luckily, a family friend who was nearby jumped into action, swimming out to free the trapped dog. No one was injured in the incident. — Read it at Maine’s Portland Press Herald

23 Dogs Saved From Alleged Fighting Ring

Authorities executed a search warrant on a sprawling property with several residences in Huntersville, North Carolina, Tuesday. There, police, animal control and animal rescuers found 23 Pit Bulls — including seven puppies — and equipment commonly used with dog fighting. The investigation came after the Huntersville Police got a tip about several dogs on the property “showing signs of bite marks and other injuries associated with dog fighting.” No charges have been filed yet in the investigation, which is ongoing. “Everybody that lives on the property, and may frequent the property, is subject to investigation,” said Lt. Andrew Dempski. The dogs are now being treated and cared for by the ASPCA in an undisclosed location. — Read it at the Washington Post

Study: Light Pollution Impacts Wallaby Births

New research suggests artificial light is causing some wallabies to delay when they give birth — and that puts them out of sync with the availability of the food resources they need to care for their joeys. They found the problem only grows worse with energy-efficient LED lighting. The timing of the animals’ reproduction is cued by changes in day length, and ensures the joey reaches its peak demand for milk during the spring, when food is abundant. "These results suggest that urban light pollution could have profound impacts on desynchronising seasonal physiological processes in wildlife," the researchers wrote in their findings, which were published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. — Read it at Discovery News

A 6-year-old girl in Hawaii is helping raise money to fund surgery for a stray kitten found with a spinal deformity.

Girl Raises Money to Save Kitten

A stray kitten who was found in Hawaii in August with a spine deformity has a pint-sized hero. Kaitlin Miyashiro, 6, has raised $800 in three weeks for the kitten named Hope by selling snacks door-to-door, in offices and even in bowling alleys. The aspiring veterinarian is also helping 808 Animal Rescue, which is caring for Hope, to raise money on Indiegogo to cover the costs of surgery for the kitten. Without the surgery, Hope is unable to use her hind legs or her litter box. — Read it from the AP via West Hawaii Today

Adorable Caracal Kittens Born

Last week, we told you about the three cute cougar cubs who are living temporarily at the Oregon Zoo. This week, the zoo is introducing more fluffy kittens: a brother and sister pair of 2-week-old caracals who were born to mom Peggy on Sept. 11. The babies had a checkup on Friday, and got a good report. "Peggy has been a terrific mom," said keeper Laura Weiner. "She’s very protective. We put a bunch of straw in her den box as bedding, and she’s been covering the little ones up with it, hiding them. Wild cats of all species hide their kittens like that to protect them from predators." Caracals live in the woodlands and savannas of North Africa, where they use their huge black, tufted ears to hunt for prey. — See photos from the Oregon Zoo