Furry friends and other critters that made Minnesota headlines in 2025
From a cat that accidentally made a worldwide journey in a shipping container to a sloth giving birth in a rare public display, all kinds of animals made the news in Minnesota this year.
Here are some of the most popular animal stories WCCO covered in 2025.
Cat survives trip from China to Minnesota in shipping container
In June, after a three-week, 8,000-mile journey from China, a cat was found in a shipping container in Oakdale, Minnesota.
"When she arrived to us, she was deathly thin and very ill," Kerry D'Amato, executive director of Pet Haven Inc. of Minnesota, said. "She would charge at us, hiss and lunge. Today, she chirps at us and comes out when we call her. Her eyes are bright, her ears are forward, she is giving us all the indications she is trusting."
Named Xiao Mao, meaning "little cat" in Mandarin Chinese, the feline took a couple of months to adjust to life in the United States.
Part of the success of the cat's rehabilitation is thanks to Pet Haven's Wallflowers Program. The program has a 100% graduation rate in helping those animals get into adoptable homes.
Another part of Xiao Mao's rehabilitation comes from its relationship with a cat from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation called Prince.
Melissa and Mark Hortman's work lives on through trained service dogs
Melissa and Mark Hortman provided a foster home to dogs to help train them to be service animals.
One of them, Minnie, had graduated to assisting a veteran. Another, Gilbert, became a part of their family and was killed alongside the couple on June 14.
Gilbert went on to lie in state with the Hortmans, being the first dog to receive the honor.
Following their deaths, donations poured in for Helping Paws, the organization with which the Hortmans worked.
Helping Paws Executive Director Alyssa Golob told WCCO that the organization typically receives 50 to 100 contributions per month. Within days of the shooting, it had received 5,700 individual donations.
Guests catch rare glimpse of sloth giving birth
Guests at the Como Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota, got to witness a two-toed sloth give birth in April.
The rare moment left an emotional mark on all who saw it.
"It was a pretty surreal moment and experience for the few of us who got to see the birth go down," said Como Zoo employee Jessica Scheller. "It was a very emotional moment. Some people were in tears, like myself. Just kind of shocking."
The baby sloth drew large crowds. Some traveled across the country to see it.
Minnesota rescue dog wins MVP of Puppy Bowl XXI
Foxtrot, a 16-week-old pup, wowed fans with speed and agility in the 21st annual Puppy Bowl. He even scored a touchdown and earned "Most Valuable Puppy" honors.
Foxtrot's efforts helped lead Team Ruff in a close match with the opposing team, Team Fluff.
He represented Pet Haven, a Minnesota rescue nonprofit, which said it was "BEYOND psyched" about the award.
Foxtrot wasn't the only pup to participate in the bowl; Pet Haven's Potato played for Team Fluff, which ultimately won the game.
Over 1,000 animals find new homes after SeaQuest Roseville closes
Hundreds of animals found new homes around the Twin Cities metro after SeaQuest Roseville closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy at the start of the year.
Sea Life inside the Mall of America took in roughly 600 animals, including a shark, rays and other sea creatures.
More than 100 animals were acquired by the Minnesota Zoo, including two wallabies, a sloth and an armadillo.
Minnesota cat earns Guinness World Record for longest tail
Mr. Pugsley Addams — a feisty feline from Mound, Minnesota — clinched a Guinness World Record for having the longest tail on a living, domestic cat, measuring in at a whopping 18.5 inches.
The 2-year-old is a Maine Coon, the largest domestic cat breed. Though not fully grown, his owner, Amanda, always knew his tail was longer than usual.
Maine Coons reach their full size around age 4 to 5, fully filling out with a thick fur coat, giant fluffy tail and large paws.
"The first time I took him to the vet, he walked in and said, 'That is a really long tail.' And I looked at it, really looked at it, and thought, 'Yeah…it kind of is, isn't it?," she said during an interview with the Guinness World Records.
Dog reunited with family after wandering into St. Paul pool
A surprise visitor made a splash at Como Park Regional Pool in July. The small Pomeranian with no leash or tags quickly discovered his charm.
"This little dog wandered up through the gates, at first I didn't bat an eyelash," said Como Pool staff member Clara Chaput. "I was the only one sitting out there. I did a double take and I was like oh my goodness, you're not supposed to be here."
Staff quickly checked for a microchip and put out alerts to nearby shelters and posted on social media.
Within days, the dog, nicknamed "Mo" by pool staffers, was reunited with his family.
Bloomington builds tunnel to help turtles cross street
In August, the City of Bloomington finished construction of a turtle tunnel under East Bush Lake Road to make it safer for drivers and reptiles.
The move comes after a study from the Minnesota Zoo found this segment of the road near the Richardson Nature Center was the worst for turtles, with hundreds hit by cars each year.
Instead of crossing on the road, now they have a better option to cross under with a new turtle tunnel, an animal-friendly storm drain.