Minnesota dog models for Dolly Parton, Goldy Gopher reveals origin story, and more interesting animal headlines from 2024
MINNEAPOLIS — 2024 may have been the year of the dragon, but in Minnesota, all kinds of animals made headlines.
From dogs and cats to donkeys and horses, and even the University of Minnesota's own beloved mascot, here are some of the most interesting animal stories WCCO covered this year.
Minnesota dog to appear on "Dolly Parton's Pet Gala"
Lucille Ball is a 3-year-old model and spokesdog.
"She's a little bit flashy, Maltese in general," said owner Tricia Thompson. "All the outfits against the white is just really pretty."
Thompson says she was originally named after Lucy's close friend, Betty White.
"I called her Betty for two days and she wouldn't whip her head around or turn or anything. I said 'Lucy' once and she whipped her head around and I thought, 'she identifies as redhead,'" Thompson said.
Lucy also identifies a camera lens with ease. After just one year in the pros, Lucy is the only dog from the Midwest appearing in "Dolly Parton's Pet Gala" on CBS.
She was chosen for her ability to work the runway in Dolly's "Doggy Parton" apparel and a handmade costume from one of Dolly's most iconic looks.
Donkeys at New Germany's Hee-Haw Hallow building close bonds with humans, animals alike
Did you know that donkeys are fast, smart and can build life-long bonds with other animals and people?
A visit to Brett and Kelley MacNally's farm, Hee-Haw Hollow in New Germany, is like a visit to a zoo. There are pigs, sheep, goats, cats, and if you want to talk to the MacNallys, you have to get past the Highland cattle.
As social as these guys are, the farm really belongs to one animal. The MacNallys traded city life for country living a couple of years ago, in part because they wanted to find a place to raise both mammoth donkeys and mini donkeys.
That meant learning about donkey farming on the fly. They quickly found out the animals build close bonds with people.
Veterinarians even say they become depressed when they're by themselves. They can also be very protective — even the mini ones.
It's also believed that donkeys are smarter than most dogs. At the MacNallys farm, they've been known to open up doors on their own and let themselves out of the barn.
Cat rescued from Minnesota rest stop nearly 2 years ago now a model for Target
From homelessness and near death, to being a model for one of the biggest retailers in the world, this is the amazing story of Hercules the cat.
The story starts in June 2022 when bystanders called for help after spotting a car jammed with cats at a Chisago County rest stop. The temperature was 94 degrees. The sheriff's department and Animal Humane Society took 47 cats to vets and shelters.
But one — now named Hercules — escaped. Volunteers from Tuff Start Rescue found him a month later, lying motionless, near death, his fur drenched in urine.
He had a severe jaw fracture and a maggot infestation that was so bad that it had eroded through his cheek tissue.
Dr. Nicole Perreault at St Francis Vet Clinic in Isanti helped put Hercules back together again. He had multiple surgeries, including several on his jaw, which at one point was held together with surgical thread and blue buttons.
With his fractured jaw, Hercules' tongue hangs out a lot. An animal talent agency was looking for cats with unusual faces.
"I sent them a picture of Hercules and they wanted him for the photo shoot and then he did great," LeBrun said.
Hercules made $100 from his first modeling gig
At this western Minnesota ranch, a therapeutic horse riding program helps clients heal, gain confidence
Western Minnesota has no shortage of horse farms and even rodeo stars.
But at "Hands and Hooves" at Lee Mar Ranch, the animals are used for something perhaps even more important.
Each year, the Western Fest rodeo draws quite a crowd to the ranch. But when the calf roping is done, and the crowds have left the ranch takes on a different tone. One centered on hands, hooves and healing.
"Goosebumps. All the time, yeah. It's so fun, it's so rewarding," said Terry Irons, therapeutic riding coordinator.
People of all ages with physical, emotional, and mental challenges build strength and confidence while riding a horse.
It's estimated that Lee Mar Ranch helps 45 kids a year with horse therapy. But Pauling believes they actually help 45 families. Because it's not just the kids who improve. It's the families, too.
"Their smiles are what make us go," said Pauling. "Just seeing those kids smile says there's Kaitlyn up there on that horse smiling at me. Things like that do hit strong at the heart."
Goldy Gopher: The history and evolution of the iconic Minnesota mascot
It's pretty safe to say that Ross Bernstein bleeds maroon and gold. He also met his wife at the U in the late 80's, but that wasn't his only accomplishment.
After trying out but not making the Gopher hockey team, coach Doug Woog encouraged Bernstein to be Goldy.
"And I said, 'Great, I'll take it.' So, I became a large, smelly rodent," he said. "I was like too fat for the costume, so I wore my hockey uniform."
It was before T-shirt guns, big scoreboards and social media. Bernstein had the time of his life, learning to entertain at hockey games without making a sound — part of a universal mascot code.
But he also got into a little trouble, like when he threw cheese slices at Wisconsin players. The shenanigans inspired him to write his first of 50 best-selling books: "Gopher Hockey, by the Hockey Gopher." That's when he learned that Goldy was an oldie.
In Bernstein's basement is an evolution of Goldy. The gopher was skinny during the Rose Bowl days of the early 60's, and then he appeared to hit the weight room in the 80's. After legendary football coach Lou Holtz left, the gopher face went from slightly sinister to more family-friendly. That's pretty much what you see today.
Teen boy scout masterminds dog park in Montevideo
When a small town was looking for a dog park, a high school senior stepped up. Jaxon Wagner made an idea a reality in the town of Montevideo.
"We meet up here every day and they run around like they're crazy," said Mark Christianson.
When it comes to taking the dog for a walk, Mark suddenly has a new option. Instead of heading for the woods, he heads to Wag's Bark Park.
"I can take her out now and she doesn't get cockleburs on her, and mud and I don't get heck from the wife when I get home," said Christianson.
The "Bark Park" just opened but it's already become a destination. And everything you see is the brainchild of Wagner.
"It's been a goal since day one. I didn't think I'd ever make a project his big," said Wagner.
Wagner raised about $16,000 for most of what he needed for the project. That included 700 feet of fencing, which he also had to learn to install.
Wagner has about 40 merit badges, but he feels the bark park is where he unleashed his true talents.
New Twin Cities domestic violence shelter to allow pets
It's a first for the Twin Cities: a place dedicated to protecting Minnesotans from violence with a place for their pets, too. The space will be added on to its domestic violence shelter.
The nonprofit Tubman says more than half of domestic violence survivors delay leaving abusive relationships because they're afraid their pets won't be safe. Now, those pets will be able to come with them.
The shelter is expected to open early next year.
Minneapolis cat reunited with family after she was stolen from home
Erika Brask says her cat, Silverton, had momentarily wandered from her backyard to in front of her home. Security footage shows a silver SUV stop in front of her home before a passenger gets out and takes the cat. The car sits momentarily before driving away.
"I was of course, just shocked. She's a 20-year-old cat – we've had her in the family our whole life," Brask said. "When I think about not knowing what's going on with her as a 20-year-old cat, it just really makes me sick."
Brask says she filed a report with Minneapolis police – in addition, she's notified local shelters and vet clinics – hoping whoever took the cat thought it was a stray.
Silverton was reunited with her family on Aug 21. According to Erika Brask, she was found in Stevens Square Park by two men, who then started looking after her.
