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Firefighter adopts baby girl found in drop-off baby box

<p dir="ltr">When a US firefighter answered an alarm from within his own station, he could never have predicted the outcome. </p> <p dir="ltr">The man - who has chosen to remain anonymous - was working an overnight shift at his Florida station, Ocala Fire Rescue Station 1, when he was woken around 2am on January 2 by the noise.</p> <p dir="ltr">He recognised it straightaway as the alarm designed to notify first responders that a baby had been placed in their station’s Safe Haven Baby Box - a drop-off point specifically designed to allow someone to both safely and anonymously surrender a child.</p> <p dir="ltr">But as he confessed to <em>Today</em>, he “thought it was a false alarm” until he opened the box and discovered who was inside: a healthy baby girl swaddled in a pink blanket.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She had a little bottle with her and she was just chilling,” he said. “I picked her up and held her. We locked eyes, and that was it. I’ve loved her ever since that moment.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And he meant every word of it, with he and his wife going on to welcome her into their family, and to adopt her as their own. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to the firefighter, who is also a trained paramedic, he and his wife had been having trouble conceiving for more than a decade, and immediately he had started connecting the pieces. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, he hadn’t called his wife the second he found their future-daughter, hoping to avoid waking her, but that he’d known “she’d be on board” with his plan to take the baby to the hospital and ask about the likelihood of adopting her.</p> <p dir="ltr">He’d then gone through with that plan, writing a note to leave with the baby that “explained that my wife and I had been trying for 10 years to have a baby. I told them we’d completed all of our classes in the state of Florida and were registered to adopt.</p> <p dir="ltr">"All we needed was a child."</p> <p dir="ltr">It was then that he got in touch with his wife, filling her in on what had transpired that evening, and requesting that she not get too excited, as he himself was afraid the note might have been separated from the baby, and that “she’d be gone.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The days to follow were stressful for the hopeful couple, but just two days later on January 4, their dreams came true, and baby Zoey went home with her forever family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Three months later, they adopted her. </p> <p dir="ltr">The firefighter revealed that it was difficult not to become emotional when sharing their stories, and that he believed a higher power had been “helping us out” with the way she’d come into their lives. </p> <p dir="ltr">And as for why they’d chosen to share their story, he said it was in the hope that it would give young Zoey’s biological mother “some closure”, as they just wanted her to know that Zoey was “taken care of and that she’s loved beyond words.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: CBS News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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10 things you must know before adopting exotic pets

<p><strong>1. The world of exotic pets</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Exotic pets—birds, reptiles, small mammals, and even pigs—are among the most rehomed pets there are. (Rehomed means their original owners gave them up.)</p> <p>People think the ball python looks cool, or that the sugar glider is super cute, or that the teacup pig is adorable.</p> <p>But when the python outgrows its enclosure, or the sugar glider is difficult to feed, or the teacup pig is a lot bigger than a teacup, owners become overwhelmed and place them for adoption, or, abandon them entirely.</p> <p>When looking for a list of exotic pets, there are many things to consider besides how the animal looks.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>2. What you have to consider</strong></p> <p>‘Small mammals, reptiles and birds can make excellent additions to the family, but they are very different from dogs and cats,’ says Gabby Schrader, DVM.</p> <p>‘Before you bring your new pet home, be sure to research their specific husbandry needs.</p> <p>‘Food, supplements, temperature and humidity can make all the difference in your animal’s health.</p> <p>‘Some animals, like pocket pets only live a few years, but reptiles and birds can live over 50 years.’</p> <p>Schrader also notes the importance of knowing where your local exotic animal veterinarian is, as not all vets will treat them.</p> <p><strong>3. Housing</strong></p> <p>The first thing to consider when adopting an exotic pet is their housing.</p> <p>Reptiles need heat sources, birds need cages, but a cage sufficient for a cockatiel won’t work for a macaw.</p> <p>Pocket pets and other small mammals all have specific housing requirements as well. Do they climb? Burrow? Do they use a litter box like ferrets?</p> <p>All these questions should be answered before you bring your pet home so you have the perfect enclosure ready for them on arrival.</p> <p><strong>4. Veterinary care</strong></p> <p>This can’t be stated too strongly: Not all veterinarians care for all types of animals.</p> <p>Exotic animal vets are much less common than small animal (dog and cat) vets, and many small animal vets don’t have the equipment required to do extensive treatments on exotics.</p> <p>Ask your small animal vet for a recommendation or visit your local pet store and ask who they suggest.</p> <p>When deciding the best exotic pets for you, make sure you have access to a vet who treats them.</p> <p><strong>5. Behaviour and temperament</strong></p> <p>If you’re looking for a snuggly pet to cuddle up in your lap, a bearded dragon may not be the best choice.</p> <p>Likewise, if you spend 60 hours a week at work and are rarely home, a social animal like a parrot is not the pet for you. (In fact, you probably don’t have time in your life for any sort of pet.)</p> <p>Understanding your pet’s unique temperament, behavior, and enrichment needs is very important in ensuring a high quality of life.</p> <p><strong>6. Diet</strong></p> <p>Exotic pets can have exotic dietary needs.</p> <p>From pig chow to frozen pinkie mice, it’s important to meet your pet’s specific dietary needs and avoid medical problems caused by nutrient deficiencies.</p> <p>Understanding that your pet needs to eat mice or crickets means being willing to feed them mice or crickets.</p> <p>Or if your pet is a vegetarian, plan on doing a lot of chopping and slicing to provide them with fresh vegetables and/or fruit every day.</p> <p><strong>7. Legal questions</strong></p> <p>One big question to answer before adopting your exotic pet is if it’s even legal in your state or town.</p> <p>Many states ban exotic animals that could damage the ecosystem if released or if they are able to breed with native species.</p> <p>Bringing home a pet and bonding with it, then having your pet confiscated, can be both traumatic and costly.</p> <p><strong>8. Size and lifespan</strong></p> <p>The average adult size of your pet and its lifespan are other important considerations when deciding whether to adopt an exotic pet or not.</p> <p>A tortoise adopted when you’re a child can not only outlive you, but, depending on breed, can grow to several hundred pounds.</p> <p>Many species of reptile and bird can live over 50 years, so arrangements must be made for care in the event of your death.</p> <p>Owners of long-lived pets frequently add clauses in their will to provide for their pets.</p> <p><strong>9. Disease</strong></p> <p>People with weak immune systems should also be wary of adopting exotic pets, as some, like reptiles, carry salmonella in their gut.</p> <p>Proper handwashing is of paramount importance, as is keeping the animal’s enclosure clean.</p> <p>If children or older adults will be handling the pet, extreme care should be taken to ensure proper hygiene.</p> <p><strong>10. Other pets</strong></p> <p>One other important consideration is the presence of other pets in the home.</p> <p>A home with indoor cats may not be the right place for a sugar glider for instance.</p> <p>Ensuring that old pets are compatible with new pets is one of the most important factors in adopting an exotic pet.</p> <p>Countless exotics are rehomed or abandoned every year because of problems with other pets.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/pets/10-things-you-must-know-adopting-exotic-pets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“An incredible moment”: Sisters share how they found each after 17-year search

<p dir="ltr">Two sisters who were separated after they were given up for adoption have opened up about their emotional reunion more than 25 years later and the 17-year search they went through to find each other.</p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda and Ashleigh were born in the Dominican Republic and given up for adoption when they were just two and six weeks respectively.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though Laurinda knew she had a younger sister, Ashleigh wasn’t as sure but knew that her mother had given birth to her at a young age and assumed she had more siblings she hadn’t met yet.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing on the podcast, <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/family-friends/i-think-youre-my-sister-siblings-find-each-other-after-25year-separation/news-story/a02923ba902801a135f5ab4cc919c41d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I’ve Got News For You</a></em>, Ashleigh recalled how she finally had success in her quest to find blood relatives where online photo books and adoption websites turned up nothing when she came across the genealogy website MyHeritage.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was doing my adopted family tree and I noticed that [MyHeritage] were doing a pro bono program called DNA Quest and they basically were sending out about 15 to 20,000 free DNA kits to help adoptees reconnect with their family members that they were looking for,” she told podcast host Andrew Bucklow.</p> <p dir="ltr">After submitting her story to the platform in return for a free MyHeritage DNA kit, Ashleigh found a genetic match: Laurinda. </p> <p dir="ltr">She then reached out to her mystery match via email.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hi, my name is Ashleigh, I got a match from you on MyHeritage and according to it, you may be my aunt or my sister. I was adopted at the age of six weeks old from the Dominican Republic. This is my mother’s name. Could you please get back to me with any information and I look forward to hearing from you,” her email read.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-da64c428-7fff-ee45-d465-0882c058b6db"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda, who was living six hours away from her sister, received the life-changing email notification while on her lunch break.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/laurinda-ashleigh1.jpg" alt="Ashleigh (left) and Laurinda (right) with their adoptive parents. Images: MyHeritage" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Ashleigh (left) and Laurinda (right) with their adoptive parents. Images: MyHeritage</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Having spent 17 years looking for Ashleigh, Laurinda had “fallen off the wagon” in recent years.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I replied [to the email] right away, I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, you know, I think you’re my sister.’ It was an absolutely unbelievable thing. You know, I ran into work yelling, ‘my sister, my sister’, and it was an incredible moment,” Laurinda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair then spoke over the phone before meeting for the first time two weeks later.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was wild. We were planning on recording it but … [as] we pulled up to the driveway, Ashleigh must have sprinted down from the apartment,” Laurinda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Before I knew it, she was pulling the door open and, you know, we just embraced each other hugging and crying. It was just the most surreal, beautiful thing that I could have ever hoped for.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ashleigh added: “I just bolted out of my building … I just ran out there and gave her the biggest hug and we just stood there for like 10 minutes [but] it seemed like forever.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The sisters discovered that they also have three brothers, including one who died before either could meet him, as well as a grandmother, another sister, and a half-brother.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though their biological mum died six months before the sisters’ reunion, Laurinda was fortunate enough to have met her and shared the photos they took together with Ashleigh.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You know, I kind of get to live vicariously through [Laurinda] and she said [mum] always told her that she would give up her life to find me and you know, we think she probably did,” Ashleigh said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda also introduced her sister to their biological dad virtually, but he passed away before Ashleigh could meet him in person.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now feeling as if they have “known each other” forever, Ashleigh said the goal for the two sisters is to reunite the rest of their siblings.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t had a chance to go and meet the rest of [the family] yet … but hopefully, hopefully, someday soon, we’ll get that cash together, and we’ll be able to go down and meet everybody and have everyone together again,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda also shared that she had found out that her adoptive parents had the opportunity to also adopt Ashleigh but chose not to. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Since they had already adopted me, they kind of had first pick to be able to adopt [Ashleigh] since we were full siblings,” Laurinda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But at the time I was two years old, I’m sure very much of a handful, so unfortunately my parents didn’t take up that opportunity to be able to adopt her as well.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She said she was “a little bit upset” when she found that out from her parents at 15, but admitted it motivated her to find her sister.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s absolutely no resentment in any way, you know, everything happens for a reason,” Laurinda said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re just honestly blessed to be able to have this opportunity to connect with each other and find each other after all these years.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-03a090d0-7fff-11a2-2403-f2f4fa0c5a6a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Supplied</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Woman who was adopted as a baby finds out she is a real life princess

<p dir="ltr">A woman who was adopted has grown up to find out she is in fact part of a royal family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Princess Sarah Culberson, now 46, was adopted by James and Judy Culberson from West Virginia, who had no idea their daughter was royal. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was no secret to Princess Sarah that she was adopted but she just wanted to know more about her heritage. </p> <p dir="ltr">She eventually tracked down her mother who had unfortunately died a few years prior but this did not stop her curiosity. </p> <p dir="ltr">At the age of 28, Sarah hired a private investigator to find her biological father who found an address in Maryland. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah wrote a letter and sent it to the address and received a call from her uncle instead who asked if she knew who she was.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Oh Sarah! We are so happy you have been found. Do you know who you are?" she recalled in an interview with UNILAD.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm Sarah,” she said in response. </p> <p><iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Funiladmag%2Fvideos%2F537159117421173%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=476&amp;t=0" width="476" height="476" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">"He says, 'You are part of a royal family. Your great-grandfather was a paramount chief, your grandfather was knighted Justice of the Peace by the Queen of England.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You can be chief someday. You are a princess in this country."Sarah could not believe her ears as her uncle explained that her dad was Joseph Konia Kposowa, a chief in Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa.</p> <p dir="ltr">He then got in contact with her father who called her up two weeks later asking for forgiveness to which she said was unnecessary as her adopted parents gave her a wonderful upbringing. </p> <p dir="ltr">Eventually, Sarah travelled to Sierra Leone where she was welcomed for the Princess that she was. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It was beautiful to be welcomed and loved. It was so spectacular,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Princess Sarah then explained that this unexpected turn of events has given her “purpose” and that she can do a lot to help her community. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Kate Beckinsale adopts "little orphan bestie"

<p>Kate Beckinsale has taken "foxy" to a whole new level thanks to the new furry friends she’s made.</p> <p>Beckinsale seems to be learning quite a bit from her new fox friend.</p> <p>Over the last few weeks, the famed actress has been updating her followers with sweet videos of her feeding and petting a wild fox that arrived in her parents' garden one day.</p> <p>Four weeks ago she captioned a collection of photos of the fox: "My parents have a new friend - a foxy cub that wants to hang out . I'm so jealous I've had to break out Clive's summer dungarees."</p> <p>Now Beckinsale and the fox seem inseparable, with him being the only thing she's sharing on socials.</p> <p>She seemed particularly grateful to have made the new friend, and shared quite a personal caption.</p> <p>"I've been so touched during a really hard week by the absolute force that is kindness and friendship," she wrote.</p> <p>"Please, everyone, put kindness somewhere, anywhere. It's life-altering. Thank you so much to all my special people. And my little orphan bestie," she added, referring to the fox.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CgNfby4qHV_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CgNfby4qHV_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kate Beckinsale (@katebeckinsale)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

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After Roe v Wade, here’s how women could adopt ‘spycraft’ to avoid tracking and prosecution

<p>The art of concealing or misrepresenting one’s identity in the physical world has long been practised by spies engaged in espionage. In response, intelligence agencies designed techniques and technologies to identify people attempting to hide behind aliases.</p> <p>Now, following the US Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v Wade, women in the United States seeking assistance with unwanted pregnancies have joined the ranks of spies.</p> <p>The ruling has resulted in several trigger laws coming into effect in conservative states to outlaw abortions in those states. These laws, coupled with groups targeting women’s reproductive rights protests, have raised fear among women of all ages about their data being used against them.</p> <p>Thousands have engaged with online posts calling on women to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/28/why-us-woman-are-deleting-their-period-tracking-apps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delete their period tracking apps</a>, on the premise that data fed to these apps could be used to prosecute them in states where abortion is illegal. At the same time, abortion clinics in New Mexico (where abortion remains legal) are <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/new-mexico-shields-abortion-providers-ahead-expected-patient-surge-2022-06-27/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> bracing for an influx of women from US states.</p> <p>As someone who has served as a special agent for the United States Army and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and as a Senior Intelligence Officer with the US Defense Intelligence Agency, I can tell you deleting period tracking apps may not be enough for vulnerable women now.</p> <p>But there are some tools women can use to conceal their identities, should this be necessary – the same tools once reserved for professional spies.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Menstrual tracking app Stardust is one of Apple’s top three most-downloaded free apps right now. It’s also one of few apps that has said it will voluntarily—without being legally required to—comply with law enforcement if it’s asked to share user data. <a href="https://t.co/sJ17VAiLvp">https://t.co/sJ17VAiLvp</a></p> <p>— Motherboard (@motherboard) <a href="https://twitter.com/motherboard/status/1541456351414583297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>The privacy myth</strong></p> <p>Apart from espionage, the emergence of the internet created a new impetus for widespread data collection by data aggregators and marketers. The modern surveillance economy grew out of a desire to target products and services to us as effectively as possible.</p> <p>Today, massive swathes of personal information are extracted from users, 24/7 – making it increasingly difficult to remain unmasked.</p> <p>Data aggregation is used to assess our purchasing habits, track our movements, find our favourite locations and obtain detailed demographic information about us, our families, our co-workers and friends.</p> <p>Recent events have demonstrated how tenuous our privacy is. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/22/20926585/hong-kong-china-protest-mask-umbrella-anonymous-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protests in Hong Kong</a> have seen Chinese authorities use cameras to identify and arrest protesters, while police in the US deployed various technologies to identify <a href="https://theconversation.com/police-surveillance-of-black-lives-matter-shows-the-danger-technology-poses-to-democracy-142194" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Lives Matter</a> protesters.</p> <p>Articles appeared in Australian <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/06/29/protests-police-government-surveillance-how-to-avoid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">media outlets</a> with advice on how to avoid being surveilled. And people were directed to websites, such as the <a href="https://www.eff.org/wp/behind-the-one-way-mirror" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a>, dedicated to informing readers about how to avoid surveillance and personal data collection.</p> <p>What we’ve learned from both spy history and more recent events is that data collection is not always overt and obvious; it’s often unseen and opaque. Surveillance may come in the form of <a href="https://theconversation.com/surveillance-cameras-will-soon-be-unrecognisable-time-for-an-urgent-public-conversation-118931" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cameras</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-hide-from-a-drone-the-subtle-art-of-ghosting-in-the-age-of-surveillance-143078" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drones</a>, automated number plate readers (<a href="https://theconversation.com/number-plate-recognition-the-technology-behind-the-rhetoric-17572" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ANPR/ALPR</a>), <a href="https://www.q-free.com/reference/australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toll payment devices</a>, <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/publication/acoustic-surveillance-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acoustic collectors</a> and of course any internet-connected <a href="https://theconversation.com/smartphone-data-tracking-is-more-than-creepy-heres-why-you-should-be-worried-91110" target="_blank" rel="noopener">device</a>.</p> <p>In some cases when your fellow protesters upload images or videos, crowd-sourced intelligence becomes your enemy.</p> <p><strong>Data deleted, not destroyed</strong></p> <p>Recently, a lot of the focus has been on phones and apps. But deleting mobile apps will not prevent the identification of an individual, nor will turning off location services.</p> <p>Law enforcement and even commercial companies have the ability to access or track certain metrics including:</p> <ul> <li>international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), which is related to a user’s mobile number and connected to their SIM card</li> <li>international mobile equipment identity (IMEI), which is directly related to their device itself.</li> </ul> <p>Ad servers may also exploit device locations. Private companies can create advertisements targeting devices that are specific to a location, such as a women’s health clinic. And such “geofenced” ad servers can identify a user’s location regardless of whether their location settings are disabled.</p> <p>Further, anonymised phone track data (like call signals pinging off nearby towers) can be purchased from telecommunications providers and de-anonymised.</p> <p>Law enforcement can use this data to trace paths from, say, a fertility clinic to a person’s home or “bed down” location (the spy term for someone’s residence).</p> <p>The bottom line is your phone is a marker for you. A temporary cell phone with an overseas SIM card has been the choice for some people wishing to avoid such tracking.</p> <p>Adding to that, we recently saw headlines about <a href="https://theconversation.com/bunnings-kmart-and-the-good-guys-say-they-use-facial-recognition-for-loss-prevention-an-expert-explains-what-it-might-mean-for-you-185126" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facial recognition technology</a> being used in Australian retail stores – and America is no different. For anyone trying to evade detection, it’s better to swap bank cards for cash, stored-value cards or gift cards when making purchases.</p> <p>And using public transport paid with cash or a ride-share service provides better anonymity than using a personal vehicle, or even a rental.</p> <p>In the spy world, paying attention to one’s dress is critical. Spies change up their appearance, using what they call “polish”, with the help of reversible clothing, hats, different styles of glasses, scarves and even masks (which are ideally not conspicuous these days). In extreme cases, they may even use “appliances” to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-cias-former-chief-of-disguise-drops-her-mask-11576168327" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alter their facial characteristics</a>.</p> <p>Then again, while these measures help in the physical world, they do little to stop online detection.</p> <p><strong>Digital stealth</strong></p> <p>Online, the use of a virtual private network (<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-a-virtual-private-network-vpn-12741" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VPN</a>) and/or the onion browser, <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-dark-web-46070" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tor</a>, will help improve anonymity, including from internet service providers.</p> <p>Online you can create and use multiple personas, each with a different email address and “personal data” linked to it. Aliases can be further coupled with software that removes cookies and browser history, which will help conceal one’s online identity.</p> <p>One example is <a href="https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CCleaner</a>. This program removes privacy-violating cookies and internet history from your device, while improving your device’s privacy.</p> <p>There are also plenty of online applications that allow the use of <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-be-phish-food-tips-to-avoid-sharing-your-personal-information-online-138613" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporary email addresses</a> and phone numbers, and even temporary accommodation addresses for package deliveries.</p> <p>To some, these may seem like extreme privacy measures. However, given the widespread collection of identity data by commercial companies and governments – and the resultant collaboration between the two – there’s reason to be concerned for anyone wanting to fly under the radar.</p> <p>And for women seeking abortions in the US, these measures may be necessary to avoid prosecution.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not to be that guy but it seems like it really should be bigger news that the national guard is now helping crack down on abortion protests <a href="https://t.co/DGh83in0Cm">https://t.co/DGh83in0Cm</a></p> <p>— Read Wobblies and Zapatistas (@JoshuaPotash) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1541527897273409536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dennis-b-desmond-1252874" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dennis B Desmond</a>, Lecturer, Cyberintelligence and Cybercrime Investigations, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of the Sunshine Coast</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-roe-v-wade-heres-how-women-could-adopt-spycraft-to-avoid-tracking-and-prosecution-186046" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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John Travolta's son adopts puppy from the Oscars ceremony

<p>Mac n Cheese, the adorable rescue pup who stole hearts worldwide during an Oscars tribute segment for actress Betty White, has been rescued by none other than John Travolta’s son, Ben.</p> <p>The adorable little man was cradled by actress Jamie Lee Curtis in the 'In Memoriam' segment on Monday's ceremony when she spoke lovingly about the late Golden Girl star's love for animals.</p> <p>In her speech, Curtis said White's fans can honour her legacy by adopting a rescue dog like Mac N Cheese.</p> <p>Curtis didn't have to tell the Travolta family twice, as their home was already open to the little pooch, who they rescued from Paw Works: a nonprofit rescue organisation in Thousand Oaks, California.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqosEVpIGj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqosEVpIGj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Ben adopted this dog from last night's Oscar tribute to Betty White. Thank you @curtisleejamie &amp; @pawworks," the actor captioned a happy snap of 11-year-old Ben cuddling their new family member.</p> <p>Travolta and Curtis are long time friends.They starred alongside each other in the 1984 romantic comedy Perfect, and on Monday they reconnected backstage.</p> <p>"A MAGICAL ending to the story from last night," Curtis posted on Instagram as she shared Travolta's photo. "At the Oscars I reconnected with my friend, John Travolta. @johntravolta We starred together in the movie PERFECT back in 1984. I had already left the Dolby theater last night after honoring Betty White and was on my way home when someone texted me a photo of John holding little mac &amp; cheese in the green room before his presentation of the best actor Oscar."</p> <p>"I thought it was so beautiful to see him with her and then today I found out that he and his son, Ben have adopted beautiful little mac &amp; cheese and are taking her home today," Curtis concluded. "It is an emotional end and a perfect tribute to Betty White."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Groom moved to tears by step-daughter's emotional declaration

<p>A 12-year-old girl has found a way to make her mother's wedding all the more special. </p> <p>Just moments before her mother, Tia, was set to marry her soon-to-be husband Frank, 12-year-old Aryanna stepped onto the altar for a touching declaration. </p> <p>While all the guests knew what Aryanna had in store, the groom was the only one who was in the dark about what the girl was planning. </p> <p>When handing him an envelope, Aryanna said, “I’ve waited 2,555 days for this moment. Frank, will you be my dad?”</p> <p>Tyson teared up after hearing the question, immediately saying yes before embracing Aryanna into a hug.</p> <p>The significance of the 2,555 days is because that's the length of time Aryanna felt Tyson was already her father, having spent that number of days with her mum, Tia. </p> <p>In a video that was shared after the nuptials, the officiant of the ceremony said, “It was always a joke that Aryanna was going to get Frank’s last name before Tia.”</p> <p>Tyson also shared his feelings on the moment in a confessional style video after the wedding, explaining, “When she came up to the altar, I thought I knew what was about to happen and then as she started talking obviously I knew.”</p> <p>“It was an amazing feeling. When she started reading her note and it all clicked, I just pretty much became speechless,” Tyson said, before reflecting on what the future holds.</p> <p>“The most I’m looking forward to is just her being her. Her being the social butterfly and becoming into a woman and who she is and just being herself: a strong, independent woman, is what I love most and just being a successful person.”</p> <p>Tia, Frank and Aryanna are now waiting on a court date to make their new family official. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VLqObqwVNPg" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em>Image credits: NBC</em></p>

Relationships

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Court 'approves' young boy's appeal to adopt teddies

<p dir="ltr">The Family Court of Western Australia has granted a seven-year-old boy approval to adopt several teddy bears, in a gesture described as “humanity at its best”.</p> <p dir="ltr">After writing a letter to the court, the young boy received a sweet yet official-looking response, complete with a reference to the fictitious International Teddy Act of 1908 and a description of the adoptees as “a hug of teddy’s”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the matter of Mr Denham, Baby Denham, Brown Bear, Bamboo, Special Teddy Jnr and Tiny,” the unofficial court order <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/good-news/family-court-gives-sevenyearold-boy-approval-to-adopt-teddies-in-heartwarming-letter-exchange/news-story/acbf28abee7da98ed1c794731b61b71c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Before a Teddy in Chambers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Application having being [sic] made under the International Teddy Act 1908 for an adoption order in relation to a hug of teddy’s known as Mr Denham, Baby Denham, Brown Bear, Bamboo, Special Teddy Jnr and Tiny who reside in … Western Australia.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5f5054de-7fff-d49d-536f-2198a04ea272"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“It is ordered that the said Mr Denham, Baby Denham, Brown Bear, Bamboo, Special Teddy Jnr and Tiny be adopted by (the boy) to be treated lovingly as child and teddies.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/court-teddy-adoption.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Family Court’s order was shared on social media. Image: Twitter</em></p> <p dir="ltr">A photo of the court order was shared on social media by the boy’s uncle, Dr Stephen Bright, prompting dozens of responses.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not sure how many similar requests they get, but this seemed to go above and beyond. Thank you,” he wrote on the since-deleted post.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many shared how the story brought a “tear to the eye”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That is absolutely adorable, your nephew must be so happy! Such a beautiful, yet simple gesture, definitely put a smile on my face and a tear to the eye,” one person shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a follow-up post, Dr Bright <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/stephenjbright/status/1495448183614283778" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>: “I don’t usually post personal stuff on Twitter, though I’m glad I did share this as it seems to have touched so many people. It’s nice to be able to pay it forward.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Some dubbed the gesture as an example of “humanity at its best”, while others shared their well wishes for the boy and his teddies.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s lovely. These warm and kind actions show humanity at its best. We need this in our lives,” one person wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sometimes it’s good to start my day with a happy cry. Thank you for sharing,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This reminds me to have faith in humanity, both in adults and the next generation. My best to your nephew, his teddies and family.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9734c2ee-7fff-03b7-c31e-38f825ebb98e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Home and Away star adopts daughter's best friend

<p>Former<em> Home and Away</em> heartthrob Mat Stevenson has “adopted” his transgender daughter Grace Hyland’s best friend, Belle Bambi, after she alleges her own father disowned her.</p> <p>Taking to social media app TikTok, Belle revealed Stevenson had taken her into his family.</p> <p>Grace shared her own clip too, applauding her father for being so accepting and understanding.</p> <p>“He’s always supported me, and he wants to support Bambi, too,” Grace said.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842981/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/92784897942645b188e459516c72c736" /></p> <p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p> <p>“We’re sisters now! My BFF’s dad left because she’s trans. So, we did this!”</p> <p>The adoption may not be legally binding, but it means just as much to Belle who has been a long-time family friend of Stevenson and Hyland.</p> <p>Grace’s dad has been a supporter of her transition since she decided to transition at the age of 12.</p> <p>Stevenson rose to fame while playing the Aussie heartthrob Adam Cameron, in<span> </span><em>Home And Away</em><em>.</em></p> <p><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842980/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0dfd88d0c5cf42069cfb90652f5a5329" /></em></p> <p><em>Image: Home and Away archives</em></p> <p>He told <em>The Sunday Project<span> </span></em>earlier this year that the suicide rate among transgender teenagers left him with a strong determination to make sure his daughter didn’t “become one of those statistics”.</p> <p>“Sadly, in this country, we have a really high adolescent suicide rate and it’s a tragedy. Trans-adolescents are 36 times more likely to self-harm, to commit suicide,” he said.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842977/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ba261e2c6f3248f6979c7c1cbf5cdb27" /></p> <p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p> <p>“There’s a distinct correlation between lack of support and self-harm.”</p> <p>Grace says she has been on her journey since she was 12, and had consulted doctors, psychologists and experts before she underwent any physical changes.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842976/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f0ae618f8c234d4ba176ca3ea91e416b" /></p> <p><em>Image: The Sunday Project</em></p> <p>“I came out at 12 and then I went through a gradual transition until I was 14, to grow my hair out, to get my name change sorted, to sort out my blockers,” she revealed.</p> <p>“And then by the time I was 14, I was fully presenting as Grace to the public and at school.”</p>

Family & Pets

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Deborra-Lee Furness opens up about parenting with Hugh Jackman

<p><span>Deborra-Lee Furness and husband Hugh Jackman have long been advocates for adoption, but have largely kept their two children away from the spotlight.</span><br /><br /><span>We often don't hear from the 64-year-old about her own two kids, 20-year-old Oscar and 15-year-old Ava, whom she adopted with Hugh.</span><br /><br /><span>In a rare interview with People, Deborra has spoken about parenting their two kids and maintaining a dynamic that explores their diversity.</span><br /><br /><span>"It's so interesting being a parent, and they've both made me smarter than I think I ever could have been on my own," Deborra revealed.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838963/hugh-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/03bfbd9cfd1d43f2af9f0c55d46c7355" /><br /><br /><span>"But when you're a parent, you can't lie to them or yourself. They will shine a light on every one of your flaws, your Achilles heel, whatever. You've got to look at yourself."</span><br /><br /><span>Oscar has Bosnian heritage and Ava has Mexican lineage, so Deborra says she has taken a special interest in "epigenetics" - the study of how your behaviours and environment can impact the way your genes work.</span><br /><br /><span>"What I'm very interested in is epigenetics, and it's even more so when you have adopted children because I'm coming from my lineage of my mother, how she parented me, how her mother parented her, and I'm translating that to my children."</span><br /><br /><span>"But my children also have a separate lineage. So it's almost like we have more players at the table."</span><br /><br /><span>The mother-of-two says she has made a conscious effort to open both Oscar and Ava up to their cultural traits.</span><br /><br /><span>"When my son was younger, he found out he was part Bosnian, so we went and got this Croatian/Bosnian cookbook and he was very proud to carry that around when he was 7 years old."</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838964/hugh.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4bdf004262284206813b3a5470ec7a15" /><br /><br /><span>"My daughter has a Mexican lineage, so we've been to Mexico."</span><br /><br /><span>She then went on to say: "We completely embrace the ancestors and the extended family; they're family to us. And it's in there, even though it's generational. It may be subtle, but it's in there."</span><br /><br /><span>In a recent interview with the Herald Sun, Hugh spoke of his unwavering love for his children.</span><br /><br /><span>"I don't think of them as adopted – they're our children. We feel things happened the way they are meant to. Obviously, biologically wasn't the way we were meant to have children."</span><br /><br /><span>"Now, as we go through life together, sure there are challenges, but everyone's in the right place with the right people. It sounds airy-fairy, but it's something we feel very deeply."</span></p>

Family & Pets

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Adopting or buying a dog? Pros and cons

<p>If you’re planning on adding a fluff to your family, congratulations! Every family should have a dog, and every dog should have a family. You have a lot of love and pup-cuddles ahead of you! </p> <p>If you’re unsure of whether to adopt or buy, there are pros and cons of each. Either way, you’ll be offering a pup a loving home! But there are some unique points to consider with each, so have a read before you choose. </p> <p><strong>Adopt </strong></p> <p>There are thousands of rescue dogs waiting for new moms and dads to give them a loving home. Many of these pups have experienced some trauma that landed them where they are right now - looking for someone to care for them. </p> <p>Choosing a rescue dog could, quite literally, be saving a life! </p> <p><strong>Pros </strong></p> <ul> <li>It’s more affordable than buying. </li> <li>If you’re looking for a particular breed, you’ll most likely find it. </li> <li>The pup you choose may already be neutered or spayed. </li> <li>The shelter will most likely vaccinate your pup. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Cons </strong></p> <ul> <li>You won’t have any idea of existing medical conditions. </li> <li>There may be underlying behavioural conditions that you won’t be aware of (due to their previous life or trauma). </li> </ul> <p><strong>Where? </strong></p> <p>If you’d like to adopt, check out your local city council or one of these organisations: </p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.spca.nz/adopt">SPCA NZ</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://savinghope.co.nz/get-involved/adopt-a-dog/">Saving Hope Foundation</a>. </li> <li><a href="http://www.petrescue.org.nz/">Pet Rescue</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://huha.org.nz/portfolio_category/dogs-for-adoption/">HUHA</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://www.trademe.co.nz/pets-animals/dogs/dogs-to-adopt">TradeMe Adopt A Dog</a>. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Buy </strong></p> <p>Buying instead of adopting is not a bad thing, despite the connotations. You’re still giving a dog a good home, although the pooch may be less in need than a rescue. </p> <p>If you choose to buy, ensure you’re buying from a reputable, verified breeder. <a href="https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/currently-currently/puppy-farming-new-zealands-secret-dog-breeding-shame">Puppy mills</a> have a reputation for producing badly-bred, unhealthy dogs and keeping them in terrible conditions. Although those puppies need homes too, puppy mills should not be supported. </p> <p><strong>Pros </strong></p> <ul> <li>If you buy from a breeder, your pup should have papers proving they’re a purebred. </li> <li>Using these papers, you can trace your dog’s lineage. </li> <li>This way, you’ll have an idea of possible medical conditions to watch out for. </li> <li>Vaccinations should be up to date when buying.  </li> </ul> <p><strong>Cons </strong></p> <ul> <li>Buying can be much more expensive than adopting. </li> <li>Not all breeders are decent! Check carefully before choosing. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Where? </strong></p> <p>If you’d like to buy, check out these organisations to find the right breeder: </p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.dogsnz.org.nz/dogs/breeders">Dogs New Zealand</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://www.dogzonline.co.nz/breeds/dog-breeders.asp">Dogs Online</a>. </li> </ul> <p><strong>What you’ll need to welcome your pup home </strong></p> <p>Whichever you choose to do, here’s what your new fluff should come home to: </p> <ul> <li>A high-quality, <a href="https://www.dogembassy.com/potato-free-dog-food/">healthy dog food</a>. </li> <li>Comfy bedding and his own blanket. </li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dogembassy.com/best-indestructible-chew-toys-for-pit-bulls/" target="_blank">A variety of toys like indestructible chew toys. </a></li> <li>Dog treats. </li> <li>Pet insurance. </li> </ul> <p><a href="https://www.dogembassy.com/adopt-a-dog/">Adopting a dog</a> is one of the best things you can do. Not only do you gain a grateful, loving fluffy companion, but you also save a life and give love to something so deserving! Whether you are a <a href="https://whatutalkingboutwillis.com/advice-for-first-time-dog-owners/">first time dog parent</a> or just wanted an addition to your furry families, adopting is considerable wonderful. </p> <p>Buying a dog is not the bad thing it’s made out to be. As long as you choose an ethical breeder, you’ll still be giving a healthy dog a loving home. </p> <p>Either way, welcome to being a pet parent. Enjoy the ride, the licks, and the love! </p> <p><em>This article was written by Mike Powell. </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Mummy blogger who "rehomed" adopted autistic son speaks out after backlash

<p><span>The mummy blogger who “rehomed” her adopted son has been dumped by multiple brand deals after receiving huge backlash for the decision.</span></p> <p><span>Myka Stauffer was heavily criticised after revealing she and husband James had given up their son Huxley, four.</span></p> <p><span>The couple said the decision came after discovering he had “medical needs” that they weren’t aware of when they adopted him from China in 2017.</span></p> <p><span>Soon after justifying their decision, Stauffer defended their decision, saying her former son – who has autism and is non-verbal – “wanted” a new home and hinted at problems between him and their four other kids. </span></p> <p><span>Now, many brands have chosen to drop Stauffer.</span></p> <p><span>Stauffer who has a following of 162,000 on Instagram and 700,000 on YouTube, had formed partnerships with big-name companies like Big Lots, TJ Maxx and Danimals yoghurt.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4S4hBJgwI_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4S4hBJgwI_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">My favorite Starbucks barista 🧜🏻‍♀️☕️ You hold such a special place in my heart sweet boy! 💚#happyhalloween #halloween2019 #halloweencostume</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/mykastauffer/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Myka Stauffer</a> (@mykastauffer) on Oct 31, 2019 at 12:54pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>But according to </span><em>People</em><span>, many have dumped the mummy blogger over the incident.</span></p> <p><span>Stauffer hit a second wave of backlash when she responded to a critic in the comments section of her video titled “an update on our family”.</span></p> <p><span>“We would never just give up a child with special needs, this is a personal matter to Hux. It had nothing to do with he just had Autism,” Stauffer wrote, defending the backlash.</span></p> <p><span>“Multiple scary things happened inside the home towards our other children, and if these events happened with one of my biological kids, after all the help and after the behaviours we witnessed sadly we would have no other choice then to seek help and get their needs met.”</span></p> <p><span>She goes on to say Huxley “wanted this decision 100%” explaining she “saw” it when he was with his new “family” as the child was not able to communicate with speech.</span></p> <p><span>“He constantly chose them and signed and showed tons of emotion to show us and let us know he wanted this,” she said.</span></p> <p><span>However, not many were convinced, branding the defence as “disgusting”.</span></p> <p><span>“Oh yes. Non-verbal Huxley told you I don’t want to live with you guys no more send me to these strangers so that I can be traumatised even more in my little life,” one wrote.</span></p> <p><span>“It’s so disgusting. Why adopt a child you knew was going to have problems just to toss them away?” another said.</span></p> <p><span>“OMG she’s so delusional,” one scoffed.</span></p> <p><span>While one said: “Obviously having a child with disabilities is incredibly challenging and can certainly present difficulties with other children but to say that this kid is some kind of sinister, dangerous figure is so irresponsible.”</span></p> <p><span>Some of Stauffer’s subscribers accused her of using Huxley solely to gain a bigger following and earn more money on her YouTube channel.</span></p> <p><span>Some declared the decision “awful” for both Huxley and the pair’s four other children: Kova, Jaka, Radley and Onyx.</span></p> <p><span>“@MykaStauffer adopted an autistic child from China and after years of having him, she gave him up for adoption because he had ‘bad behaviour’ after using him for $$$ on her YouTube channel,” wrote one user.</span></p> <p><span>“What Myka Stauffer and her husband did is awful. You don’t just give a child back … “ one tweeted.</span></p> <p><span>“She adopted a child for views and then got rid of him and treated him like a brand deal,” another said.</span></p> <p><span>There are even calls to have the family’s sponsors pulled, with angry internet justice seekers calling to #cancelstauffers.</span></p> <p><span>In the video where the Stauffer’s talk about “rehoming” Huxley, the pair said the child had autism and brain damage.</span></p> <p><span>“Numerous medical professionals have felt that he needed a different fit. He needed more,” Stauffer says while fighting back tears in the video filmed in the couple’s bed.</span></p> <p><span>She added that an adoption agency had helped place Huxley with his “forever family.”</span></p> <p><span>“He’s thriving, he’s doing really well, and his new mummy has medical, professional training,” she added.</span></p>

Caring

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Meghan Markle adopts new styling trick from Kate during her final appearances

<p>The Duchess of Sussex has adopted a styling trick used by Kate Middleton on royal tours by wearing the national colours of the British Flag during her final official appearances.</p> <p>Markle has paid her respects to the country as she has stepped out in red, white and blue outfits over the last few days.</p> <p>After wearing a turquoise Victoria Beckham dress for her first appearance in the UK, Markle has since opted for chic white and cream pieces while visiting patronages and stood out in a bold red gown for the Mountbatten Festival of Music.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7835015/body-meghan.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fabb348eaf894e1b92dbb507d72424ef" /></p> <p>Many royal fans believe she is following the lead of the Duchess of Cambridge after opting for a series of green outfits and shamrock charm jewellery after her royal tour in Ireland.</p> <p>She also adopted a similar tactic ahead of the Cambridges’ royal tour Pakistan and wore their national colours while visiting the Aga Khan Centre in London.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7835017/kate-green.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/deeb92d6b61647108faafb2b9b3d61d0" /></p> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>The appearances over the last week have marked the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ first official trip to the UK. The couple have a number of appearances scheduled which will finish tomorrow as they join the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Commonwealth Day service in London.</p> <p>Their royal roles officially come to an end on March 31st.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Beauty & Style

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A teacher’s beautiful decision for 14-year-old student with down syndrome

<p>A teacher has made a beautiful gesture for a 14-year-old boy with down syndrome.</p> <p>Kerry Bremer, 52, first met Jake Manning when he was just 14 years old, along with his mother Jean four years ago after the family moved to Massachusetts from Florida, US.</p> <p>Sadly Jean had breast cancer and worried about the fate of her only son.</p> <p>“He’s just so lovable,” Bremer told<span> </span><em>Boston 25 News</em><span> </span>about the student.</p> <p>“He loves everyone, and he’s so smart and funny. He is very funny.”</p> <p>Bremer was Jake's teacher at CASE Collaborative School in Concord, Massachusetts when he and his family just moved to the state.</p> <p>After Jean expressed worry about what would happen to him if she were to pass away, which resulted in Kerry offering up to adopt sweet Jake who she admitted she “fell in love with” instantly.</p> <p>“I called his mom and I said, ‘I might be overstepping here, I’m really sorry if I am but just in case, if you need to have some backup for Jake my family would be willing to be his guardians,’ and she said, ‘I’m going to sleep better tonight than I have in a very long time,’” Bremer explained. </p> <p>“I knew he would a need a home and there was no way I wouldn't open ours to him.”</p> <p>Kerry and her husband already have three children: Kristen, 21, Jonathan, 19, and Kaitlyn, 16. </p> <p>On November 13, Jake’s mother, Jean, sadly passed away from cancer, and swiftly moved into Bremer’s home full-time.</p> <p>“He needed us and quite honestly obviously we needed him,” Bremer said.</p> <p>“He’s fit in so perfect here.”</p>

Caring

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Ukrainian dwarf abandoned by adoptive parents denies claims she’s a “sociopath”

<p>The Ukranian dwarf orphan who was<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/she-tried-to-kill-us-mother-who-adopted-9-year-old-girl-claims-her-new-daughter-is-really-a-22-year-old-sociopath" target="_blank">abandoned by her American adoptive parents</a><span> </span>who accused the dwarf of being an adult pretending to be a child has broken her silence in her first televised interview.</p> <p>Six years ago, in 2013, adoptive parents Kristine and Michael Barnett left Indiana for Canada with their other children and left Natalia Grace Barnett behind, which at the time, Natalia says she was nine.</p> <p>The Barnett family had adopted Natalia three years earlier in 2010 hastily as they were under the impression that she was a six-year-old orphan.</p> <p>However, Natalia’s former adoptive parents became convinced that after adopting her, she was actually 22 and was a sociopathic adult who tried to kill members of their family.</p> <p>“Natalia would do things like place clear thumb tacks on the stairs face up so that when we would walk up the stairs, we would be stepping on thumb tacks to pain and injure ourselves,” Kristine said.</p> <p>However, Natalia has refuted the claims and has spoken to Dr Phil about the accusations, maintaining that she is a child.</p> <p>“It's not true at all. I just want people to hear my side,” Natalia said.</p> <p>Natalia is joined by her new adoptive mother known as Cynthia Mans, who insists that a bone scan that Natalia underwent after she was abandoned proves she is the age she says she is.</p> <p>However, when the Barnett family ordered a bone scan for Natalia, the scans suggested that she had been born in 1989.</p> <p>Cynthia says that despite the first allegations from the Barnett family, herself and her husband did not worry about bringing Natalia into their home.</p> <p>“We're supposed to help. Me and my husband adopted these kids,” she said to Dr Phil.</p> <p>“It's like, who would do it if you don't?”</p> <p>The Barnett family has said that the allegations against them for child neglect have been “devastating”.</p> <p><em>Photo credit: <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/crime/ukrainian-adoptee-allegedly-abandoned-by-indiana-couple-opens-up-to-dr-phil/?utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;xid=socialflow_twitter_peoplemag&amp;utm_campaign=peoplemagazine" target="_blank">People</a>  </em></p>

Family & Pets

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"She tried to kill us”: Mother who adopted 9-year-old girl claims her new daughter is really a 22-year-old “sociopath”

<p>It sounds far-fetched but it’s an unfortunate reality for a family in Indiana, USA as they realised that the child that they adopted was really a 22-year-old woman.</p> <p>Kristine Barnett and her husband Michael are alleged to have dumped Ukrainian-born Natalia Grace at an apartment in Indiana in 2013 before heading to Canada and having contact cut off by Natalia.</p> <p>In an exclusive interview with<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7479061/Mom-claims-Ukrainian-daughter-9-adopted-really-22-year-old-dwarfism.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a>, Kristine has outlined the horrors of living with Natalia.</p> <p>“She would make statements and draw pictures saying she wanted to kill family members, roll them up in a blanket and put them in the backyard,” she told DailyMailTV.</p> <p>‘She was standing over people in the middle of the night. You couldn't go to sleep. We had to hide all the sharp objects.</p> <p>“I saw her putting chemicals, bleach, Windex something like that, in my coffee and I asked her, what are you doing? She said, ‘I am trying to poison you."</p> <p>“The media is painting me to be a child abuser but there is no child here,’ said Kristine through tears.</p> <p>“Natalia was a woman. She had periods. She had adult teeth. She never grew a single inch, which would happen even with a child with dwarfism.</p> <p>“The doctors all confirmed she was suffering a severe psychological illness only diagnosed in adults.”</p> <p>Natalia also had some odd behaviour issues, according to Kristine.</p> <p>“She was jumping out of moving cars. She was smearing blood on mirrors. She was doing things you could never imagine a little child doing.”</p> <p>The couple had just 24 hours to complete the emergency adoption and had no hesitation in accepting Natalia into their family of now five.</p> <p>There were few details of Natalia’s background, as she needed a home immediately, but she did have a Ukrainian birth certificate reading that she was born on September 4, 2003 and had been in the US for two years.</p> <p>Natalia also needed a home immediately as her previous adoptive parents had given her up for undisclosed reasons.</p> <p>“Out of compassion for their situation, I didn’t want to press them for information on what had gone wrong,” Kristine went on.</p> <p>As the family got closer, Kristine started to realise that something wasn’t adding up.</p> <p>“The boys rushed into the water and Natalia wanted to be carried into the ocean. Michael and I were physically exhausted, so we asked her to wait just a few minutes,” she said.</p> <p>“With that she just got up and ran into the ocean. I remember looking at Mike and thinking, what’s going on? She couldn’t walk a second ago and now she just got up and ran.”</p> <p>There were other circumstances that had the family questioning whether Natalia was who she said she was, as she didn’t have any traces of a foreign accent and when the family asked a Ukrainian friend to speak their native language, Natalia couldn’t understand a word.</p> <p>As Natalia’s mental health declined sharply, she was placed in a state-run psychiatric unit as she allegedly posed a risk to others. It was here that she confessed to being older than she appeared.</p> <p>A clinical therapist in January 2012 said that Natalia claimed to them that she was 18. The Barnett family successfully applied to Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis to have Natalia’s age corrected so she could receive the help she needed as an adult.</p> <p>Kristine and her husband rented an apartment for Natalia and helped her get a social security number as well as apply for benefits.</p> <p>The Barnett family headed to Canada as their older son Jacob was attending the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and left Natalia behind in the rented apartment.</p> <p>It was as they were in Canada that Natalia vanished.</p> <p>"The last time we spoke on the phone, she told me she was cooking spaghetti for her new family,” said Kristine.</p> <p>"I did not abandon anyone. I went to Canada to further my son's education. These accusations are absolutely devastating."</p> <p><em>Photo credits: Kristine Barnett and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7479061/Mom-claims-Ukrainian-daughter-9-adopted-really-22-year-old-dwarfism.html" target="_blank">DailyMail.com</a></em></p>

Family & Pets

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Why you should adopt a pet

<p>Caring for a pet later in life is a worthwhile experience. Pets can provide great companionship and scientists have found pets can help fight disease and even assist us in coping with chronic conditions. (<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/pets/how-pets-keep-you-happy-and-healthy.aspx" target="_blank" title="How pets keep you happy and healthy">Read more about that here</a>). <br />However, have you ever thought about adopting a pet? There are many shelters and organisations that can facilitate a successful adoption of a puppy, cat, bird or even a rabbit in need. <br /><br /><strong>Why should I adopt an animal?</strong><br /><br />By adopting a pet, you are giving an abandoned animal a second chance. Not only will you be rewarded with a loyal and loving companion and new friend but you can also find comfort in the thought that you helped this little creature to a better life. Adoptable pets listed by reliable organisations have been health-checked and assessed for temperament, basic manners and toilet training. Sometimes, a pet that is up for adoption will live with a foster family before finding it's forever home which <span>means you don’t necessarily have to put in the hard yards when it comes to training. </span></p> <p><span>The pets you can adopt vary greatly in age. Often you may find that a fully-grown pet suits you temper better than an unruly puppy or kitten. Generally, adult pets are more mellow and well-behaved, however your bond with them can be just as strong. </span></p> <p>In Australia, approximately <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/a-pound-of-flesh-20110615-1g3ro.html" target="_blank">250,000</a> dogs and cats are euthanized at pounds and shelters every year. So if you’re looking to purchase a pet from a shop or a breeder please do consider adopting one from a shelter - you may just save a life. </p> <p><strong>What kind of animal can I adopt?</strong></p> <p>Sites such as <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.rspca.org.au/" target="_blank">RSPCA.org.au</a> makes it possible to search for Pets in need of adoption in an area near you. While dogs and cats are the most popular, there's also rabbits, birds and even crabs and fish! Before going ahead an adoption you should consider your particular lifestyle and what type of pet you can manage to look after. </p> <p><strong>Find out more:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a rel="noopener" href="http://adoptapet.com.au/" target="_blank">adoptapet.com.au</a></li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.rspca.org.au/adopt-pet" target="_blank">rspca.org.au</a></li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.petrescue.com.au/" target="_blank">petrescue.com.au </a></li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.paws.com.au/" target="_blank">paws.com.au </a></li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.animaladoption.com.au/" target="_blank">animaladoption.com.au</a></li> </ul> <p><em>Written by <span>Tahlia Pritchard</span>. Republished with permission of<span> </span><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/pets/why-you-should-adopt-a-pet.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Caring

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Nicole Kidman breaks her silence on her adopted kids with Tom Cruise

<p>Nicole Kidman has made a rare admission about her adopted children, Isabella and Connor, with actor and ex-husband Tom Cruise.</p> <p>The acclaimed actress, 51, spoke to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.who.com.au/nicole-kidman-truth-connor-cruise-bella-cruise-adopted-kids" target="_blank"><em>WHO magazine</em></a> on Thursday and said: “They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions.”</p> <p>Rumours have been rife throughout the years that Isabella and Connor have a rocky relationship with their mother due to their commitment to the Church of Scientology.</p> <p>Nicole went on to say: “They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it’s my job to love them. And I am an example of that tolerance and that’s what I believe – that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and I’m open here.”</p> <p>Despite her ex-husband and now her adopted children being scientologists, Nicole still remains neutral on the topic and explained that she is “very private” when it comes to her relationship with Isabella, 25, and Connor, 23.</p> <p>“I have to protect all those relationships,” she said. “I know 150 per cent that I would give up my life for my children because it’s what my purpose is.”</p> <p>When it comes to her views on the religion, Nicole has spoken to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vogue.com.au/?international" target="_blank">Vogue</a> </em>magazine in the past and said she had “chosen not to speak publicly about Scientology”.</p> <p>“I have two children who are Scientologists – Connor and Isabella – and I utterly respect their beliefs,” she said.</p> <p>A documentary created by Alex Gibney titled <em>Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief </em>claims that the controversial belief system is the reason for the strenuous relationship between Nicole and her adopted children.</p> <p>Leah Remini, a former Scientologist and author, wrote in her book <em>Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology</em> that Nicole may have been classified as an “SP” by the church.</p> <p>An “SP” is short for “Suppressive Person” and is a label generally given to those who have been previous members of the church, implying that they have been “cut off” from their families.</p> <p>Though the Church of Scientology has refuted those claims, Nicole is never heard mentioning her eldest children or attending any of their major events, such as Isabella’s wedding in 2015.</p>

Movies

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7-year-old boy bullied for different coloured eyes and cleft lip adopts cat with same condition

<p><span>A 7-year-old boy, who has experienced years of bullying for his different coloured eyes and cleft lip, has found a pet with the same rare condition he has.</span></p> <p><span>Madden Humphreys has been targeted by bullies at school for his appearance, caused by a rare eye condition called heterochromia iridum.</span></p> <p><span>The condition has caused Madden to have one blue eye and one green eye.</span></p> <p><span>Madden shares this rare condition with celebrities such as David Bowie, Mila Kunis and Keifer Sutherland.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.5% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BguiSpOFJCf/" target="_blank">A post shared by @maddenandmoon</a> on Mar 24, 2018 at 6:05pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>Heterochromia iridum affects less than one per cent of the population, and even a smaller amount have a cleft lip.</span></p> <p><span>But Madden has found sweet comfort away from his tough school environment in a new pet cat named Moon.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg-PSeDFXR6/" target="_blank">A post shared by @maddenandmoon</a> on Mar 30, 2018 at 8:27pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span></p> <p><span>Madden and his cat share the same rare condition, and they both even have the same eye colours – a blue left eye and a green right eye.</span></p> <p><span>His family say they were “destined to be best friends”.</span></p> <p><span>In an interview with Love What Matters, Madden’s mum Christina said her family immediately adopted the cat after seeing the creature in need of a family.</span></p> <p><span>“Last week, a friend posted an image of the cat in our cleft moms group. This kitty was taken in by a rescue group in Minnesota,” she said.</span></p> <p><span>“We knew immediately that this kitty was meant to be part of our family.</span></p> <p><span>“Not only does he have a cleft lip like our seven-year-old son Madden, he also has complete heterochromia iridum, like Madden.</span></p> <p><span>“They were destined to be best friends. Funny how a pet can make you feel less alone.”</span></p> <p><span>Christina said that Madden has found comfort in his new pet as he learns how to deal with the school bullies.</span></p> <p><span>“In a world full of bullies and hateful words, we will choose to chase love,” she said.</span></p> <p><span>“I think it’s safe to say that this kitty is love, and was certainly meant to be part of our journey and Madden’s journey.”</span></p>

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