Heartwarming and heartbreaking: Top animal stories of the year in Fox Valley

A new for-profit organic farm in Carpentersville, twice as many animals euthanized at Kane County Animal Control and an unverified snake sighting in Geneva were among the most memorable animal-related stories throughout the Fox Valley area in 2015. Social media and online attention played a role in several stories, some controversial and others heartwarming.

Here are some of our top animal stories from this year:

Missing Algonquin dog found safe after 15 days

Twelve-year-old Wrigley, a Brittany spaniel/Labrador retriever mix who went missing for 15 days, was found Aug. 26 on National Dog Day. Wrigley was the object of a massive, multi-community search and finally was found safe in Crystal Lake, according to owner Terri Templin of Algonquin. She ran away after being spooked by the sound of a nail gun of a contractor working at the Templins' home. Social media posts helped spread the word and ultimately aided in her recovery.

Animal control euthanasia rate doubles

Twice as many animals were euthanized at Kane County Animal Control in 2015 as there were in 2014. A total of 61 dogs, cats and other animals were put down through October. That's an euthanization rate of about 17 percent. County officials pledged to reduce that rate in 2016 by increasing advocacy for healthy pet ownership within the county.

Bubbles the shelter dog euthanized despite online campaign

Thousands of people campaigned online to save the life of Bubbles, 4-year-old shelter dog who was evaluated to test for aggressive behavior in October. Petitions and Facebook groups were formed, and a rescue organization offered to take in the American Staffordshire terrier mix. But soon after the evaluation, Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin said Bubbles had been euthanized, noting that the evaluation determined that Bubbles “exhibited predatory behavior toward both people and other animals and represented a 'strong risk' to both.”

Push for micropigs in Elgin

Ganon is a sweet little thing who likes to cuddle, loves raisins and Cheerios, and is smart enough to be potty trained in just two days. But Ganon is also a pig — albeit a “micro” one that is expected to weigh only about 30 lbs. — so he's not allowed on residential properties in Elgin. That's a problem for resident Dominick Mollica and his girlfriend, Lauren Rodman, for whom Ganon is the ideal pet. Mollica addressed the city council in November hoping that Elgin will ease its rules and allow micropigs to be kept as pets.

New for-profit organic farm

The Brunner Family Forest Preserve near Carpentersville welcomed a for-profit organic farm with nearly 1,400 animals in 2015. Though some taxpayers and neighbors feared the noise, smells and destruction of green space, forest preserve commissioners agreed the farm would help educate the public on organic farming methods. It also brought a new source of income to the forest district via the lease for the land and a 5 percent cut of any products sold by the farm.

Baby owls in Geneva

Two baby great horned owls drew hundreds of spectators to Geneva's Fabyan Forest Preserve this past spring. Curious viewers, however, were getting too close to its nest in a large, hollow tree, so the Kane County Forest Preserve District put up snow fencing. People were then able to see the owls with cameras, district officials said, but some viewers were still too disruptive. The barrier had to be moved back again for further protection. When the baby owls left their nest for the first time, the district also created a platform on the side of the tree to help them return to their nest — and protect them from crowds.

East Dundee allows backyard hens

Up to 10 eligible residents are allowed to raise urban hens in East Dundee. Trustees approved an ordinance in September that allows single-family homeowners with a valid permit to keep up to four egg-laying hens in a coop in their backyards. Trustees had debated the proposal's logistics since July, raising several concerns such as the location of the coop relative to a neighboring property. Residents must pay an initial $50 fee, as well as apply for and be granted a coop permit from the building department. The village will inspect the hen house and run to ensure that it meets code, according to the ordinance.

Petting zoo owner sentenced in animal cruelty case

An animal abuse-and-neglect case came to an end Dec. 4, when Stacy Fiebelkorn of Elgin pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelty to animals. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail, but could serve half that with credit for good behavior. Fiebelkorn owned a traveling petting zoo. In February and March 2014, Kane County authorities found more than a dozen dead horses, poultry and goats on farms in Maple Park and Hampshire where she kept the animals. Dozens more of those, plus llamas, alpacas, donkeys and rabbits, were emaciated, had overgrown hoofs, were ill, and did not have shelter and water, mostly on the Hampshire farm.

Controversial baby chicks in Elgin

Elgin's first backyard chickens spent their first few weeks indoors, which caused a bit of consternation at first. The baby chicks belonging to residents Pete and Katie Mangan lived in the basement under a heating lamp after they arrived in Elgin in early March. The Mangans were part of a pilot program this year that allowed 15 residents to keep backyard chickens. Their coop was the first inspected and approved by the city. The Mangans said they would house the chicks indoor only until they were old enough to be outside, but indoor chickens are not allowed in town. Councilman John Prigge raised the issue at a city council meeting, and council members decided not to take punitive action. The baby chicks moved into their permanent home in the backyard in April.

Unverified venomous snake in Geneva

Online and media-fueled reports of a venomous cottonmouth snake sighting in Geneva gained steam in August, but confusion about the authenticity of a photo of the reptile may have prompted a wild-goose chase. A roofer working on a home in the Mill Creek subdivision in Geneva said he and his crew spotted a large snake in the backyard. The roofer initially showed a photo of a cottonmouth to an animal control specialist, who was under the impression the roofer took the photo himself. But it was later determined that there was a miscommunication, and the photo was a stock photo found online. Kane County officials said the sighting couldn't be verified, but experts continued actively searching for the snake for several days.

Equine therapy business moves to Hampshire

The construction of ComEd's Grand Prairie Gateway seemed to be the end for the Hope Reins Equine Therapy Facility in Burlington. But the business found a new home in Hampshire where business partners Debra Hirschberg and Kristine Pienkowski believe both their horses and clients will thrive. The location is larger and farther away from the new power lines and power towers the ComEd project will bring to the region.

Santa's Village halts tortoise shell decorating

During an educational program this summer at Santa's Village AZoosment Park in East Dundee, children painted tortoise shells using nontoxic, water-soluble finger paint. But after realizing the public had an issue with it, the park halted the activity. A photo and online petition called “Stop allowing children to paint turtle shells!” circulated in August and garnered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a week. Park officials said the activity caused no long-term or short-term harm to the tortoises, and that turtles were not involved.