More than a dozen genetically modified pigs, part of a series of experiments at an Ontario, Canada university, will not get adopted out to "loving homes." Despite a plea from an animal-rights group for the University of Guelph to release the pigs to civilian pet owners, Professor Rich Moccia, an associate vice president at the institution, claimed on Tuesday that "there is absolutely no opportunity for this to occur for many reasons."

Although Moccia didn't get into specifics, one of the reasons seems to be that the so-called "enviropigs" could represent a danger if they aren't supervised in the strict manner they are currently. Moccia acknowledged the "many generous and well intentioned offers" the university has received from both animal-protection groups and individuals interested in adopting the porcine subjects. But it seems that the risk of an enviropig either getting loose and interbreeding with "standard" local pigs, or making its way onto a dinner table, isn't one the U of G is

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I love hedgehogs. I really do. I think they are the cutest things in the history of ever. I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to them. And I'm not alone. Hedgehogs are becoming increasingly popular as pets, based on my highly unscientific research that included talking to friends, searching the interwebs, and the number of followers on my hedgehog board. There are tons of hedgehog products and even internet memes dedicated to their adorable awesomeness.

However, after doing some research, I was devastated to find out that I can't have one. It's illegal to own a hedgehog in the county where I currently reside, where there are strict laws about exotic pets. My children and I were in favor of selling the house and moving to a more right-thinking locality, but my husband said that was crazy. He needs to rethink his priorities.

So without further ado, here are 10 facts about hedgehogs that everyone should know, particularly for those people who are interested in having one as a pet.

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[Shine's daily spotlight of the most jaw-dropping (or adorable) photo from today's news. We don't even have the words for it, do you?]

A baby Asian elephant, born two days ago at the Tierpark Berlin zoo in Germany, was photographed learning to walk on his wobbly three-toed legs. In this moment, he'd lost his balance and his mommy, Nova, used her trunk to help him back up.

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By Barbara Sharnak

We often see pictures of celebs out strolling with the dogs, but it's rare to get a peek inside their homes, where we know most cat-loving takes place. Even though we might not get to watch the stars cuddle with their purring furballs, rest assured there is a large cat-loving population in Hollywood.

Here are just a few of them:

Russell Brand: His ex-wife Katy Perry might have taken her cat - named Kitty Purry - when they split, but Brand has felines of his own. He once told Rachel Ray, "One of them, Morrissey - the oldest - he's on Valium, cat Valium. I didn't think I'd ever have a cat psychiatrist in my house, let alone a man waving a crystal over my cat's head."

Related: Tim Tebow Changes Dog's Name From Bronco To Bronx

Jenna Fischer: Good thing she's not married to Dwight in real life. (Does anyone remember when he "took care" of Angela's cat?) The Office star once described a night of relaxation with her cat Andy, saying in an interview "I love to sit by the fi

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