George the Great Dane

In Tucson, Arizona, there's evidence of human presence dating back 12,000 years. However, it's unlikely the city, sometimes known as The Old Pueblo, has witnessed many things in its extensive history quite as spectacular as George, the world’s biggest dog. Weighing over 100 kilos and measuring seven foot three inches when standing on his hind legs, George consumes 80 kilos of food a week. It’s unfortunate for George’s owners, but the price probably isn’t the worst consequence of his giant appetite.

Darius the Rabbit

If the global recession has given you many a sleepless night, and the growing dependence on technology has left you feeling isolated in a ceaselessly connected world, then take comfort in the knowledge that the UK is home to the world’s largest rabbit. Darius, a three year old male from Worcester, weighs an impressive 22 kilos and is the height of a small child. His owner, Annette, currently holds her own world record too. At the age of 60, she is the oldest model ever to pose for The Sun’s Page Three. Wipe away those tears and start feeling proud to be British.

Wendy the Whippet

Faster than Dwain Chambers and more muscular than Arnold Schwarzenegger. You might think Wendy's been fed more steroids than both combined, but don’t worry, this isn’t a perverse case of animal cruelty. Wendy suffers from a rare genetic mutation meaning her body is unable to regulate muscle mass.

Emily the Stowaway Cat

If the internet has taught us anything - which it undoubtedly has - it’s that people want to see cats in awkward and hilarious situations. Their idiosyncrasies imbue us with a sense of hope. This is best exemplified by the 2005 story of Emily, a cat from Wisconsin. Venturing from her home to a nearby paper company’s distribution centre, a series of events resulted in Emily being unwittingly loaded into a shipping container and transported to Nancy, France.

It was a volatile time for Franco-American relations: France had recently refused to support the US invasion of Iraq and John Kerry lost a presidential election because he'd pretended he couldn’t speak French. Everyone knew he was at least conversationally adept. Emily helped ease the tension, her French minders returned her to Wisconsin amidst a huge media fanfare. Will Emily become a symbol of solidarity in the same vein as the Statue of Liberty? Only time will tell.

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