Unconditional Love
I care for a very sweet, elderly, frail Siamese cat named Thai. When I’m petting Thai, he’ll often put a paw out on my hand or arm. On one recent visit, Thai was resting in his favorite spot, on one of the kids’ beds, and I went in to pet him. While I pet him with one hand, Thai reached out and rested a paw on my other hand and laid his head on my arm. I laid my head down next to his and we sat together like this for a while. I felt such love radiating from Thai, it warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes. In moments like this, the animals I care for give me so much more than I could ever give them. “Some things just fill your heart without even trying.” Unknown
Visit from a Bear
When I arrived at a client's house one evening, a neighbor walking by asked if I had heard about the bear. I replied that I hadn’t and she proceeded to tell me that earlier in the day, a 1000 pound (estimated) black bear had walked through the next-door neighbor’s backyard. When the weather permits, my client normally keeps the door from the garage to the fenced backyard open, so the dogs have shelter but can go outside when they like. I immediately contacted my client, informed him about the bear, and asked if he wanted me to keep the dogs inside that night as a precaution and was told “yes.” As I was leaving, I saw the next-door neighbor and asked him about the bear’s stroll through his yard. He said it was indeed a very big bear but that his dogs and the dogs I was caring for went crazy barking at it and scared it off! They are all small dogs, by the way. The neighbor told me that the miniature poodle I was caring for was especially vocal and active when he saw the bear, jumping up on the fence and barking up a storm. My client called the poodle his "brave little warrior!” No pets or people were harmed; the bear lumbered back into the woods without incident.