Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Ever since I was a kid I've always been involved in animal rescue.  In a neighborhood I lived in several years ago I was known as the Animal Lady.

One evening three little neighbor girls ran up to my door, exclaiming over a baby squirrel that was running around on the sidewalk. I quickly followed the kids and they led me to a tiny squirrel, frantically trying to run up to the various nervous neighbors who were screeching and dodging the baby squirrel. I accessed the youngster to be young enough to still have milk teeth and I realized that even if it bit me, it could do no damage. I scooped the little creature up and checked it for injuries. It seemed fine. Now, a baby squirrel has to be pretty desperate for milk to leave its nest and search the neighborhood for help. I figured the mother must have been killed, leaving it an orphan.

I was about to carry it into my house, when the kids ran up again. Evidently there were several other babies starting to scramble down the tree from where their nest was. With the first squirrel tucked into my shirt, I stood at the base of the tree and was astonished when three more babies ran right down into my waiting hand. I tucked them in with their sibling. One little squirrel remained, just out of reach. He was clearly as desperate for food as the others, but just a bit scared to come down completely. I jumped a little and caught hold of him. Those dear little creatures were so happy to feel safe and warm, and they all cuddled together in my shirt. I took them home and put them in an animal habitat I had and fed them bread soaked in milk. The poor starving things went wild as they frantically drank and gobbled the meal.

I would have loved to have kept them, but I knew they needed a natural habitat. I contacted a lady in the next town who ran a small squirrel sanctuary. She had a big back yard with large trees surrounded by a tall wooden fence. She assured me she was well equipped to care for the babies and provide a natural home for them when they were grown.

I love that those little girls cared enough about the squirrels to seek out the help of the Animal Lady! The adults were too busy screeching!

I throughly enjoyed getting to help the babies, and then the chain of caring continued when the lady with the squirrel sanctuary took them in.  How wonderful to be part of a chain of kindness.