A couple of years ago I came home from school to a baby squirrel that had fallen out of a tree lying motionless in my driveway. My sisters and I immediately brought it food, water, and blankets until one of our moms could get home. Most local animal hospitals will not accept squirrels, as they are not considered domestic animals. So, we called several places asking if any of them would take in an injured baby squirrel. Eventually, we found a rescue that would, which was great! Except it was over an hour away. For us though, this didn't matter. Even though it was a school night, we drove all the way to Chalfant, PA just to give this animal a chance at life.
I have always been an animal lover. At my mom's house we have two dogs, a cat, two guinea pigs, and a hamster, and with my dad, at one point we had five cats. Needless to say, if I see any type of animal in need, it is more than likely that I will do everything in my power to help however I can.
Stray cats are relatively common in my area, and just as common are indoor/outdoor cats that do have a home. Over the years, we've come to recognize the ones that frequent our neighborhood.
Just last week, I came home from school yet again to find a cat I didn't recognize hiding under a car in my driveway. Thinking nothing of it, I continued up the steps to my house and went to unlock my door only to hear a meow behind me. I turned around to see a beautiful tortoiseshell cat staring up at me expectantly. Unable to resist, I bent down to pet her, and she was so incredibly soft and friendly. I couldn't open the door to my house because she kept trying to follow me inside. She didn't have a collar but she looked groomed and well-fed, which led me to believe that she was an escapee.
I decided that I would take her to our local vet to see if she was microchipped, as I was sure that if she had an owner she was missed. With the help of my sister and a whole bunch of cat treats, I finally got her into my car and to the vet, where we found out that she had no microchip. I posted pictures of her on the "Lost and Found Pets of Delaware County" Facebook page in hopes of finding her owner if she had one.
Unfortunately, I couldn't keep her inside my house because of the animals I already have, but a neighbor offered to take her in and feed her until we figured out our next move. By some miracle, several hours later my Facebook notifications went crazy with people telling me that the owner was on the thread trying to find her precious kitty. I immediately found her phone number and texted her everything I knew, and where she could pick up her cat, whose name she told me was Molly.
It turns out Molly escaped in August, and her family had all but given up hope of finding her. She traveled relatively far too, as her home is several towns over from mine. I was fortunate enough to be present when her owner came to pick her up from my neighbor's house, and I will never forget the look on her face now that she had her fur baby back.
The amount of gratitude and thanks in her voice when she told me how excited her kids would be to have Molly back was priceless, as was the hug that she gave me.
It just goes to show that one small act of kindness can make a world of a difference for another person, or even another family. Let this be a lesson that good deeds are not to be underestimated, and it really does feel good to do good.
