I’d like to take a minute to talk to you about two legged critters for a change. We all know I love and adore the four legged members of our family, but it takes the human heart to swell with kindness and compassion when they see an animal struggling or suffering, and those are the hearts I am surrounded by.
When you work in animal rescue and welfare, you witness the kind of sacrifices only heroes make. I know of people who have waded ankle deep in cat feces in the sweltering heat in an abandoned home to rescue dozens of cats and kittens in various stages of illness or disease. Suffering from fleas, mites, malnutrition, cats of all ages and all sizes were hiding under beds, in cupboards, the smell of urine and feces overwhelming. The volunteers ignored the growing heat, the unbreathable air, and did what they had to do to save the kitties.
I know people who get up every hour on the hour to feed newborn puppies and kittens because momma was hit by a car or the critters were abandoned in the cold by a cruel and uncaring human. I know people who get up at midnight to respond to an emergency call because an animal has been injured and needs attention.
I know people who have gone out of their way on a vacation day, a holiday, including Christmas, to make sure a lost or abandoned animal found its way home or at least to a warm and safe place until the owner could be found.
I know people who give up their hard earned cash, their time, share their homes, run fundraisers, build, clean, and otherwise dedicate every single ounce of every spare moment to do something to make life better for an animal. Maybe one, maybe 60 animals, it doesn’t matter, their hearts are in it, that’s all that counts.
During this holiday season, we love seeing all the sweet pictures of our beloved pets lying under the Christmas tree, or tearing down the Christmas tree. We love curling up on our sofa at night with our socks on and our blankets around us and our Fluffy or Scruffy on our laps.
While doing that, please say a prayer for those who are outdoors, picking up the pieces of lives wrecked by cold and uncaring individuals – say a prayer for the rescue workers who are giving up their time, allowing their hearts to be broken, spending their own money, to rescue just one more, just one more.
Thank you to all of you who give your hearts to the animals. You are their voice , and a strong but tender voice you are. God Bless you all. Merry Christmas.
The Houlton Humane Society is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located on 263 Callaghan Road, Houlton, ME. Officials can be reached at 532-2862 or via email at HoultonAdoptsAPet@gmail.com
