People Do Care

 

A couple of weeks ago, I was at the vet, and a man brought in a Pelican. The man’s jacket said, ‘Southern Bird Rescue.’

 

I overheard his chat with the vet nurse. He told her that someone had seen the bird on an estuary jetty, trying in vain to take off.

 

The observer contacted them, and they went out in inclement weather to rescue the bird. Unfortunately, the bird’s injuries were too bad to rehabilitate.

 

I have since seen their van, presumably on missions to save other injured birds. It made me think of how valuable these sorts of people are. ‘Ethical angels,’ if you will.

 

Here are four other stories about other ethical angels who have saved animals.

 

                                                         “I challenge you not to be upset or moved when you read them.”

 

 

Giving a Koala the Shirt Off Your Back

Those who follow me will know of my soft spot for koalas. I have written several stories on koalas. Australian wildlife often faces bush fires. There are famous photos of firemen giving koalas water during the blazes.

 

Koalas will only drink when they are sick or stressed.

 

Another great  story  about koalas concerns a woman took the shirt off her back during a bushfire. Then, she ran into the smoldering bush to help a young, badly burnt koala.

 

Warning: The little animal’s cries of pain and distress will break your heart if you watch the video.

 

The lady deserves a medal for her kindness. She and her partner took the injured and badly burned koala to the nearest refuge. A true ethical angel.

As the comments on the story say,

 

“She has well and truly earned her place in Heaven.”

 

Iva the Brown Bear

Last month, I wrote a story about Bandra, the lonely elephant who lived in isolated captivity. Iva was a brown bear who was only a cub when a private owner introduced her to his backyard.

 

She was forced to live in a small, barren enclosure with little space. She had never wandered the woods or explored nature and ponds, typical of her species.

 

Iva wasn’t the only bear held at this place.

 

Another bear, ‘Teddy,’ was also held in captivity. Thanks to the rescue group Four Paws, they saved Iva. She was then sent to a suitable sanctuary.

She now has a special cave built for her; hopefully, she will live a more meaningful life.

 

Rescuers hope to reunite her with Teddy one day.

 

 

Look what I Caught

The third story is about a man fishing in a Montana lake. He noticed a shape in the water that he did not recognize.

 

On closer examination, it turned out to be a bobcat struggling to stay afloat.

 

He scooped the bobcat up in his net and returned it to dry land. It was safely released. Had he not taken this action, the cat would have surely drowned.

 

The Angel That Saved Lucky

Lucky was a dog born at a puppy factory in the US. His facial deformity caused everyone to reject him. No one wanted to give him the love he deserved.

A family contacted a dog shelter to ‘get rid of him’ because they were moving. They had left the dog tied to a tree, without food or a place to sleep.

By chance, a lady (Lucky’s ethical angel) saw a post about Lucky on the refuge website.

 

Lucky was skin and bones, suffering from malnutrition, fleas, and worms. His savior was determined to try to save him.

 

They spent $8,000 on veterinary treatment and many sleepless nights to bring him back to good health. Lucky now lives happily with his owner.

 

My Personal Experience

When I worked in the US, someone discovered four kittens in a dumpster at the back of the warehouse. They were very young and had not opened their eyes for more than a day or two.

 

As they sat in the box, they were terrified, shivering with fear. They still fought anyone who came near their box, hissing and spitting.

 

Someone took two of the kittens, leaving two. I wasn’t looking for pets. We had just moved from Australia and didn’t know how long we’d be here. But I could not leave them.

 

We took them home and nursed them with a bottle every four hours until they could fend for themselves.

 

The black one was ‘Mambo,’ and the tabby was ‘Sheba.’ We had them for two years until we had to move. But another lady adopted them.

It was nothing like the heroes I described. But, it showed me why some people are ethical angels, especially those who help wildlife.

 

It’s easy to turn away from situations like those and justify it by asking, “What can I do?”

 

The reality is we can all do something, no matter how big or small.

 

Next time you see a charity collecting funds to save endangered species or orphaned animals, give them a couple of bucks.

 

Trust me, you will feel good about it and have helped animals like the koala, the bobcat, the bear cubs, and Lucky.

 

Till next time,

Calvin