By Stephanie Clay, England, United Kingdom
Some time ago I was walking my neighbor’s dog, a smart greyhound named Tinkerbell; Tink for short. My neighbor had cancer, and dog walks were not something she could do.
By Montina Holliday, Arizona
I had the pleasure of accepting a gift of love from a patient and his family while tending to them at the hospital where I work as a patient care tech. It started when I had the nudge to tell them I was finally open to getting a pet, probably a cat.
By Bree Renz, California
I was taking a photo workshop at a nature center that rescues injured wild animals. If the animal can be treated and completely healed, it is released back into the wilds. If it won’t be able to survive, it can live out the rest of its life at the center.
By Carol Sims, California
Recently I was in my front yard discussing bush removal with Tom, my landscaper. I happened to glance between our house and the one next door and saw a beautiful white hen.
By Angelica Maulucci, California
Everyone who knows me knows I loved my pet fish Rey. I bought him filtered water and made sure he had exposure to sunlight. I even brought him with me in the car when I went to Cape Cod and drove to western Massachusetts for long weekends. Friends joked that of course this would happen when you give a social worker a fish.
By M. Jane Hocking, New Mexico
When we were younger and living in Alaska, my husband and I had sled dogs. He did some racing, but I never really enjoyed running a team. With beautiful scenery and my dog buddies, mushing should have brought joy, not a heavy lump of dread in my gut. But I loved raising puppies, training lead dogs, and finding and clearing old trails, so I concentrated on those tasks related to sledding.