By Jamie Obakponovwe, Minnesota
While settling into the rhythm of a new job and home, my husband and I adopted two kittens who were sisters, Wilma and Luisa. Instantly they brightened our lives and gave us constant, unconditional love—each in her own special way.
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 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 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 Jonker Tomasoa, The Netherlands
Years ago, my wife and I paid a visit to a dear friend and her family in Kenya. It was our first time in that country. When my friend married four years earlier, I was her best man. Although we are not related, she called me Abang, which means brother in the Malay language.