Not a pet, but I absolutely love the videos of humans helping out wild animals in need

[MarineCombatEngineer]

and then releasing them back into the wild.

[3catwoman3]

1. What a heartwarming story. I, too, so enjoy tales like this.

I started college as a biology major, with no clear idea of exactly what I thought I was going to do with it, and vague notions of studying animal behavior in the wild.

After my sophomore year, I switched to nursing. Had I stayed in biology, maybe I would have done wildlife rescue, altho my heart would have probably been constantly in shreds from having to say goodbye all the time. I know I would fall in love with every critter.

[slightlv]

2. As someone who's rescued way too many cats and dogs,

I love these stories, too, 3cats! And I love the ones where the animals help humans (or another species) out of a bind, too... I find the animal kingdom to be much more "humane" these days than humanity, for the most part!

I can guarantee the bittersweet sorrow that comes with finding them a new furever home. But then, those who were either too old, too "ugly," or had too many problems still found their furever home with us. I was so proud when a duck and a chicken turned up in my backyard and I actually found a farm with a pond whose owner welcomed them as new residents.

Had one cat for whom I'd found a home who decided he'd much rather stay with us... after returning him to his new home twice, the third trip, the people we found said "Just keep him"... he wants to be here more than anywhere else! I loved that cat like the dickens!

It's been a hard few years for us. We had so many who'd aged about the same that we began losing them once they turned 20+. We lost three in one year. While I was expecting it, it still hurt like hell. One I'd had since she'd been abandoned during a PCS (military move) when she was a kitten. She was 23 when she died... and she was still as small as a kitten.

A german shepherd mix was hit by a car (I think) close to my home and found his way to my yard, of course. I thought she had a broken leg, but the rest of her was okay. After trying to find who owned her, I ended up a letter writing campaign to rescue societies to see if I could find anyone who'd take her and get her the vet care she needed. The Rescue that ended up taking her said it was my email that convinced them; they'd never read such a detailed, caring email about a dog who'd just showed up a few days ago in my yard. And I will *forever* bless the Husky rescue society for taking in the Husky that my Border Collie brought home as a "friend." Man, I've never seen such a high maintenance dog as that in my life! (ROTFLMAO!)

BTW... I got my degree in psychology, with an eye toward being a special ed teacher, or working with autistic kids. I spent one summer with an autistic student down in deep south Texas and knew I'd never have the patience. An internship with the state hospital in TX showed me that I'd never have the heart to continue working with that clientele; I couldn't leave them and their stories behind at the end of the day. I'm sorry they didn't offer these internships earlier in my college career. I ended up making my career with technology, instead... and luckily, I had not only a knack for it, but also a real love for it (at least as it was in the beginning of days, when "information was meant to be free and shared.&quot I did find a way to use my psych degree... came in real handy while managing Help Desks! (gryn)

[3catwoman3]

3. I was in the Air Force nurse corps and my second and last...

…active duty tour was 2 years in Japan. The term PCS is well known to me. I brought a cat back with me, and he lived to be 20. I totally adored him, and there was no way I was going to leave him there.

[slightlv]

6. Good for you! It's not easy to bring an animal from overseas, but I'm so glad you did!

I rescued my Japanese Bobtail from the pound (it was her last day) from a PCS turn-in. Izzie lived with me 'til she was 23.

I rescued another cat who had been abandoned *in the house*... but not before the family who left her had had her declawed!!!! ARGH!!! Despite her rough beginning, she lived to be almost 20... and was the most loving cat to every dog we had! She very much preferred them to any of our other cats! (LOL)

[3catwoman3]

7. My cat was at least partly a Japanese bobtail, too.

His tail was shorter than a usual tail, and had about a 45 degree crook in it about halfway down. I thought it had gotten shut in a door or something. The base veterinarian explained that it was a genetic defect common to Japanese cats, rather like a feline scoliosis. He also said that the folklore around this defect was that Japanese royalty liked to eir royal rings on theirs rings cats tails at night and had selectively bred for the crooked tail trait because the rings didn’t fall off the crooked tails.

I decided to name this kitty Magata Shippo-San, which meant Miss Crooked tail, and call her Maggie. In just a few weeks, it became obvious that Maggie had testicles, so was renamed Max.

Mac was also part Turkish Swimming cat, aka Turkish Van. His ears and crooked tail were orange, and the rest of him was white. He didn’t mind getting wet. He was quite a character, and even people who didn’t like cats liked Max. 🐈

[I_UndergroundPanther]

5. My sister while

Studying biology did wildlife rescue. I was a kid then and sometimes went to work with her. I helped the animals fed them cleaned cages not hard stuff but I learned a lot. I got to feed a fawn that was abandoned when she showed me how to feed her with a bottle.

At one point when I was getting a new bottle from my sister she bit my nipple and oh shit that hurt. It turned all shades of purple . I was a kid how did that fawn even know I had nipples! It’s not like I had boobs or anything.

Anyway she’s a biologist and worked in food safety traveled all over the country in her work.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

4. I found a baby starling

In my yard with a broken leg the vet blew me off when I brought him in called him a rat with wings.

I asked him a ton of questions about how to help him and decided to raise him myself.

I put a ball on his foot and a cast made of terry cloth and gauze and a piece of thin metal with no sharp edges for his leg .He grew up learned to say his name, especially when it was breakfast time. Rodan, and he learned to eat by himself bathe and fly.

His cast came off and his foot worked fine and perched securely. I watched him as his leg strengthened When he was old enough I put his cage outside to acclimate him to outdoors . I would look out the window many birds even different species would be out there with him.

Later on

I’d let him outside to go in the morning and he would peck the window at dusk to be let in. This went on awhile.

As summer began to be fall Rodan stayed outside a lot. He would land on my head and tug my brow ring to say hi. Eventually he left for longer and longer times. Coming back to say hi or to snatch a treat or drop off a gift.

A year passed and he hadn’t been around and as I was walking down the driveway something landed on my shoulder yelling Rodan in my ear grabbing at my brow ring. I was overjoyed he survived!
He never came back after that time.

I must admit I still love that sweet crazy bird.I hope he’s living his best life.