CRITTER CORNER: Animals show they are thankful, too

Each year around Thanksgiving, I write a column about the lessons I have learned from animals about gratitude.

I would like to share the stories with you again.

Two skeletal dogs had been living in a wire pen with no shelter, only the hard, frozen ground to lie on, and no food and water. When the temperatures were going to dip below zero degrees, neighbors called for our help. We seized the two dogs and brought them back to the shelter.

A volunteer put blankets down in the run for them, and put rawhide treats beside the food bowl. Both dogs, after eating and drinking, licked the rawhides and picked them up. One of the dogs turned away to enjoy chewing on her treat, but then turned back around, put the rawhide back on the floor, and cautiously approached the volunteer to lick her head.

A horse that was underweight by a few hundred pounds had been seized, and was taken to a local veterinary clinic for treatment and to be boarded. The horse stood listening to the story about the deliveryman calling us for help, our hours-long work to find transportation for him and then our almost-comical efforts to load him into the trailer.

As I finished the story with, “But, when we looked in his eyes, we knew he needed help,” the horse slowly walked over to me and nudged my shoulder.

On a recent summer day, we received word about an abandoned baby duck in the river. April, the shelter manager, climbed down to the riverbank and the duck immediately swam to the shore and waddled over to her. On the way to the shelter, he curled up in her arms, and then became her devoted friend.

A small little gray and white kitten was found at a trash box and was blind from a massive infection in her eyes. As an employee cuddled the kitten in her arms to bottle-feed her, the kitten placed one tiny, gentle paw on the employee’s cheek, as she meowed quietly.

When a dog that had been thrown off a bridge into a ravine was approached by April, his tail began to wag.

One of my little cockatiels learned (and I don’t know how) to say “thank you” when I put a special treat in his food bowl.

Over and over again, hundreds of times throughout the years, we have witnessed animals who have been lost or were in dangerous situations communicate their gratitude to us.

Some will say that we are anthropomorphizing (giving human characteristics to animals), but those who love animals will agree that they have the ability to feel emotions and to recognize when they are being helped.

We humans could learn a lot about how to be grateful from the animals. We could learn to treat small treats and sips of water as if they are gold, we could learn to express gratitude willingly and we could learn that there are a myriad of reasons to be grateful for what we have rather than always searching for the negative.

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the creatures with whom we share this earth, and I am so thankful for the privilege of associating with thousands of them throughout each year.

Dean is the director of the Danville Area Humane Society.
Critter Corner is co-sponsored by the Register & Bee and the Danville Area Humane Society. Questions or comments should be directed to Critter Corner, P.O. Box 3352, Danville, VA 24543 or e-mailed to dahsinc@yahoo.com.