People who act above and beyond the call of duty on behalf of animals deserve recognition. The same is true of heroic animals (and, yes, their numbers are legion).
Both will be honored—animals and people alike—at a humane award luncheon in New York City on November 17sponsored by the ASPCA. Among the honorees, whose stories of selflessness are sure to tug at a heart string, are:
- Stevie Nelson of Tilden, Nebraska. Stevie was completely crushed when his two black Labs went missing just two days before his fifth birthday. When a three-state search failed to produce the pups, Stevie resolved to make sure that others didn’t suffer the anguish he was going through. Instead of asking for toys and games for his sixth birthday, he set out to raise $6,000 for the Northeast Nebraska Humane Society (NNHS), which was launching a campaign to build a new animal shelter. By his birthday on March 16, Stevie had surpassed his initial goal. To date, he has raised more than $28,000.
- Mittens, the cat, of Baltimore, Maryland. Despite being trapped in a milk crate and set on fire by two heartless teenagers, a young mother cat refused to abandon her kittens. Later named Mittens by her rescuers, the cat managed to escape from the trap, extinguish the flames by rolling in the snow, and return to her litter. Mittens had sustained third and fourth-degree burns over 70 percent of her body and lost her ears. Yet in spite of her severe injuries, she continued to care for her kittens during her long recovery and was affectionate toward the shelter staff to boot. Mittens’ inspiring story resulted in extensive media coverage and she became the unofficial face of the fight for animal protection laws in the state.
- Ricochet , the Golden Retriever. As a puppy Ricochet was chosen to be a service dog for a person with a disability, but as she advanced through her training program, the fun-loving pup developed an affinity for chasing birds, putting her future as a service dog in jeopardy. Refusing to give up on her, however, Ricochet’s owner Judy Fridono soon discovered that her dog’s talents for patience, balance, and coordination were better suited for a life riding the waves. On August 20, 2009, Ricochet was surfing next to Patrick Ivison, a quadriplegic surfer, when she abandoned her board and jumped onto his as they neared the shoreline. Ricochet’s true life mission was revealed: She is now a ‘SURFice’ dog for disabled surfers. Her fundraising initiative, Surfin' for Paws-abilities, allows Ricochet to act as a canine co-pilot for numerous adults and kids alike while raising money to help those in need. To date, Ricochet has helped raise more than $125,000 for more than 150 human and animal causes, including childhood special needs, arthritis, breast cancer, canine cancer and of course, animal rescue.
These heroes and others to be honored deserve our undying gratitude for making the world a better place, both for animals and the people who love them.
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