It’s been over a year since I found Tally, a four-week-old calico kitten that someone dumped on the corner of Woodhull Road and the Tallahassee Highway.

She’s all grown up now and she is beautiful!

She’s sweet and loving and has my hubby wrapped around her little finger (or paw.) I thank God that I was in the right place at the right time to find her.

I know that I’m not alone, and that there are a lot of folks out there with this habit of picking up helpless animals and bringing them home.

They are another kind of Humane Society hero.

Cynics might say that these heroes’ heads are too small, but I say that their hearts are just too big to turn away from a frightened, hungry animal that has lost its way.

I am proud to call these heroes my friends!

So Beezer, Baby, Kanga, Charlie, Baby Kitty, Pippa and Paulie, Stubbs, Sunny and Stormy—give your Mom or Dad a big kiss tonight before you settle into your warm, comfy bed with your tummy full of food.

I’m sure there are quite a few people who have never been in this predicament. So here are a few facts:

When a good Samaritan finds a stranded animal, it is nearly always raining! And it is usually on a day when you are running late. Of course you have on your favorite slacks, and the old towel that you usually leave in your car is left behind in the garage that day.

When you come across this critter, you try to pass by, but you know you can’t really do that. There are normally two or three cars behind you, so you have to carefully find a way to pull over and turn around.

The stray that you stopped for is usually a baby or a youngster—it’s frightened by the traffic and by being alone. So when you approach, cooing softly, it retreats farther into whatever place it has retreated to. It takes many tries to coax it out, or get to a position where you can reach it.

And when you finally have the tiny animal in your arms, trying to cuddle and reassure it … it’s wet!

When you get baby home, the fun really starts! The animal is wet, scared and hungry. It might be dehydrated, possibly in need of emergency medical attention, and surely in need of a flea/tick bath and grooming. This animal needs a quiet place away from all your other pets.

After you sort through those priorities, the animal will need a good veterinary check-up and lots of love and TLC to get through its shyness. Then comes the arduous task of working the animal into the family—those both two and four-legged.

What a gift you have! You have years of unconditional love from an animal that would have surely died if you hadn’t come along. You have a warm body to snuggle with on the couch, to lay across your keyboard, to play catch with, or to talk to and welcome you at the door each day! You have another friend!

Thank you! You’re my kind of hero!

Sally MillerBainbridge, Ga.