The rain was pouring down, a gentle reminder of nature’s ability to cleanse and renew. Monica Burks of Abilene, Texas, knew this weather all too well. It was a day like any other, and as the raindrops tapped against the windowpane, she let her beloved dog, Hazel, out for a potty break. Hazel, a yorkie/chihuahua/poodle mix, meant the world to Monica and her daughter. They had rescued Hazel and her brother at five weeks old after their mother rejected them. “They have given me so much joy and laughter, I think maybe they rescued me,” Monica fondly recalls.
But that day, something extraordinary happened. Hazel, the furry companion who had brought so much joy into their lives, turned out to be a hero in her own right. When Hazel took longer than usual to return, Monica decided to check on her. What she saw next left her astounded: Hazel was walking alongside a tiny little kitten, nudging her along so she could bring her home. Hazel didn’t want the sweet kitten to be stuck in the rain or be out there on her own. The kitten, confused and unsure, kept stopping along the way, but Hazel patiently waited for her, redirecting her towards home whenever she strayed.
Hazel’s patience and determination were awe-inspiring. Despite the kitten’s hesitation and multiple stops, Hazel gently nudged her along, even picking her up in her mouth to help her up the steps into the house. “Gentle, be gentle,” Monica can be heard telling Hazel while recording the incident. Hazel carried the kitty inside and set her down where she was finally safe. The tiny cat was meowing the entire way. “That’s love, pure love – I saw the motherly instinct come out in her,” Monica said.
This motherly instinct is not uncommon in dogs. According to Wag!, dogs have been known to adopt abandoned or orphaned kittens. Female dogs, due to their maternal nature, will welcome the kitten into their litter and feed it as their own. Sometimes non-lactating dogs will even begin lactating if they find a kitten without a mother. The dog mother protects and cleans the kitten and treats it as her own until the kitten can survive independently.
Monica named the kitten Sheba and found a forever home for her with her brother Michael. It was a heartwarming end to an extraordinary story of compassion, resilience, and the deep bond that can form between animals. Check out Hazel’s rescue of the kitten in the video below and please SHARE this heartwarming story with your friends and family.
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