A Wonderful Life

The Best Friends version of the famous Hollywood movie. (With apologies to Jimmy Stewart!)

"If only I were an important dog..."

Flora wasn't feeling the holiday spirit. How could she? After all, she'd started out as a stray, begging for morsels at the campground where she'd been abandoned. Not exactly glamorous!

After some kind campers brought her to Best Friends, she tried to repay the favor by becoming the receptionist at the Best Friends clinic, welcoming all the furry folk who came in for special care, helping them to feel happy and safe.

"But that's such a small thing to do," she said to herself. "I could have been a rescue dog or a police dog or one of those dogs who saves drowning people! Then I'd be important." As it was, Flora was quite sure nobody would even miss her if she went away. "So many people and animals are a part of Best Friends. Who would miss one silly dog?" Flora sighed herself to sleep...

Flora's dream

That night, she had the strangest dream. (Oh yes, dear reader, dogs certainly dream -- just like people.)

In her dream, she was packing up her little duffle bag on a stick and leaving the sanctuary. But someone stopped her.

It was Bo-Bo, running and playing with some people who were visiting Best Friends' Dogtown. He barked to her as she passed by.

"Hi Flora! Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to being a stray," said Flora. "There are hundreds of other dogs like me here. So I'm sure nobody will notice."

"But what about all the sick and hurt animals who come to Best Friends and need you to make them feel happy and comfortable?"

"You make it sound like much more than it is. Anyway, how come you're running around out of doors? I thought you were still too scared to go out."

"Oh, that was the old days!" Bo-Bo (pictured at right)woofed. "Back then I was a hopeless little stray who'd been hit by a car. And when they picked me up beside a pile of scrap metal in an old lot, I was so scared I couldn't even walk around, and I didn't even want to go outside.

"But when I arrived at Best Friends, you came up and said hello, and that was when everything began to change. And then the other dogs started to play with me, and the people helped me walk again. It was all just one little thing at a time. And look at me now!"

"Wow. Your whole life has changed."

"Yep," said Bo-Bo. "But I guess helping one dog like me must not seem very big and important to you," he added with a wink.

Bo-Bo gave Flora a quick doggy kiss and ran off to play with his pals.

The old mule no one wanted

Flora wasn't convinced that she'd done anything special. So she continued her dream of just wandering away, until she had the funniest feeling she was being followed. She turned round to see Henry (left), the old pack mule, walking behind her.

"How did you get here, Henry?" Flora asked him.

"Well," said Henry, "once upon a time, I was just a retired mule that nobody wanted. But after I came to the sanctuary, I started feeling much better. And then I was adopted and I went to a new home with a big pasture. And now I'm a little boy's best friend and we do everything together. So when I heard you were having a dream, I thought I'd come back to tell you about my new life.

"You know, Flora, the family who adopted me didn't think they were doing anything very important, either -- just like you. Adopting a worn-out old guy like me was just a small thing to them. But not to me.

"So you see, small things can be really quite big!"

How Tiger found a new home

Henry clippity-clopped back out of Flora's dream, and she found herself at the TLC Cat Club with Tiger (right), who was busy purring.

"Could this really be the same Tiger I remember arriving at Best Friends?" Flora wondered.

"Oh yes, that's me!" the fluffy cat grinned.

"But your whole life had fallen apart when I met you."

Tiger has epilepsy, and his family gave him up because they felt they couldn't take care of him any longer.

"But then I came to Best Friends, and everything turned around for me. And now I've found the perfect home in Pennsylvania. My new mom has epilepsy herself, and she wants me just the way I am. And what's more, I'm getting a ride with members of Best Friends who help animals all across the country!"

"Wow," said Flora. "A lot of people sure helped you. But why are you in my dream?"

"Because you were one of those people!"

"What? Me?"

"Of course!" Tiger purred. "I felt so scared and lost when I first came to Best Friends. But you made the clinic so cheery and comfy, it made me want to hang on. I'm so glad I did!"

Flora wakes up to a wonderful new day

"My little part really meant that much?" Flora thought.

She was beginning to understand how every life touches every other life, and so does every kindness. So she decided to wake up from her dream and come home. There would be more dogs and cats and other animals coming in to the sanctuary today, and they'd all need to see a wagging tail and be greeted with a nice kiss.

When she awoke, the clinic was decorated in holiday cheer. And all her friends welcomed her to a new morning. They were all important -- every one. And they all had a part to play in showing how kindness to animals helps build a better world for all of us.