Animal Heroes!

When Kids Discover Pets

by Larry Kay & Lauren Wygant

When we bond with animals, we discover ourselves: our ability to love, to care, to be patient, to empathize, to be responsible, and to make a difference for a vulnerable creature who depends on our help.

Sometimes, we can learn an even deeper truth: that animals can be our heroes. Animals can rescue us, teach us, help us prove our worthiness to ourselves, and make us better people. Every loved animal is someone's therapy animal. Every unloved animal is someone's opportunity to find his or her inner hero.

Let's salute our animal heroes, and humbly admit that sometimes we are the vulnerable ones.

Tell us about the animal hero in your family or classroom at animalwow@familymagazinegroup.com.

Blain, The Hero Hamster

Before children walk into The Wellness Center in Westlake Village, they often feel frustration as forgotten victims of the cancer that is claiming, or has claimed, their parent's life. Inside The Center, these children experience support, acknowledgement, and sometimes an irresistible dwarf therapy hamster named Blain.

Blain's chauffer is cancer survivor, Bob Ferber, who is also a Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney, Animal Cruelty Task Force. "The first time I brought in a therapy hamster it was sort of a joke." Then Bob's hamster worked his magic. While a visit with Blain doesn't take away a child's pain, it gives children whose hearts had been broken by loss started to feel happy again.

Children in families dealing with cancer are often told to 'go outside and play' when people are too busy to help them process what is going on. These kids also experience isolation at school. Bob "wanted to help them get in touch with tools to deal with life challenges."

Bob continues to bring Blain and other unlikely heroes to The Wellness Center, including a three legged dog, another blind hamster, and a blind dog. The end result? Bob says, "These kids will keep these stories for decades and it will affect the way they treat others."