Compassion story: A fisherman spotted her just east of the Faralon Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so badly off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her…. a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.
They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, nudged them, and pushed gently, thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.
The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.
May you be so fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.
And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude
Thank you, ColonelZ:
I really love stories where people interact positively and compassionately with animals.
Especially eye to eye contact – there is just so much that human words cannot convey, when one locks eyes and spirit with a creature of another species, and I appreciate how these people won’t ever be the same with such an experience. Someone who has that experience starts to develop his or her sensory perceptions in another realm altogether, a different realm from that in which we’re trapped by our modern teachings (which are intended to keep us out of a life giving, joy promoting way of being).
Great story, thanks. I once rescued a snake that became trapped in netting on my vegetable plot. Started at the tail end, took me a while to cut it free. Then it opened its mouth wide and regurgitated a partially digested frog. That could have been its last meal: it was too big to slither out and the netting got under its scales. Quite an experience.
Amen @sunnyboy , I try to interact everyday with nature. I look right into the chipmunks eyes (I feed them nuts) and they look right back in mine. I feel so grounded afterwards.
Undine, thanks for sharing your compassionate snake story! I admire that, as I have a bizarre (and highly irrational) phobia of (even little harmless) snakes, and run away when I see one! The snake was very lucky to have been rescued by you!
Interesting, but you are the second person in a week to have shared a snake story – a friend had a poisonous rattle snake in his garden, and decided to rehome the snake. It took him a couple of hours, 30 tries, to get the snake into a bucket with a stick, and then take him to a field some distance away and release him. I’m glad there are people like yourself, and also our friend, who look compassionately upon these creatures, instead of killing them.
@Sal2lee: Sal: you maybe think I’m nuts, but I like to view “Dodo” clips every so often (somehow lifts my spirits), and your sharing about feeding chipmunks reminded me of this clip I saw last week, about someone feeding squirrels! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBBLHJthVlQ I appreciate your feeling grounded after communing with creatures in nature, as we feel likewise. Do you think this is our true nature, to be naturally in tune with nature, to revere animals and plants, perhaps even a very deep instinct, that our culture has all but extinguished?
I love these reports. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t look in at the Dodo youtube channel for human/animal - and animal/animal - rescue stories … such an uplifting antidote to msm’s morbid news headlines. 
I was very apprehensive but it needed help and there was nothing else to do but to put on protective gear, say a strong prayer and get on with it. Thankfully I still had baby scissors with rounded tips which made the job easier. 
The really remarkable rescue was a sparrow that got into the house. For years I had a crippling bird phobia, needed a friend to help with trapped or dead birds. Decided to pray about it and deal with it. Started with some ceramic birds to get used to having them close to me. Moved on to observing and feeding them, and finally releasing the trapped sparrow without freaking out. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
All I have to do is answer a text message and go out somewhere on the ranch. I love these stories, too, and find myself watching those Dodo videos because it is someone ELSE wanting to save something. A month ago, we almost lost a 2yo colt that my partner and I had to rush to an equine hospital 55 miles away at 3am. Only through my years of having these freak situations happen to my animals that I asked the vet to give him 4 more hours and it was JUST enough to show that he was coming out of his neuropathy. The vets then really worked miracles and saved him. It was enough of a feat that they are writing an article about it.
Hello Sunnyboy and yes I do feel this is our true nature to be in tune, however, you have to take the good with the bad as in death in an animal by another animal. This all started with me during Covid when we were “locked down” and “sheltered in place” like wild animals so I turned to chipmunks and Bluejays for they both love nuts. I always loved nature but I took it to another level. I get so much joy with nature. I have to watch I don’t habituate them too much to the point they can’t forage themselves because of me feeding them. That YT vid where she lets the squirrel in her house I would never do, you’re just asking for trouble. I also had snake stories this summer (two Rat snakes mating on my deck and a Garter snake family living under my steps). Ever time a chipper would run towards the snakes I would try to detour them and close my eyes because nature is nature. We are so connected with nature and I feel absolutely at my best when I can suck it all in. There are still a lot of humans connected with nature you just don’t hear about it I feel.
Sal, that is amazing that you had rat snakes on your deck and a garter snake family under your stairs! That would be enough to paralyze me! Although, when I read @undine’s experience with having to deal with a phobia to rescue a bird, that inspires me that hopefully I can work on my snake phobia.
I love all stories about wildlife connections, including different kinds of animals interacting with other kinds of animals. I am also touched by love stories – not so much that “romantic” crap in the movies, but deep, enduring connections, family connections, a child with a grandparent, friendships, compassion. This realm resides deep within the human soul, and somehow our institutions have done a good job of separating us from these depths of caring for one another. It is interesting that you mention that we don’t seem to hear about the many humans still connected with nature – I have wondered about that myself – why don’t we hear about that as often as the other things, the commercial stuff and ideologies that get pushed at us? It feels like we should be hearing more about our connections with nature, as the stories we hear are what shape and frame our culture. I can’t think of anything that gives more joy that interacting with other living beings, be they human, animals and also plants, in ways that promote their wellbeing.
@justawhoaman: We hope that your colt friend is doing well after his ordeal being taken to the vet!
Thank you. Well done.
The day a Deer stopped a driver and “asked” for help…
Beautiful, thanks for sharing.
Colonel: Thank you so much for this. We both love deer, and love relating with them, and have heard Mamas cry out when they lose their fawns. We read “Deer Man” by Geoffroy Delorme and gleamed even further insights into the social structure and communication in the deer societies, by an individual who lived with them and was accepted by them as a member of their community (perhaps as a dog would be in a household of humans).
We sometimes feel overwhelmed with the darkness of our culture, the globalist crap unfolding so aggressively, and the weird stuff going on in Canada and the world on all fronts. Like a few other members have expressed in this forum, we try to find some form of joy in our daily life, no matter how seemingly insignificant it is. For ourselves, things that bring joy are communing with nature and animals, friendship, beautiful music and art, and conversation.
Your posts on compassionate interactions with animals really bring joy and a wonderful lift to our day.