Animals are not meant to have the feelings and empathy of humans. But these stories prove that our little brothers can empathize just as well as humans.
The week these two met was one of the toughest in Michelle Burleson’s life. The fact is that his beloved dog, Baji Lu, died at the age of 13 and had to be bitten due to health problems. The woman resented this choice and nothing seemed to ease her suffering.
But after poking around a bit under the door, things looked up. It turned out that a squirrel had run all the way to Burleson’s house. He looked haggard, his fur peeled off, and it was obvious he needed help.
At first, the squirrel was wary of strangers. He jumped when Michelle tried to reach out to him. But the animal’s trust has been won. Not without the help of a handful of nuts that the wife brought out of the kitchen for the uninvited guest. After taking the treats, the squirrel ran away on its own.
The woman says: « He appeared the next morning, at dawn, then came in the evening, when the sun was setting. And it happened again and again. Soon, I began to wait with looking forward to his daily visits ».
Over time, the squirrel acquired the nickname Stamey. She got so used to Michelle that she started taking nuts straight into her palms. After a few days, Stymie became so daring that she followed Michelle around her own house, drinking water from a dog bowl and even resting on her dog bed.
The grief of losing her dog, thanks to this little squirrel, has started to fade. That’s when Michelle decided she wanted to help others. She started a coffee company called Budgie Lou Brew Coffee & Co, which donates a portion of its profits to rescue services and senior dog shelters.
To get her business fully operational, Ms. Burleson had to sell her real estate and move. It was difficult to part with Staymi, who stayed in a tree near the house. But it is a decision that she considers to be the right one.
After all, it was his friendship with the little squirrel that made him want to move on.
