Dee Wade & The Kittens

We've all heard the Bible story of how God commanded Noah to build an ark, grab his family and a couple of every kind of animal and sit out and wait the great flood.

This summer, that Bible story is a comedic blockbuster movie titled Evan Almighty.

But did you ever stop to wonder why God was so insistent that Noah take the animals on board his cruise?

If the animals didn't take up so much room, surely there were some good people left on earth that Noah could have taken with him.

I recently had several experiences that have helped me answer that question.

The first involved a two-week old kitten, trapped in my parent's attic with no way to get down after it's momma had left it there for safe keeping. Apparently momma cat got distracted rounding up and caring for the rest of her babies and forgot about the runt of the litter she'd left in the crawl space over my parents' garage.

Because I work so closely with local animal rescue groups, my mom knew I would find a way to rescue the kitty and find it a good home.

Early one Sunday morning, I headed over to my folks' house. Within minutes, I spotted kitty's tiny little head poking out from the hole momma cat had used to sneak kitty inside. Meow.

Well, hello to you too my little friend.

My first call was to Miami-Dade Animal Services whose solution to my problem was to hire a private trapper and let him get the cat down. Thanks for nothing. I've helped Miami-Dade Animal Services dozens of times. I'll keep that in mind next time they ask for my assistance.

I then made a phone call to one of the animal rescue groups I work with. Two hours later, a chain of e-mails and phone calls set in motion the solution we were seeking. That afternoon, a wonderful couple who specialize in rescuing and fostering animals showed up at my folk's house and helped bring the kitten down.

For about 10 days my parents cared for the kitten, momma cat and the rest of her litter (who mysteriously showed up when food arrived). Every day, Brigitte, the woman who rescued the kitty, drove from North Miami to my parents' house in Lakes on the Green to check on the cats and offer support.

Thanks to the hundreds of people who were mobilized through that original phone call, the kittens were all adopted or taken to foster homes. For days I continued to get phone calls and e-mails from people wanting to help. It was amazing -- hundreds of people brought together by a tiny kitten that weighed only about three pounds.

About a week later, a lost dog, recreated a similar scene.

I answered my doorbell one evening to find one of my neighbors holding a miniature pinscher with coloring very similar to my black and tan miniature dachshund.

She asked if I knew of anyone who had lost a dog. When I replied I didn't, she assured me she'd keep searching but would keep the dog with her until the owner showed up.

Two days later, I found a flyer in my mailbox with a picture of the same dog. "Have you seen Dee Wade?" it asked. Well, as a matter of fact I had.

I called the number on the flyer and within minutes the couple who had lost came by. We then went in search of the neighbor who had found Dee. I wasn't sure which house she lived in, so we went door to door in the general vicinity of where I'd seen her go the night she came by.

We knocked on a half dozen doors. Not everyone knew who had Dee, but they had seen her and were very helpful trying to help us track her down. Finally, we succeeded in finding her.

The reunion brought tears to my eyes. The only ones disappointed were the two children with whom Dee had been living. They were clearly sad to see her go. But the friendship the couple made with the neighbor who found her leaves no doubt in my mind those kids will be able to play with Dee whenever they want.

Again, an animal weighing less than 10 pounds miraculously turned a group of neighbors who had been strangers into friends.

I no longer wonder why God thought it was so important to save the animals.