Hayley Mosher

I’ve always had the innate need to save things. Call it the older child in me, but I crave the responsibility. I am consistently being called out of the blue because someone found a baby bird in their yard or a kitten on the side of a highway. In classic dinner scenes, pets always flock to me; maybe they have all collectively realized I’m the weakest link. In the past, I’ve rescued or relocated birds, mice, opossums, kittens, and many more.

A few summers ago, I was visiting my grandparents, and a tabby kitten began appearing - under cars, behind flower pots, and I could picture him fitting perfectly into my life. I was nothing short of determined to brave the thick Arkansas humidity, which could only be cut by the sharp bite of a mosquito to catch this kitten. Throughout the trip, I could only be found outside, typically halfway under a truck, with a can of kitten food in my outstretched palm. My legs were covered in welts, the pebbled driveway had made permanent indentations on my arms, and the humming sound of June bugs was a permanent fixture for the week. My determination was ultimately rewarded when I held this 2-pound ball of fluff who was more tail and ears than a cat.

One of the more eccentric animals I have taken into my home was an orphaned mouse. I was milling around my driveway when a grey figure no larger than a peanut caught my eye; it turned out to be a baby mouse. He was so new to the world that his eyes had not opened yet, he was helpless, and I knew I had to take him in. I then began a mad dash researching how to care for an abandoned mouse, calling wildlife helplines, and constructing a makeshift home. I soon became very well-versed in my knowledge of mouse protocols. I am no stranger to the unusual hacks involved in raising an animal, but by far, the strangest one I encountered was with Pimp-Squeak the mouse. He needed to be handfed every few hours, and was so small the only way to do so sucessfully was with kitten milk on the bristles of a tiny paintbrush. To nurse such a vulnerable animal back to health is one of the most fufilling experiences I have ever had. It is so powerful to be a caretaker. The qualities exhibited by the caretakers in my life, I hope to emulate everyday. These experiences continually change my perspective and impact me deeply, making me the person I am today.