George T. Angell once said, “I am sometimes asked, ‘Why do you spend so much of your time and money talking about kindness to animals when there is so much cruelty to men?’ I answer: ‘I am working at the roots.’”

We share the world with hundreds of thousands of other species. Therefore, we should help animals in trouble just like we help each other.

A hummingbird keeps appearing annually to the porch of Mike Cardenaz, the man who saved his life, as a sign of gratitude and friendship. Cardenaz named the ruby-throated hummingbird Buzz.

Cardenaz is not a typical animal lover, many might think. He is an imposing figure, massive, muscular, and tattooed. He spent 14 years with the sheriff’s office, he is a former SWAT team member, and he is currently a Homeland Security agent.

In the summer of 2015, this gentle found Buzz outside his home with an injured wing.

He couldn’t take flight as several feathers in his wings were broken off. Over the next eight weeks, Cardenaz used Pedialyte and sugar water to help Buzz heal and regrow his wing feathers.

After this time, Buzz regained his flying confidence, so he could migrate south for the winter.

The next spring, Buzz returned to his home to surprise his friend. He appeared the spring after that as well, and he soon became a regular visitor to the Cardenaz home. Cardenaz knows Buzz is around when he comes and lands directly in his hand, making his characteristic ‘buzzing’ noise.

He explained:

“He would fly around the yard and come back when he got exhausted because that was his comfort zone until he finally took off for the winter. And he’s been coming back for the last four years.

I was kind of shocked by it. Finally, I’m thinking, ‘Random hummingbirds don’t just land in my hand. This must be one of my rescues. I mean they all look alike.”

Stories like this one are rare, as hummingbirds are one of the smallest bird species in the world, and they are delicate and fragile.

They can be easily injured from seemingly insignificant items in their environment, cold temperatures, and confined spaces. They tend not to survive disease or trauma.

To avoid accidental injury, the rescue of a hummingbird should be delivered by a trained animal rehabilitator, and if not available, it would be best to leave it to the care of Mother Nature.

Cardenaz continues to take in any furry creature that comes his way, and most recently, he helped an injured chipmunk.

Due to his good deeds, he is now often nicknamed ‘Dr. Dolittle’ around Grovetown, Ga.

Sources:
www.mnn.com
www.southernliving.com
mypositiveoutlooks.com