Every night at 8:15, Sherman, our 180-pound English Mastiff, starts his bedtime ritual. He waits patiently as our two daughters, Lila and Mia, brush their teeth, then follows them to their room for their nightly snuggles. But one night, something was different. Instead of joining the girls, Sherman went to the front door, whining softly. When I opened it, I found a small, wet cat huddled on the porch, clearly scared and cold. Sherman, usually calm, seemed deeply concerned. We brought the cat inside, and Sherman immediately nuzzled her, showing no signs of jealousy, just care.

The next morning, the girls were excited to meet the cat, whom we named Pepper. Sherman took it upon himself to protect her, even as he kept up his nightly routine with the girls. After a few weeks, we found out that Pepper had a home. Her owner came to collect her, and though it was hard to say goodbye, Sherman seemed content, knowing he’d done his job. He returned to his routine, making sure the girls were safe before settling down.

This experience taught us the importance of paying attention to subtle clues from those around us—our loved ones, and even our pets. Compassion, no matter how small, can make a big difference.