Animals have a way of bringing smiles to human faces and turning up the heat on human hearts. More than likely, you know a furred, feathered, finned or scaled friend that is near and dear to your heart.

The excerpts below are just a small sampling of the pet stories the American Animal Hospital Association has received through the Healthypet website. We find it refreshing and uplifting to hear how pets have touched people’s lives, and we’d like to share some of these stories with you. Some are heartwarming, many are humorous, but all will put a smile on your face. So read on to learn first-hand about the special ways in which pets are making our lives better.

Smokey, the Shetland Sheepdog

Smokey has brought so much laughter into my life it is hard to pick just one special story, but here is the latest. We go camping whenever time permits. Smokey has a habit of stealing any piece of clothing that is lying around. This time he picked one of my bras from the duffel bag just before leaving the tent to go for a walk around the campground. Here we are strutting down the road, me proud to be walking this beautiful dog and Smokey proud to be showing off my bra to everyone. It wasn’t until someone stopped to find out what breed he was that I was made aware of his choice of toys to bring on his walk. Needless to say it was all over the campground by the end of the week. Now I check his mouth before leaving with him for a walk.

Pooky, the Siamese mix

My cat, Pooky, is very smart. She used to steal a doll and hide it from us every day. It was like a game-we’d all come home and go hunt for the doll, which seemed to entertain her! Well, one time, my dad was looking for it. He looked in his closet, which was open, then left the room. When he came back, he caught Pooky dragging the doll into the closet, where he had already looked!

DD, the Australian Shepherd/Shetland Sheepdog mix

We bought a doggie gumball machine that dispenses dry dog food and treats. The instructions said to allow about 3 weeks for the dog to get used to eating from the machine. We opened the box at 11 p.m. one night, and by 11:45 p.m. she was reliably getting her own treats from the machine! What a smartie!

Dixie or Dolly, Maine Coon cats

I always keep the lid on the toilet seat down and I have always done so. Well, one day, when my cats were kittens, I was in the bathroom (for the reason most people go into a bathroom) and I had just lifted the lid, had turned around and was ready to "be seated" when I heard this SPLASH! Of course, I straightened up and turned around to see what had made the SPLASH. I was quite surprised to see one of my sweet little kittens coming up from under the water in the toilet bowl!! Apparently, she had intended to jump up onto the lid of the toilet seat but it was not in its usual position. She was quite surprised at finding herself submerged under water. Needless to say, to this day she has a very healthy respect for the toilet seat!!

HoneyB, the Pekingese

HoneyB has brought so much love to my household. My father passed away and I was feeling so lost and alone. While at a flea market in Florida, we passed by a booth that sold dogs. HoneyB was in a cage and very undernourished. She weighed one pound and the owner was throwing her old chicken skin to eat. Well, needless to say, she came right home with us. It was a battle for awhile to keep her alive, but through diligent feeding and care she starting perking right up. Still feeling so lost over my dad, I clung to her. She provided me with love and compassion from that very day she came home with me. During my crying periods, she was there, looking at me with those big black eyes and staying close to me. She knew just when to give me that extra special attention. I love her so much.

Sam, the dog

When Sam was a puppy, he was a "puppy from hell." He got into so much trouble, we didn’t know what to do with him. He destroyed our kitchen. He got into cabinets and destroyed boxes of rice and bags of cereal that ended up all over the floor. Bottles of soy sauce landed on top of the counter right side up! Nothing was left in the cabinets. Sam tore the curtains down from the sliding doors in the kitchen. He thought that that was a lot of fun. He then proceeded to the walls and chewed through them. By the time we came home from work, Sam had made the kitchen into a war zone. He was standing, tail wagging, on top of the curtains, which were on top of the pieces of sheet rock, which were on top of the pieces of flooring! He was so proud of himself and wanted us to tell him how good he was.

Well, the years have gone by and Sam is now four years old and as good as gold.He just loves his bed, which is in the new designer kitchen. If you ever need a reason to remodel any room of your house, just get a puppy and leave him alone in it. He will tell you exactly what needs to be changed.

Dela, the Siamese mix

My cat, Dela, has decided she needs a new career, so she has taken up car mechanics.Every afternoon, she goes outside and lies under my new car, with her legs sticking out, to check out the engine.

Buddy, the black Labrador Retriever

Buddy loves to stick his head in between the pillows of the sectional couch, stick his backside in the air, and stay like that for 10 minutes or more!

Spanky, the tabby cat

I live in an apartment in New York City. One night at about 2 a.m., I woke up suddenly when I heard a noise outside. I didn’t realize at first that it was right outside my bedroom window. Then I saw someone standing on the fire escape looking in at my wife and I while trying to open the window! The next thing I heard was Spanky running in from her bed in the living room and growling like a trained guard dog. She jumped up on the bed and threw herself at the window like a linebacker. She scared the burglar and me! I never heard a cat growl before, let alone guard her house. In a flash the burglar was gone and up on the roof. When the police came, Spanky growled because they had their guns drawn. When the police finished checking the roof, Spanky ran into the hallway and sent them on their way with a liberal dose of her hair around their ankles. She was truly a hero that night and has been to me ever since.

Hercules, the Pekingese

Hercules’ room is our laundry room.One day the laundry basket was empty and this was something he had not seen since we got him. He is 9 months old. He started barking and growling at the empty basket as if it were a monster. Since then I have used that as an excuse to be behind on our laundry.

Sophie, the cat

Sophie was given to me by a friend to take care of for a short time, 5 years ago.My friend’s girlfriend was allergic and so he needed to find a new home for her. I said I would watch her for a few weeks while he looked for a new home for her. My landlord at the time said that I was not to have any animals; however, I thought that for a short time he wouldn’t mind. I hadn’t had a chance to ask him about it when Sophie arrived. It was a day when my landlord decided to come for a visit. When I opened the door, Sophie decided to greet him! I started to stammer and try to explain that it was only temporary, when he said that it was okay for awhile. My first weekend with her, my son, who was in the Marines, was missing overseas. The three days when I didn’t know where he was or if he was okay were the first three days of Sophie and me being together.She was all I had to talk to, and she did listen. She snuggled and purred and let me know that I was going to make it through. People just don’t understand a time like that, but she did.I let her previous owner know after that weekend that she was mine for good, and I could never give her back. He agreed, and so did my landlord, that Sophie was a gift delivered to me at a time when she was very much needed.

Emerson, the Cocker Spaniel

Emerson has a habit of passing gas, and when he does, it scares him to death! He will chase his tail for a few minutes, then pass gas, then jump in my lap from fear and stay there until he thinks it is safe to return to the floor. It doesn’t matter where I am! If he passes gas, he is in my lap. He has jumped on me when I am in the bathtub, when I am sitting at the dining room table eating dinner, and when I have company over and we are in the living room. The look on his face is the funniest thing I have ever seen. He looks at me like he is trying to say "Mommy, what was that and is everything okay?" He is very sweet but very dumb. I love him so much, even when he passes gas.