The Aces of Your Hearts

From heartwarming family fare like "Benji" or classic tearjerkers like "Old Yeller," Hollywood has a tried-and-true tradition of turning to pet stories for inspiration. Fox Faith has a new DVD release that celebrates those faithful friends with four paws, "Ace of Hearts."

Based on a true story, "Ace of Hearts" is the tale of a police officer and his daughter as they are brought closer together when their dog, Ace, is accused of a crime and they must prove his innocence.

Plenty of Beliefnet readers also have stories of the heroic deeds and unconditional love of their pets, from a reader who says her dog is an angel sent by God to one whose cat helped her through the death of a loved one.

Click through the gallery to read the anecdotes of how pets can change the lives of those around them.

Filling The Void

I have been diagnosed with major depression. I do quite well on my medication; in fact, about 10 years ago I was doing so well and happy with my life that my husband and I decided that it was the perfect time to bring a baby into our lives. I changed medications (to ones that were safe to use during pregnancy) and within 3 weeks I was so suicidal that I had to go back to my old meds which weren't safe to conceive on. I was so distraught that I couldn't have children because I couldn't stay off my dangerous medications, when one afternoon, a puppy comes walking up to me while I was outside watering the yard. He was a little dirty and definitely thirsty and hungry. No one claimed him.

Anyway, he pretty much filled the void I had from not being able to have children and he has seen me through my ups and downs of depression and on many occasions saved my life just by existing. Killing myself at that point in my life just was not an option. I believe God sent me an angel to help me through what I couldn't handle.

--vsparky

Rescue Me

[When I was going through a terrible divorce], there was a night I had actually purchased sleeping pills--I just couldn't deal with the whole thing any more--but was not committed, completely, to taking them. I was on the sofa, crying uncontrollably, trying to make up my mind and my cat Guinnie sat on the back, watching me.

Just as I was really convincing myself, she walked over and slapped me. Seriously.

Well, she put out her paw and *held* my arm--with her claws, but not hard enough to draw blood--and stared at me. Of course, I translated it as, "Mom, you can do this. You can get through this. Chill."

And it worked. Threw the pills away, got some help, got through the divorce and have been very, very happy since.

--Ithilien