Today’s Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants will be presented in Spanish, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai

Everywhere in the world, we can observe and be touched by acts of kindness. People from all walks of life, faiths, and cultures extend themselves beyond the call of duty to help others unconditionally. Through their noble deeds, humanity as a whole is elevated.

To commend virtuous actions and encourage more people to be inspired by their examples, Supreme Master Ching Hai has lovingly created a series of awards, including the Shining World Leadership Award, Shining World Compassion Award, Shining World Hero and Heroine Awards, Shining World Honesty Award, Shining World Protection Award, Shining World Intelligence Award, and Shining World Inventor Award, to recognize some of the most exemplary, generous, caring, and courageous people who walk amongst us.

Today we travel to Siquirres, a small town in the Central American nation of Costa Rica to meet Mr. Adán Pérez and his kind, beloved canine companion Pelusa. The pair saved the life of their elderly neighbor, an 81-year old man named Mr. Arguedas. When local residents repeatedly tore down Mr. Arguedas’ makeshift house, Mr. Pérez kindly offered him a piece of land on his own property where his neighbor could live in peace.

Then one day Mr. Arguedas suddenly disappeared from his home and no one knew his whereabouts. Three days later, Mr. Pérez and Pelusa set out to try and find the gentleman.

So I was looking for the man and she (Pelusa) walked behind me and all that. And then they came to fetch me. So I came here, I came back (home) and she stayed there. Then, after a while, I heard her barking, barking desperately and I went to her. She had already found the man. The man was face down.

So Pelusa alerted you several times that the man was there.

She was desperately barking and everything. And she found him, yes.

Lying several meters below a path, Mr. Arguedas was wounded and severely dehydrated. Adán Pérez and his family quickly called the Red Cross, who provided the injured man with medical care and then took him to the hospital. When reports of this courageous event were published in the national newspapers, some of the elderly gentleman’s family members, who had lost contact with him for many years, were joyfully re-united with him.

Upon hearing of their noble, caring deed, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Mr. Adán Pérez with the Shining World Hero Award and the sensitive, kind-hearted and clever Pelusa with the Shining World Heroine Award. Our local Association members presented the much-deserved honors to the pair. To start the celebration, Mr. Pérez was given a magnificent crystal Award plaque, along with a beautiful, framed letter from Supreme Master Ching Hai. The following is an excerpt from the letter.

Dear Mr. Pérez, It is with much pleasure and gratitude that we present to you the “Shining World Hero Award.” This Award is presented in recognition of your outstanding neighbourly love, to help the homeless and uplift the community spirit with exemplary kindness. Pensioner Mr. Arguedas, now 81 years old, had lived a poor life near a local river, without family contact for almost 30 years. Seeing the locals tear down his makeshift house time and time again, you compassionately offered land on your own property so he could build a home and have peace.

Normally you quite often noticed him about but when you stopped seeing him – you knew something was wrong. That’s when you took your beloved dog Pelusa out for a walk in search of the elderly gentleman. Mr. Arguedas had spent 3 days in the wilderness, injured and completely helpless until found by you and Pelusa, and was then transferred to a local hospital where he received treatment and care.

For showing heartfelt care and concern for a fellow citizen in need, for your generosity and brotherly love, and for being a noble role model, we hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate deeds of good Samaritan Mr. Adán Guillermo Pérez Vargas, hero of Siquirres. With Great Honour, Love and Blessings, Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Mr. Pérez was presented with many gifts from Supreme Master Ching Hai, including t-shirts, one of which has the word “Hero” emblazoned on the front as well as boxes of vegan chocolates, cookies and other food items. He also received a number of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s DVDs, CDs and books, including her #1international bestseller, “The Dogs In My Life.” Adán Pérez was delighted with the gifts and asked that we convey his thanks to Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Well! Thank you very much for everything and thank you but it was not necessary either, well yes, it’s fine, thank you very much

Pelusa also received a splendid crystal Award plaque and a framed letter from Supreme Master Ching Hai. Here is an excerpt from the letter.

Dear Pelusa, It is with much pleasure and gratitude that we present to you the “Shining World Heroine Award.” This Award is presented in recognition of your extraordinary acute senses and brilliant rescue efforts, demonstrating how humankind’s best friend can bring life-saving joy, great blessings and cheer to our world. When your human companion Mr. Pérez took you out for a walk in search for Mr. Arguedas, he could not have wished for a better assistant.

While walking along a hill slope, you picked up an unusual scent. Sensing something amiss, you hesitated and returned to the edge of the cliff and began barking incessantly. Your peculiar behaviour aroused Mr. Pérez who was curious at your insistence. Following you to the cliff, he gave a hard look at the surroundings to discover a man lying below, lodged between a tree and shrubs. He immediately alerted the rescue and emergency crew who soon arrived.

Pelusa, your intuition and swift reaction ended Mr. Arguedas’ ordeal and saved his life! We are very proud of you for being a wonderful friend to those in need! May you enjoy many more fruitful walks! For outstanding love towards humankind, for being alert and aware, and for being a courageous, sensitive and intelligent canine, we hereby applaud and celebrate the heroic deeds of Pelusa – La perrita heroína.

With Best Wishes and All My Love, Supreme Master Ching Hai.

In addition, Supreme Master Ching Hai lovingly sent other presents for the noble little Pelusa, including a doggie bed and pillow, a scarf that has “Pelusa is a heroine with the love of Supreme Master Ching Hai” embroidered on it, vegan dog food, US$200 for veggie dog treats, and a beautiful Shining World Heroine Award coat, custom made for her.

This is for Pelusa, specially made for her for the cold nights or the cold mornings. We will open the gift. It’s an award especially for Pelusa. Let’s put it on her right away!

Pelusa appeared to be very happy with her gifts.

See that beautiful plaque! If you could see Pelusa’s heart, it is beating with excitement. I feel your happiness with this Award and this plaque ... here is the plaque, Pelusa. And we will also deliver delicious vegan food that Master Ching Hai sends. Here is the food!

Pelusa had come to Mr. Pérez as a stray and he was touched that his canine companion, who herself had been rescued, would in turn rescue someone else in need.

What was funny was that someone abandoned her and all, and she did this.

So it was funny too because the dog was abandoned on the street and infected. She had a cut on the head. And still she did that, that gesture, and it has been acknowledged. That’s fine.

She approached your house to live here?

Yes, she was walking there on the path, well, on the street. I saw the cars honking at her, and she did not go. She was afraid, like she did not want to go to any house. Then I took her and I brought her home and I checked and saw she had that affliction, so that’s why they abandoned her, yes.

And apparently she is very happy living here with you.

It seems! It seems. She is happy, you can see. Well she is very affectionate with me. She likes to go everywhere. Even when I go to the grocery store I have to be careful that she doesn’t go after me because she is very companionable.

Members of the local media also attended the ceremony, interviewed Adán Pérez and our Association members, and reported the news of the Award presentation on TV and in the newspapers.

Did you ever think that everything that you both did to save the man would result in this? At any point did it go through your mind that something like this could ever happen to you?

I never expected it. That was a surprise to me, because I didn’t expect it, I did it without any intention and now you come with this and I'm really grateful.

And what do you think about the gifts you have received?

They are very beautiful! Really so beautiful, and it’s a very nice gesture especially for the dog as well, that she been fortunate.

And the dog, how is she? She is different today, is she the same or how has she have been?

Well, she is very embarrassed, but there she is, there she is. She looks very happy, actually.

The first person from Siquirres and the first animal to receive a recognition of this magnitude in 99 years in this county, what does it mean to you?

Yes, for that I'm very proud, I am the first ... imagine that, I mean… it is an honor for me, even more knowing how the dog got here and all that. She was left virtually abandoned and ... I came and picked her up. And for this to happen I feel happy and welcomed a lot!

Mr. Adán Pérez and Pelusa, we are grateful for the love and caring spirit you bring to our world. You are wondrous examples of benevolent neighbors. We wish you many more good times together and all the best in your future, noble endeavors.

Kind viewers, thank you for your gentle presence today on our program. Coming up next is Enlightening Entertainment, after Noteworthy News, here on Supreme Master Television. May all live long, prosperous and fulfilling lives.