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.

G'day beautiful viewers! Welcome to Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. Australia is blessed with abundance of native wildlife, so plentiful that a variety of species typically can be found in an Australian family’s backyard. However, for those animals living in urban environments, they are vulnerable to such hazards as power lines and moving vehicles.

Concerned with these issues, a group of compassionate souls from all over the city of Brisbane formed the Brisbane Carers Group, a virtual sanctuary in the heart of the metro which cares for injured, homeless, and orphaned animals of all kinds. Some of these dedicated volunteers work during the day to earn money to care for the animals; others are retirees who devote their days and nights to solely nurturing and looking after our beautiful animal friends.

In this second of our two part series we honor more members of this dedicated team of wildlife carers, rescuers and protectors. In recognition of their noble deeds, Supreme Master Ching Hai has honored the group with the Shining World Compassion Award for making a true difference in the lives of Brisbane’s animals and for being wonderful model citizens, not only of Brisbane but also of our planetary home.

Now let’s meet Irene Robertson, an unsung hero for many reasons: she is a vegetarian, a policewoman and a protector of the animals!

I have been a wildlife carer and rescuer and educator for almost 30 years. My wildlife days started in Sydney (Australia) many, many, many years ago. There was an orphaned baby ringtail that my brother was looking after. I didn’t know the ins and outs, but I knew that wildlife needed more special care than raising a little kitten.

So unfortunately I just got this baby and gave TLC (tender loving care) at the very, very, last days of life. I was very distraught when this possum died; my goodness I was extremely distraught, and I promised him through tears that I would do my thing for wildlife and that his death wasn’t in vain.

And the very next week I resigned from an extremely well-paying executive position and I became a wild life carer.

Through her involvement with animal advocacy causes, Irene decided that meat is “packaged cruelty.”

When I found out where all that wrapped meat in the supermarket comes from and what happens to those animals to get there, I was just so disgusted.

That kind of really made me go “No, you are not going to do this.” And it was really, really hard because I came from a very big meat- eating family but eventually I did it.

Ms. Robertson says that rescued possums that have been re-introduced into the wild remember and are grateful to their former caregivers.

So many other times we’ve gone to release sites to release hand-raised possums to put them into soft-release aviaries, and possums which have been released in previous years, they come down with their babies. And it’s like they’ve come to show you the babies, “Hey Mom, I made it! Look, here are my babies now.”

Next, we’ll meet Lexie, a retiree who loves looking after animals. She dedicates all her time to heal and nurture badly injured animals, including instances where they have been poisoned. Ratsak, a type of rat poison in Australia, besides being an inhumane way of treating rats, frequently harms all sorts of other animal life.

I care for mountain possums and brush-tail possums. I do a lot of the very sick ones that come in. I do the triage work on them. I sew them back together. I get them through the poisoning stages.

A lot of poison that come through is Ratsak poisoning, so we have to inject them with vitamin K and give them a diet high in green leafy vegetables which helps clot the blood.

I enjoy rescuing them and they give you lots of love and affection. It's very rewarding.

They reach up and they kiss you and they touch you and they rub against you. And it's just worthwhile. It's just beautiful.

Rebecca, daughter of Lexie, was inspired by her mother’s kind-hearted work and is also a loving wildlife carer.

A lot of my university friends are like, “What, possums? You look after possums?” And even at high school I was caring for the ringies

They are smaller and a lot more fragile, as my mom mentioned earlier. And then they see how gentle and caring they are and immediately they go “Wow” and they fall in love and they do everything they can to help.

When we return, we’ll meet Fran Sanders, another compassionate member of the Brisbane Carers Group who dedicates long hours looking after the animals. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Welcome back to Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. We are in Brisbane, Australia celebrating the Brisbane Carers Group that has created a virtual sanctuary in the heart of the city dedicated to promoting the welfare of our noble animal co-inhabitants. Fran Sanders, a retiree and a vegetarian devotes all her time to a menagerie of beautiful beings.

I am a bird carer, carer (of) wild birds, and I’ve been doing it for probably 17or18 years. I probably care for about around 800 birds a year, most of those are orphaned babies, but (I) get quite a few injured adults as well.

I have had a passion for animals from when I was a toddler.

I can remember I refused to eat chicken when I was a kid. I’m vegetarian. I have been vegetarian 35-40 years.

I’ve looked after animals all my life.

Another laudable aspect of the Brisbane Carers Group is how well its member cooperate and share the load so as to effectively manage the large numbers of animals that need their aid especially during the warmer months of the year.

The only way we can actually survive the spring and summer, is to basically coordinate our efforts and work together. So, we have about 20 people to 30 people, and that goes from here up to North Brisbane. We work together and we coordinate our efforts.

A couple of them specialize in baby parrots, a couple of us specialize in magpies, and tawny frogmouths. Others specialize in the tiny little honey eaters, little finches and things like that. So we coordinate and we have an idea whose aviary has what in it at what time, and where we can put the next ones to the next stage and things like that, (and) move things around.

And then we’ve got some retired people that want to do something useful and make a difference. And they’ll take two to four (possums) at a time. You ring up and just say: “I am swamped!” And they’ll always go: “There’s always room for one more.”

My friend Taryn always says, "The Universe will provide. Just ask and the Universe will provide."

For their outstanding efforts to save, protect and nurture animals, Supreme Master Ching Hai has honored the Brisbane Carers Group with the Shining World Compassion Award. At the presentation ceremony, the volunteers were given an assortment of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s DVDs and books including the #1 international best-sellers “The Dogs In My Life” and “The Noble Wilds.”

In addition, Supreme Master Ching Hai awarded AUD$2,000 each to Irene Robertson, Lexie Scott, and Fran Sanders so that they are able to render aid to even more animals in the future. The following is an excerpt from a kind-hearted letter sent by Supreme Master Ching Hai to the members of the group:

Exemplarily volunteers, it is with great pleasure and gratitude that we present to you all the Shining World Compassion Award. This award is presented in recognition for your outstanding efforts as wildlife protectors. Compassionately responding to their needs, you have united to create a virtual sanctuary within the city limits to rescue injured, stray or sick animals. Each care taker specializes in one or more species getting calls from local councils, vets or the public.

Many of the volunteers have sacrificed everything including personal lives, finances and freedom in order to protect and nurture God's precious creatures back to health. Irene is typical, a vegetarian police woman by day, guardian of the meek by night. . Lexie, living off an oxygen tank, yet refuses to give up on her precious companions. Fran, dedicated to re-home her menagerie of over 80 cherished beings and many more devoted rescuers.

Individually you are a shining example of how one person can make a difference. Together, you form a humble haven of tranquility ideal for the appreciative beings under your guardianship. Thank you, noble care givers for uplifting our world with your inspirational examples of love in action, for selflessly caring for animals in need, for your vision, wisdom, high ideals and kind hearted benevolence and for being dedicated and noble role models.

We hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate deeds of the saintly volunteer wildlife protectors of the Brisbane Carers group. With Great Honor, Love and Blessings, the Supreme Master Ching Hai.

On behalf of all of the members of the Brisbane Carers Group, Irene, Fran and Lexie, expressed sincere appreciation for the recognition of their organization’s humble work.

Thank you very much. It means a great deal to us. It’s amazing how wonderful it feels to actually have some acknowledgment. The animals really are the focus of our lives and we work our lives around the animals.

Thank you so much. It’s just a wonderful thing to have some assistance and some support in this way.

It’s just the most wonderfully rewarding activity that I could possibly do. So thank you so much.

It’s just thank you. Thank you.

Congratulations once again to the Brisbane Carers Group for receiving the Shining World Compassion Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai. With your every-ready assistance available to the animals of Brisbane, surely they will continue to thrive in happiness and safety.

Wise viewers, we enjoyed your company today on Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. Coming up next is Enlightening Entertainment, after Noteworthy News. May virtue and beauty illuminate our world.

We have people with horrible rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. John MacDougall asks his patients to adopt a starch-based diet free of animal products. What happens when they do?

Their pain and swelling stop within a matter of a few days to couple of weeks. Blood pressures almost always drops in 48 hours. Cholesterol drops, about 20 to 35 points in 7 days.

Learn more about the healing effects of a plant-based diet on Part 2 of “John McDougall, Enjoy Optimal Health for a Life” this Monday, December 21 on Healthy Living.