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's program features Trish Burke, benevolent founder of Pets Haven Pro Life Animal Shelter, in Woodend, Victoria, Australia. Before starting the Shelter, Ms. Burke ran a pet supply store and saw numerous animals being abandoned, witnessed unwanted litters of dogs and cats being sent to the pound and learned about the horrors of the puppy mill industry.

Deeply affected, she decided to do something to help the innocent beings. In April 2007, her dream of establishing her own compassionate animal shelter finally became a reality. Hers is a “no-kill” facility, meaning animal residents can stay at the Shelter as long as necessary until they find a safe, caring home.

Using her own funds, for years Ms. Burke and her staff have spayed and neutered, microchipped, vet checked, vaccinated and placed thousands of cats and dogs with loving families. Every year the Shelter re-homes approximately 1,400 animals, with the majority rescued from pounds. With their motto “Adoption is the first option,” Ms. Burke and the Shelter staff have received much well-deserved public attention for their praiseworthy work.

What we do is different. We take in animals that are going to be euthanized; they're going to die. And I think it's appreciated by the community and the media, so their stories of angels, of the strays is particularly about saving these animals who would otherwise be euthanized, and that's cats and dogs.

Let’s now meet some of the Shelter’s beautiful rescued residents.

This is Caroline. Caroline is around about two to three years old. She found herself in a pound, a death row pound, where they euthanize animals. She was heavily pregnant. She was due to have her babies at any time.

Unfortunately for Caroline, she couldn’t communicate verbally and say, “Hey, I need you to save me so that I can save my babies.” She was luckily saved by us and she has given birth to five beautiful little babies, and she is a sensational mother.

And you've got cats here and some can’t even be touched by humans, is that right?

Yes. I have to get these cats here, because they're scared and I think that they've been damaged by humans. And in the outside big world nobody would probably want to take them on. If there’s a cute, cuddly kitten, and there's this one that’s been damaged somehow and is struggling, but living here, they're happy, they're fed, they come up for a cuddle, and slowly, slowly they're coming around.

You know there was one, just five minutes ago, that I’ve never picked up before. I just picked up a cat I’ve never picked up before, (Okay) ever. (Okay.) So, that was quite nice. (Yes.) Yes. So… humans can do wonderful things.

There are lots of beautiful human beings, but humans can be pretty mean. And these animals are harboring something. They're struggling because of something a human did to them, and the only way that they can trust again is time, time and love.

When Lily was found, she had not had food or water for a long time because of neglect. She has a serious disability, but this does not affect the loving spirit of this wondrous canine.

Lily is a Golden Retriever. She was used as a breeding dog and the person that owned Lily left her in an unattended house for a period of many days. She found herself in a pound. She was blind. The pound, who I had never dealt with before, called me and asked if I could save her, which I did. I took her to an eye specialist to see if we could have laser surgery, and have her sight back.

But, unfortunately, she had a disease and we couldn’t do that. We had to de-sex her. We took her into the appropriate veterinary clinic, and while she was having surgery, when she was opened up it was found that she had mammary cancer, which is breast cancer for dogs. The vet thought it would be best for Lily to be released, and to be euthanized, because she had the eye problem, and now the mammary cancer.

And she was on the operating table when they called me, but I couldn’t say “yes.” I couldn’t say “yes” to Lily. She endured so much; she was a breeding dog; she was never shown love; the person that owned her wasn’t a very nice person and it was my chance to give Lily a life, and I wasn’t going to take that from her. And she's here, and she's happy, and she's well.

When we return, we’ll hear more from the kindhearted Trish Burke and meet more of her loving rescued friends. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Welcome back to the Shining World Compassion Award series, featuring the inspiring, pure-hearted Trish Burke, founder of Pets Haven Pro Life Animal Shelter in Woodend, Victoria, Australia. Ms. Burke and the wonderful staff and volunteers at Pets Haven have rescued many animals such as these next three puppies.

Last night I was at a pound picking up an English Staffordshire terrier, when a man brought in these three dogs which had been found wandering around at a lagoon. And it’s a common dropping off area for animals that people no longer want. So, these puppies were really dumped, and… pretty sad. But they look to me, personally, that they're from the same litter. (Yes.)

So, it’s obviously someone that’s had the puppies, they're around about four to five months old, they don’t want them, and they've gone out and they’ve dumped them.

Okay. So what will happen with these ones? This is the first time you've touched them today, I understand.

It is. I picked them up very late last night and let them in here to settle. They'll stay with me for a couple of weeks, because they're a little bit scared and unsure. And they've got all my dogs to learn from and to feel comfortable with. And then, when I feel the time is right, they’ll have all their de-sexing done, and they’ll be placed up for adoption.

Learning of Ms. Burke’s loving kindness and selfless efforts to help abandoned animals and to save those living in pounds from euthanasia, Supreme Master Ching Hai recently honored this champion of animals with the prestigious Shining World Compassion Award.

On Master’s behalf, our local Association members presented Ms. Burke with a splendid crystal Award plaque, a framed letter of appreciation, a US$10,000 contribution to the Shelter and several gifts including Master’s #1 international best sellers “The Birds In My Life, “The Dogs In My Life,” and “The Noble Wilds.”

The following is an excerpt from Supreme Master Ching Hai’s warm letter of appreciation to Trish Burke.

Dear Ms. Burke, It is with great pleasure and gratitude that we present to you The Shining World Compassion Award. This Award is presented in recognition of the gift of life you’ve given to thousands of co-inhabitants, your selfless and sacrificing spirit of service to animals, and compassion that brings love into our world and touches the heart of humanity.

Your noble, kind-hearted policy of “Adoption is the first option” and no-time limit save their lives, bringing joy to families and praise from Heaven. Your pure heart of love is the ideology which governs your life and the way you treat the creatures under your wing. On behalf of all the lives saved, we thank you Trish. You are uplifting our world with your inspirational example of love.

Thank you so much. That’s a little bit overwhelming, and my love to Master Ching Hai, to think of me. And it’s overwhelming, in her world, that she noticed me. And I guess I’m a little bit lost for words, because you’re reading that to me, it’s a lot to take in. So there’s so many good people, though. There’s so many more people like me and I’m really humble and my gratitude. I’m overwhelmed in accepting it. Thank you.

We have an Award for you, a plaque.

That is absolutely beautiful – beautiful, stunning. I will display this with much love, and when I feel those times, because we all feel those times when we want to, walk away or close our eyes, I’ll think of Master Ching Hai and I’ll look at this, and I will look at the beauty, and I will see her and I’ll see all of you for this support. Thank you.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has also sent over a check for you. (Wonderful.) It’s for US$10,000. (Wow!)

Thank you so much. This is truly overwhelming. It’s truly amazing, overwhelming, unexpected and humbling. And like I said earlier to you, that for me, I would rather give, so accepting, it’s pretty overwhelming and hard. I don’t know what words to use, but I’m certainly eternally grateful. Thank you.

I’m thinking that maybe Master Ching Hai and I have similar lives with all the animals that we have; totally different parts of the world, but maybe the same type of heart.

Later Trish Burke sent a thoughtful letter to Supreme Master Ching Hai thanking her for recognizing the work of her organization. The following is a short excerpt from her letter:

I feel every living soul has the right to live and die with dignity; I hope I can change the despair for many of our four legged friends and maybe become just a little like Master Ching Hai. I am writing this from my heart, my heart now is pounding, as I am trying to find the right words in saying how grateful I am. May Angels watch over all of you My deepest Love, Trish Burke

Ms. Burke, we truly appreciate your loving dedication to saving the lives of precious felines and canines and finding them happy, loving homes. God bless your noble heart.

To learn more about Pets Haven Pro Life Animal Shelter, please visit www.PetsHaven.com.au

Thank you for joining us today for this edition of the Shining World Compassion Award series. Coming up next is Enlightening Entertainment after Noteworthy News. May love and happiness forever fill all lives.