Sometimes people are blessed with a visit from a wild animal. While some people might decide to shoo them away, others make them feel right at home.
Like one woman, who found a wild toad making a little home for himself in a very surprising place — but instead of getting rid of him, she went out of her way to make him feel welcome.
Last summer, a woman named Sita Hood found a toad on her front porch, who decided he liked where he was and made himself at home.
He even found a cozy little spot to claim for himself: Sita’s shoe.
Most people would’ve instinctively tossed the toad out, or at least removed him from the shoe.
But Sita, seeing how happy and cozy the toad was, decided to let him stay — even if it meant not getting to wear a pair of sneakers.
“Donating my shoe was no big deal,” Sita told The Dodo. “If it afforded her comfort or protection, why not?”
The toad continued to stick around her porch, to the point where he became sort of an unofficial pet. She named him “Jabba the Toad,” and would make sure her houseguest felt right at home.
“I started leaving the light on to attract bugs for Jabba,” Sita said.
At the end of the summer, Jabba disappeared to hibernate for the winter. But the next year, he was back, snuggling up in the same sneaker, and Sita was as hospitable as ever.
However, not everyone understood their unusual arrangement.
“A well-meaning friend picked up my shoes, and put Jabba in the flower bed,” Sita told The Dodo. “I put my shoes back and, undeterred, Jabba was back later that night.”
So she put up a sign explaining that the shoes were Jabba’s official home — and the toad was clearly thrilled:
The hilarious photo went viral on Facebook, bringing Jabba’s story to the world.
Jabba eventually hopped away, just like he did last year. Sita can’t know for sure if he’ll return next Summer. But she’s grateful for the times they’ve shared over the past two summers.
“I was grateful and delighted to have a friendship with Jabba,” Sita said. “We are all part of the web of life, and on good days, [are] all here for each other.”
What a great friendship! It’s always inspiring when people open their hearts (and shoes) to wild animals.
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