Animals are not just our companions, they are our heroes – guarding our homes, working as service dogs, and even rescuing their families from burning buildings. As TVMF celebrates its 40th Anniversary, we want to take a moment to recognize some of the extraordinary animals that have been inducted into the Texas Animal Hall of Fame.

In this week’s edition, we’d like to honor TVMF’s Texas Animal Hall of Fame winner, a Siamese named Prissy.

Inducted: December 1996
Owned by: Sondra Schieberle
Nominated by: Dr. William Campaigne

Because of work and a family crisis, Seguin resident Sondra Schieberle had not slept in 48 hours when she came home on Sept. 11, 1995. She started to heat some grease in her kitchen to put it in a container, and then went to her bedroom, where she fell asleep on the bed.

A grease fire began in the kitchen and began spreading to other rooms. Mrs. Schieberle’s cat, Prissy, began to knead on the chest and lick the face of the slumbering Mrs. Schieberle to try to wake her.

The cat’s actions and frantic meowing woke her owner, allowing Mrs. Schieberle enough time to escape and summon help.

Firemen later reported that if Prissy hadn’t woken her owner up, Mrs. Schieberle and the house might not have survived.

“My husband has never been much of a cat lover, but since the fire he has had a totally different attitude toward Prissy,” said Mrs. Schierberle. “She is definitely my hero.”