This is probably one of the cutest stories about animals I’ve seen in a while, and what animal advocate couldn’t use a good pick-me-up every now and then, right??
It is a story about a very unlikely couple: Tarra the elephant and Bella the dog. They found each other at Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. Each showed up all alone, but soon found comfort in the other’s presence. They know they’re not the same species, but it doesn’t seem to bother them at all–they’re friends through and through.
When people try to argue that non-human animals are mindless dolts (which, to be fair, isn’t often argued about dogs, but still…), I like to point to stories like this, which to me so clearly illustrates how complex and emotional non-human animals really are:
Tarra and Bella have been close for years — but no one really knew how close they were until recently. A few months ago Bella suffered a spinal cord injury. She couldn’t move her legs, couldn’t even wag her tail.
For three weeks the dog lay motionless up in the sanctuary office. And for three weeks the elephant held vigil: 2,700 acres to roam free, and Tarra just stood in the corner, beside a gate, right outside that sanctuary office.
“She just stood outside the balcony – just stood there and waited,” says Buckley. “She was concerned about her friend.”
Watch the video – totally worth your time, I promise – to see the full story, including watching Tarra’s giant foot pet Bella’s furry belly!
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I love this video! It’s the way things should be… a peaceable kingdom. And of course animals have complex, social lives – we’re just too wrapped in ourselves as a culture to notice or care. Thank goodness all this is changing – creating a more compassionate world –
Thanks for passing on this very touching story 🙂
That story makes me teary-eyed every time I watch it. It’s not just the inter-species quality of their friendship that I find fascinating, but the comparison to us and our relationships with dogs. It seems that Tarra has found the same qualities in Bella that I find in Mina – loyalty, love, companionship and a joyful silliness.
Eles are freakin’ genius, I swear.
s.
That was just beautiful! Those two are inseperable, and it brought a tear to my eye to see Bella pining for Tarra. She genuinely missed her friend. And Tarra clearly trusts Bella with her life.
So many *warm and fuzzies* from watching that video, thanks for sharing it!
That’s so sweet!! :o)
Thanks for sharing.
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