Baby Elephant Banished By His Family Feels Unworthy, But A Dog Changes His Life

The Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage is dedicated to saving rhinos from poachers, writes ilovemydogsomuch

But the workers also take in other wildlife animals who are in dire straits. This is the story of Ellie the baby elephant who was rejected by his mother and kicked out by his herd, and how one dog helped him survive despite mounting odds!

Ellie’s initial days at the sanctuary were extremely volatile. The traumatized baby elephant would confine himself to a corner and moan in agony. Rehab expert Karen Trendler tried to feed him hand-made formula, but Ellie refused all food and avoided human interaction. On top of that, the baby’s umbilical hernia further dimmed his chances of survival.

As elephants are inherently very social creatures, Karen understood that Ellie’s loneliness only aggravated his failing health. That’s when she introduced him to Duma, a German Shepherd who had just retired as a sniffing dog. Duma immediately accepted Ellie as a companion and he motivated the elephant to find his will to live again with his loving presence!

As Ellie’s mental health improved thanks to his blossoming bond with Duma, his physical health also stabilized and he began thriving! These days, the baby elephant makes sure Duma stays by his side at all times, while the dog has become super protective of his large buddy too. Despite their many differences, Duma will always be Ellie’s superhero!

Click the video below to watch how Duma chased away Ellie’s self-sabotaging loneliness with his warm friendship!