Ellie, the baby elephant, has had a run of bad luck. When rescuers found him, he was terribly sick and needed round-the-clock medical care. It would take a lot of work to help him get well.
The baby had been abandoned by his herd, which is quite rare. Most elephants, especially young ones, do not survive without the nurture and protection of their family.
Ellie was brought back to the rescue center, where doctors quickly found out he was milk intolerant. This made caring for her even more difficult.
One of the biggest physical needs was Ellie’s umbilical hernia. He needed surgery right away to fix this issue since his belly button was just an open wound that was severely infected.
The doctors were able to heal his wounds and provide the proper nutrition. However, Ellie needed a major morale boost so that he would continue to progress and grow.
This is where Duma, the German Shepherd, joined the care team at the animal rescue center. Because Ellie was so small, Duma made the perfect playmate.
The two unlikely friends became inseparable. Duma greatly cheered up the elephant calf and helped Ellie regain a bit of joy. Duma became very protective of her new large friend, and Ellie welcomed the motherly companion.
