The Story Of Tarra And Bella, An Elephant And A Homeless Dog Who Were Great Friends

A mother elephant named Tarra at a 2,000-acre sanctuary for elephants in Nashville, Tennessee, once more showed the compassion of the animal kingdom by lamenting the loss of her best companion, a stray white dog named Bella.

They used to enjoy playing, eating, drinking, and even cuddling up to sleep together with their companions. Bella was kind to everyone as she walked around the temple grounds.

Bella was tragically killed by a coyote in 2011. The personnel at the shelter discovered her dead, but oddly, there were no signs of a battle, blood, or hair around. Because of this, it is thought that the location where she was discovered was not the scene of the incident.

Since Tarra was covered in blood, it is likely that she attempted to carry her friend’s body home after the attack.

Elephant breeder Steve Smith said:

“I saw there were no indications of an attack here when I turned to look around. Tarra had blood on the bottom half of her trunk, as if she had picked up the body, but there was no blood, no hair, nothing.

The sanctuary’s CEO, Rob Atkinson, said:

The notion that she was unable to take that body back home with her is both painful and inspirational.

Because of their close relationship, the elephant was able to tell when Bella felt uneasy.

Bella once had a severe spinal cord injury and needed three weeks to recuperate. Tarra waited outside the home for her throughout this period, eager to see her.

The staff decided to take Bella out every day so they could enjoy her company a bit after observing Tarra’s misery.

Undoubtedly, this pair’s bond managed to touch the hearts of many people, and once Bella passed away, Tarra developed a deep sense of sadness.

Says Rob

“Undoubtedly, he seemed completely different. She grew more circumspect and composed, and she was melancholy.