Tara and Bella

I've been feeling really depressed with some of the posts I've been reading lately. The 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, upsetting videos of beheadings, Syria, Russia & Ukraine the list goes on!

Today I watched an old video which made me feel a little better. It's only a few minutes long so I thought I'd share it with you.

I especially liked the ending comments from the reporter,,,,

" Take a good look America. Take a good look world. If they can do it, what's our excuse? "

I did a search for this and nothing showed, if it has already been posted, apologies.

a reply to: Holist1c

Beautiful story, OP! Thank you! Definitely needed a pic me up in these crazy times!

Amazing...


I almost regret looking for a follow-up to this story. I wondered if they were both still living, or if one had passed on and how the other dealt with it.

Here is what I found... prepare your kleenex!

source: www.cbsnews.com...

note: there is a video at the above link

For nearly a decade, Tarra had been best friends with a dog named Bella, a mutt who wandered onto the sanctuary grounds and into the heart of the gentle giant. Tarra clearly loved her little dog and Bella obviously bonded right back.

...

Last week, sanctuary workers found Bella's body. By all indications she'd been attacked by coyotes. Whether Tarra witnessed it, tried to intervene or was too late - no one knows. All they do know is that where they found Bella is not where she was attacked.

"When I looked around and saw there was no signs of an attack here. No blood, no tuffs of hair, nothing," said director of elephant husbandry, Steve Smith. "And Tarra, on the underside of her trunk, had blood - as if she picked up the body.

Tarra moved her?

"Tarra moved her," Smith said.

Steve's theory is Tarra carried Bella possibly a mile or more to bring her home.

Whether it really happened that way or not, no one doubts Tarra was that devoted.

"There's nothing we can do to take away her pain," said Atkinson. "The only ones who can help now are the elephants. And that is already happening."

Atkinson said the elephants are "stepping in and stepping up." He said they're spending more time with Tarra and being extra nice - making gestures like giving her a portion of their food.

Of course, anyone who's lost a dog knows you can't eat your way out of the grief - as much we might try -- but still nice to know at least Tarra's not alone in this.

It's also nice to see that compassion is much more than just human.

It's sweet that the other elephants were trying to help Tarra with her grief. This story just shows that the capacity for love and friendship are not uniquely human.

a reply to: VegHead

Kleenex indeed! Thanks for the update VegHead!

These 2 must of had an amazing bond, unconditional love & friendship.

a reply to: VegHead

This episode also shows significant cognitive and emotional abilities in the elephants which are not considered universal among animals. Most importantly that the elephants had a substantial and deep "theory of mind", meaning that they could abstract from their own experiences to imagine experiences and emotions of others. This is considered a very high-level property.

a) dog's body was brought back to the group
b) other elephants saw the body
c) they recognized that Tarra was devoted to the now dead dog
d) recognized that 'dead' means 'dead' and how that hurts
e) recognized the interior feeling of the Tarra's mind and & emotion (*key*) to act upon it

I logged in to thank Holist1c for posting this, it really made me smile, a real feel good video.

Then I read VegHead's post ...

I find myself sitting here thinking of the video I watched recently showing the heartbreak of Ebola and didn't shed one tear. Yes, I felt bad that people were suffering and having to watch their loved ones die from a frightening disease but that was it.

I read an article such as this sad ending for Tara and Bella and cry like a baby. I sometimes just don't get my psyche.

But any how, thanks to both Holist1c and VegHead for the feel good and the tears.