Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/stray-dog-befriends-orphaned-deer/

Although it may be true that birds of a feather flock together, there are also times when birds of a completely different feather bond together nicely.

We see evidence of this in the world around us if we look closely enough. Perhaps it is a dog and cat living in our home or animals in the wild that seem to get along.

At Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri, there was evidence of this when a stray dog became friends with an orphaned deer.

According to KMBC 9, it all started when the young doe became orphaned when her mother was killed in traffic. She lives near the cemetery and will often be seen during funerals or other events. A few weeks ago, a female Shar Pei mix showed up, and the two of them became friends almost immediately.

Deer live in the wild, but dogs do better if they live in a home. That is why Elmwood Cemetery officials wanted to save the dog and place her with a local rescue.

Winter was getting close, and people felt it would be better for the dog and the deer if the dog had an outside shelter. The officials thought that other stray dogs might show up, and the deer could be put in danger.

Another concern was the dog’s needs, such as clean water and regular feeding. They decided to get in touch with an animal rescue, Wayside Waifs.

That rescue is a no-kill animal shelter, and they wanted to do what was necessary to help the dog be safe and healthy. They lured her into a trap, and the deer was right there when she was caught.

In speaking with a local news station, Jennie Rinas from the rescue said that deer are better equipped to survive in the wild during the wintertime because it is their natural habitat. Leaving the dog out without food and water is inhumane.

A trustee of the cemetery, Bruce Matthews, sent an email saying how Ella, the deer, was there by the van when they took the dog away. He spoke about how it broke his heart, but it was necessary.

Currently, they have not named the dog but are calling him ET. That is short for EpiTaph, and they are also thinking about calling her Elmwood. She would need to be socialized, and even though she is less than a year old, she has already learned to be timid.

According to KMBC 9, Bruce hopes that the dog will be brought back after adoption to visit the deer. He said: “The family who does adopt her is more than welcome to bring the pooch back out to visit with Ella anytime they want to.”

Unfortunately, this story does not have a happy ending. The two animals were not able to reunite because, about six months later, the deer was shot. Security guards for the cemetery found her one evening as they were closing things.

This really upset Bruce Matthews, who spoke with a news station saying: “The rational mind can’t try to even figure something like this out. Everybody who looked after her, everybody who would come to visit the cemetery, the officers from the East Patrol station – all I can say is it was somebody with a hard heart and confused mind.”

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They may not have been friends very long, but hopefully, it is something that the dog will remember for the rest of her life.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog