Instructions: COMPLETE ALL QUESTIONS AND MARGIN NOTES
Questions/Notes: Answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES unless otherwise instructed. Read the following article carefully and
make notes in the margin as you read.
Your notes should include:
o Comments that show that you understand the article (A summary or statement of the main idea of important sections may
serve this purpose)
o Questions you have that show what you are wondering about as you read.
o Interesting facts or something new that you learned.
o Observations about how the writer’s strategies (organization, word choice, perspective, support).
Student ____________________________Class Period__________________
Dog and Elephant Teach Love, Loyalty
http://woodstock.patch.com/articles/lessons-in-love-and-loyalty#comments_list
The final story of a stray dog and an old elephant touches hearts around the world.
Most of the time we are too busy or too numb to see the wonders that surround us. And the wonders do abound,
ranging from momentary marvels to life-changing events.
But one such wonder was strong enough to capture world-wide attention the past couple of years, thanks to the viral
exchange of Facebook messages and YouTube videos. Yes, an engaging story of an unlikely friendship touched our
hearts and gave us a sense of hope.
The story of Bella and Tarra took place at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, a 2,700 acre refuge established in
1995 for old, sick or needy Asian and Indian elephants removed from zoos and circuses. Elephants brought to the
Sanctuary live in a natural habitat, are well fed, tended by loving caregivers and receive expert veterinary care. They
roam freely throughout the Sanctuary and get to live, for the first time in their lives, like elephants.
Inherently social creatures, these rescued elephants typically bond with other elephant residents. But in 2003, a most
unusual friendship occurred between Tarra, an 8,700 pound Asian elephant, and Bella, a stray dog who wandered
into the habitat.
Bella and Tarra became inseparable. They roamed daily the Sanctuary woods and trails, frolicked in the snow, ate
meals and slept side-by-side. Indeed, the unique bond between these devoted friends was featured in a CBS
newscast in 2009, entitled The Animal Odd Couple. The newscast spread quickly via You Tube and Facebook, and
the story of Bella and Tarra warmed hearts around the globe.
Tragically, little Bella went missing last week and was found dead on Oct. 26 near the barn that served as home base
for her and Tarra. Based on the evidence, it was determined that Bella had been attacked by coyotes. And it appears
as though her devoted companion, Tarra, picked up Bella’s body, cradled it in her trunk and carried Bella from the
place of the attack to a grassy spot near the barn. Tarra carried Bella over a mile and brought her best friend home.
Since Bella’s death, almost daily updates are posted on the Sanctuary’s website regarding Tarra’s response to the
loss of her canine friend. Caregivers have posted their own remembrances of Bella, and a tribute page was added to
the website for the public to post their condolences. The comments have flooded in from around the world.
I’ve cried on and off for several days now over a dog I never met and an elephant’s final act of love for her fallen
friend. And I’m not alone. The outpouring of grief on the social network sites and Bella's tribute page is strong
testimony to how these two animals touched our hearts.
But perhaps we should not have been surprised by this pachyderm-canine bond. Unlikely duos are actually not
uncommon. In a blog article about interspecies friendships, Julia Williams attributes these unique connections to the
animals’ ability to trust enough to form a bond. She believes that humans think too much about differences. Animals,
on the other hand, act from a basic desire for companionship.
As I read examples of interspecies friendships in Williams’ article, I concluded that trusting enough to form a bond is,
in the end, a matter of survival. In other words, companionship yields a greater likelihood of survival.
As a human, I’m probably going to survive whether or not I get along with my next door neighbor. Not so true for a
dog, deer, bird or any animal that requires care and feeding in early stages and mutual cooperation within a pack,
herd or flock thereafter.
So when animals find themselves outside of their milieu, they adapt. When they are orphaned, abandoned, placed in
zoo settings alongside other species, they change their rules in order to survive and thrive. And they do so in
amazing ways, including forming some very unique friendships.
Tarra and Bella adapted and thrived. And they did so with love, grace and trust.
We can learn from there example of resilence. And from Tarra’s final act of love and loyalty.
In between tears, I have tried to understand the intensity of my response to the loss of Bella. Perhaps it stems from
my own sense of guilt. As an animal lover, I am reminded that have not done enough to champion the cause of
abandoned, mistreated and endangered creatures. And there is much to be done, locally and globally.
The founders and caregivers at The Elephant Sanctuary are doing the right thing. I thank them for their work, their
love of the animals and for chronicling for us the happy lives of Tarra and Bella since 2003. Their story was
wondrous, indeed.
1.
Write the underlined sentence from the passage correctly. No need for a complete sentence here – this
one is all or none.
2.
“Humans think too much about differences. Animals, on the other hand, act from a basic desire for
companionship.” What does this quotation mean? Do you agree or disagree? Why? What can this quote
(and the actions of animals) teach us about our behaviors and ways of thinking? (This question requires a
well-thought out response!)
3.
What, besides loyalty and love, can we learn from the friendship that ensued between Tarra and Bella and
from animals in general (directly from the passage)? How can we incorporate that into our own lives?
4.
Why do people enjoy reading heartwarming stories such as this? Why do we as a society need stories like
this? What does this say about our society?