Ella was given up to the Cobb County Animal Services. The minuscule Chihuahua, who was then only two days old, had colossal difficulties in front of her.
Ella was brought into the world with just two feet. The individual who brought Ella to the asylum told the staff that Ella’s mom would not nurture her. What’s more, that put Ella’s life in much more danger. However, the pup was in good hands.
Anna Raines was there that day. The people group feline facilitator for Best Friends in Atlanta, Anna, helps run the network feline program at the asylum. What’s more, when she supported the tiny little dog in her palms, she realized that Best Friends could give Ella the lifesaving care she required.
Help for a little infant dog with uncommon necessities
“We simply expected to get her past the startling aspect of her excursion,” says Dr. Natalie Duncan. She is the Best Friends’ veterinarian who treated Ella. “For most sanctuaries, there are two alternatives. Killing or an encouraging home ready to take on a newborn needs puppy. Fortunately, we had the last mentioned.”
Anna offered to cultivate Ella, yet first Dr. Natalie treated Ella’s appendages with a sterile arrangement and anti-infection agents. “I additionally gave her a tiny portion of agony drug and supplicated she would endure the night,” says Dr. Natalie. It’s unsafe to anesthetize a two-day-old little dog and endeavor a medical procedure. So, it turned into a cat-and-mouse game to perceive how her body reacted.
Minuscule Ella ends up being a strong warrior. She reacted well to Dr. Natalie’s treatment, and, with her body recuperating, it was the ideal opportunity for Anna to carry out the responsibility Ella’s mother proved unable.
Healing in a foster home
Besides feeding Ella every two hours, Anna had to provide the warmth a mother usually does to keep the newborn puppy’s temperature at a safe level. “She was a needy little baby and required a lot of attention,” says Anna, who brought Ella to work with her every day in the van she uses for the community cat program.
After a few months, Ella was strong enough to eat on her own and she learned how to adjust her weight so she could walk. That’s when the world opened up for her and she began enjoying life as a playful, happy puppy.
Ella was getting around and getting along with Anna’s four dogs and her baby. She was growing up, and was soon ready for a home of her own. It would have to be a very special one, though, with a family who could give Ella the care and attention she still needed to help her navigate life with two partial legs.
A family where Ella fits in perfectly
Anna was fully prepared for it to take some time before the right family for Ella came along. But the perfect home for Ella turned out to be closer than anyone could have imagined.
Soon after Anna shared Ella’s photo and details about her on Facebook, her post made its way to Alicia Williams. Alicia knew firsthand how to care for a little dog with missing limbs, because her Chihuahua, Roo, is missing his front legs.
If you’ve seen photos and video of an adorable little two-legged dog who is best friends with a fluffy chicken, you’ve met Roo and Penny. The silkie chicken was rescued from a testing facility and became fast friends with Roo.
When Alicia saw Ella’s profile online, she thought the tiny pup might fit right in at her home, so she arranged a time with Anna to meet her. “When Alicia came into the picture, I knew it was meant to be,” says Anna. “There couldn’t have been a more perfect fit.”
That day, Roo and Penny got a new forever friend, and Ella found a family who understands how inspiring living with animals with special needs can be. “She and Roo play together, but they are also very gentle with one another,” says Alicia. “They’re both just a little more fragile than other dogs.”
How Ella gets around
While Roo uses a wheelchair custom-designed for him, Ella gets around by positioning her weight so she can balance well enough to get anywhere she wants to go. Alicia says that because Ella is missing partial limbs on the same side of her body, it makes fitting her with a device like a wheelchair a little more complicated. Instead, she’s investigating the possibility of having prosthetics made for Ella.
In the meantime, Ella isn’t letting anything slow her down. “She runs on one side and is quite active,” says Alicia, who brings her to work with her every day. That has been good for Ella, who can be shy when meeting new people. “She’s learning how to be independent, and she gets to meet a lot of different people, so it’s helped her be more outgoing.”
When you have two dogs and a chicken with special needs, each day is another chance to see how obstacles are also opportunities. Alicia says, “Dogs like Ella, who face medical challenges, may not be the simplest or easiest cases, but if you take time to understand their struggles and triumphs, they make life fantastic and so rewarding.”
Photos by: Nichole Dandrea and courtesy of Anna Raines
Source: bestfriends
