Among the dead: Ella the deer befriends abandoned dog at historic Elmwood Cemetery

wfgodot · Dec 6, 2012

Animal friends carve out a life among the dead in KC cemetery (Kansas City Star)

Ella, the deer that lives alone among the tombs and gravestones in Kansas Citys historic Elmwood Cemetery, has found a companion.

The doe that was born in the cemetery and then lost her mother to traffic has befriended an injured dog that is believed to have been dumped by its owners at the burial ground.
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Theyve just been hanging out together, said Elmwood trustee Bruce Mathews. Theyll lie down together.
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Ellas our mascot, and she apparently has got a friend in this dog, and she enjoys the company, said John Weilert. But Ellas a deer, and the dog is not going to be able to handle the winter conditions the way she can.
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In the meantime, volunteers leave food and water out for the dog, which is not aggressive but is apprehensive of people. It runs away on three legs when approached.
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Weilert and other friends of Elmwood say the best outcome would be for a shelter to take the dog and try to find it a good home. They are working on that.
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much more at the link

Elmwood Cemetery (Wiki)

Historic Elmwood Cemetery website

wishuwerehere · Dec 6, 2012

Touching story. Thanks for sharing it.

Mira · Dec 7, 2012

i wish they would make a windbreak/ shelter for both of them and leave them together.
a big round bale of hay would probably do fine.

if she is so lonely that she follows people, it would be cruel to take her only companion away.

it is also possible that somebody could take them both. somebody with a big place with woods.

wfgodot · Dec 7, 2012

Elmwood is 43 acres. There are wooded areas adjacent to it, iirc. It's home now for Ella, where she was born. She's tame.

Mira · Dec 8, 2012

wfgodot said:
Elmwood is 43 acres. There are wooded areas adjacent to it, iirc. It's home now for Ella, where she was born. She's tame.

so, she is safe, and apparently accepted there, so all that needs doing is winter
protection and feeding for the doggie, right? im sure there are animal lovers nearby who wouldnt mind feeding one doggie...

how cold does it get there? i know it gets pretty cold in wichita.

wfgodot · Dec 8, 2012

Mira said:
so, she is safe, and apparently accepted there, so all that needs doing is winter
protection and feeding for the doggie, right? im sure there are animal lovers nearby who wouldnt mind feeding one doggie...

how cold does it get there? i know it gets pretty cold in wichita.

It gets very, very cold in Kansas City.

wfgodot · Dec 9, 2012

This certainly is seasonal. Add the windbreak/shelter, the lean-to/stable, with Ella the doe the life in a place of death, and her disciple the small dog, injured and alone, close by her side, and it's figuratively quite close to the creche isn't it. Doesn't take much to see that twosome, guided by a shining star, around the cradled boy child, himself life in a place of death, savior of the lost and lame.

Seasonal indeed.

panthera · Dec 9, 2012

wfgodot said:
This certainly is seasonal. Add the windbreak/shelter, the lean-to/stable, with Ella the doe the life in a place of death, and her disciple the small dog, injured and alone, close by her side, and it's figuratively quite close to the creche isn't it. Doesn't take much to see that twosome, guided by a shining star, around the cradled boy child, himself life in a place of death, savior of the lost and lame.

Seasonal indeed.

Definitely a beautiful picture to imagine.

Quiche · Dec 30, 2012

They separated them. :cry:

That poor deer, Ella, had to watch another soulmate removed from her short life. I am not a fan of the Wayside Waifs (whomever they are) that removed the lab.

eta: okay, I admit to watching the movie, Hachi, recently (I remember reading the story in the news) and I just watched War Horse-- so, yeah, I'm tender. Really tender.

Cazzie · Dec 30, 2012

Quiche said:
They separated them. :cry:

That poor deer, Ella, had to watch another soulmate removed from her short life. I am not a fan of the Wayside Waifs (whomever they are) that removed the lab.

eta: okay, I admit to watching the movie, Hachi, recently (I remember reading the story in the news) and I just watched War Horse-- so, yeah, I'm tender. Really tender.

Noooooo...

And what about the dog who found a friend? I'm very disappointed in humans...that someone(s) couldn't have found a way to keep them together. :sigh:

I was excited to see a recent post and got my hopes up for good news.

Seriously, this hurts my heart and soul.

Cazzie · Dec 30, 2012

Quiche, do you have a link?

lizzybeth · Dec 31, 2012

:cry:

Gardenlady · Dec 31, 2012

Oh, how cruel for poor Ella. :cry:

wfgodot · Dec 31, 2012

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/10/3959245/deer-and-dog-pals-at-elmwood-cemetery.html

Cazzie · Dec 31, 2012

wfgodot said:
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/10/3959245/deer-and-dog-pals-at-elmwood-cemetery.html

They baited a humane trap with dog treats, and on Saturday morning a cemetery volunteer reported that the dog had been captured.Ella was by the trap when the team from the shelter came to retrieve the dog.

Ella was standing right by the van when the dog departed, looking kind of forlorn, said John Weilert, president of the Elmwood Cemetery Society.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/1...g-pals-at-elmwood-cemetery.html#storylink=cpy

:sigh:

Article also said the cemetery people were concerned that setting up a doghouse would attract strays that mite not be friendly to Ella.

Surely there was a better solution than separating them permanently.

There's another story out there about a family with a dog that befriended a wild deer. The deer stayed wild but comes to visit and romp with the dog. I like that story better.

wondering? · Dec 31, 2012

My hope is that this dog finds a wonderful home with people who will love and care for her and keep her warm.
It is too cold for this doggie to be out all Winter.

Someone made the comment that the deer was probably thinking " well, it's about time someone came and took care of this dog"!!

Quiche · Jan 1, 2013

Cazzie said:
Quiche, do you have a link?

Oops, I was so upset I didn't even think about linking! Sorry 'bout that...

wfgodot said:
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/10/3959245/deer-and-dog-pals-at-elmwood-cemetery.html

Thanks, Woofie! :seeya:

I think a deep shelter filled with straw would have kept the two of them quite well. There are strays and curs who live very unsheltered lives, and survive. People, too.

I am devastated for Ella and wouldn't be surprised to read, later, that the dog returns to the cemetery. Will they allow it to stay, if that happens? (Gosh, I feel a Disney movie being written at this very moment... Does anyone remember Charlie the Lonesome Cougar??? I'm a pushover for a good animal story-- I actually have a copy of that!

)

hollyblue · Jan 1, 2013

wfgodot said:
This certainly is seasonal. Add the windbreak/shelter, the lean-to/stable, with Ella the doe the life in a place of death, and her disciple the small dog, injured and alone, close by her side, and it's figuratively quite close to the creche isn't it. Doesn't take much to see that twosome, guided by a shining star, around the cradled boy child, himself life in a place of death, savior of the lost and lame.

Seasonal indeed.

Beautiful thought and words wfgodot. Just beautiful.

wfgodot · Aug 7, 2013

Rest in peace, Ella. Very sad.

Ella, the resident deer at Elmwood Cemetery, shot dead. (Kansas City Star)

Ella, the orphaned deer that made Kansas City’s historic Elmwood Cemetery her home to the delight of nearly everyone who visited, has become part of the place’s history herself.

She was found dead Sunday, shot once through the right shoulder just a few leaps away from the Armour Memorial Chapel where she would hold vigil, looking into the open doors as people held weddings or funerals inside.
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Ella became a fixture at the cemetery. She would make the rounds at picnics organized by cemetery supporters. She was the subject of many photographs and a few paintings. She would follow mourners from chapel to graveside, becoming part of the landscape.

“She was such a ray of sunshine,” said Elmwood board member Bruce Mathews. “She brought so much life to this place.”
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Among the dead: Ella the deer befriends abandoned dog at historic Elmwood Cemetery

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