Ella lovingly gathered some of her family's belongings to comfort her while she waited for their
return. ( Pictured below. )
When Kathy spotted an emaciated Rottweiler along the side of a highway in Tennessee, she realized that there was something different about "Ella." Ella was friendly and eager for attention -- behavior that is unusual for either a stray or an abused animal. She had clearly been loved by someone.
In the wooded area just off the highway, Kathy discovered a "nest" where Ella had been sleeping (pictured here). It was strewn with someone's personal items, including a toothbrush, razor, comb and candle.
Then Kathy remembered something crucial. A few weeks earlier, a terrible car wreck had taken place on the highway... very close to where Ella had made her makeshift home. Kathy contacted the state's highway patrol and learned that a family had been in the car, and that they all survived.
Rescuers had never seen Ella, who had likely been thrown from the car. The dog foraged on her own for a few weeks, drinking from a drainage ditch and patiently waiting for beloved family members who thought their special pet was dead.
American Humane stepped in when they learned that the family's medical bills had caused tremendous financial strain. The money they had set aside for a new home had to be used for medical bills instead. While the family struggled with this financial hardship, American Humane provided a critical grant to Kathy's animal shelter to help fund Ella's care.
Though unable to bring Ella back into their new home at this time, the family was thrilled to see her and hopes to be reunited for good in the future. Meanwhile, Ella is living safely and comfortably in a loving foster home.