Ella

Meet Ella — From Rags to Riches It was a warm weekday in May of 2017 when I received a phone call from a friend. There was a miniature donkey at an auction who was going to be sold for slaughter. I wasn’t going to let that happen. We rescued her, and when she arrived, she was terrified, emaciated, and shaking. The moment her feet hit the ground, I looked at her and said, “She’s pregnant.” We named her Ella—short for Cinderella—because in a matter of hours, this little girl had gone from rags to riches. But Ella didn’t know that yet. All she knew was that humans had failed her. She was so frightened that simply laying a hand on her would cause her to shake. Trust wasn’t something we could ask of her. It was something we were going to have to earn. So every morning, Ella was fed, brushed, and loved. And every evening, she was fed, brushed, and loved. Day after day. No expectations. No rushing her. Just kindness, consistency, a full belly, and gentle hands. Little by little, something changed. Instead of hiding from us, Ella began looking forward to those moments. She started to understand that the hands reaching for her weren’t going to hurt her anymore. They were there to love her. Our veterinarian eventually confirmed what I had suspected from the beginning—Ella was indeed pregnant. But because she had been so severely undernourished, the prognosis for her unborn baby wasn’t good. We could only give Ella everything she needed and hope. Then, on Labor Day 2017, she gave us the most incredible gift. Baby Jaxson arrived. Healthy, handsome, well-fed and already full of personality. This little baby, born to a mama who had come so close to being sent to slaughter, had beaten the odds. And I knew immediately that Jaxson had a purpose. He would grow up as part of our therapy and education program, helping us teach others about love, kindness, compassion, and the incredible animals so often overlooked by the world. Today, Ella is a long way from that terrified little donkey who arrived shaking in 2017. But we haven’t forgotten her beginning. And we will never forget the promise we made to her when she stepped off that trailer: You are safe now. You are loved. And you will never have to be afraid again. Ella’s care continues every single day, and monthly sponsors help us keep that promise.