Animal Control Breaks Up Whitetail/Dog Odd Couple

Dogs have long been accepted as man's best friend, but they're pretty social creatures—they can get along with a lot of different species, given time. Locals in Kansas City, Mo., got a glimpse of that first hand this fall when a local stray befriended the neighborhood whitetail, according to this report from The Kansas City Star.

It all started a few years back when Elmwood Cemetery—which has served as a final resting place in Kansas City since the 1800s—informally adopted a doe that had been born on the premises. The doe, which the locals named 'Ella,' was orphaned by a traffic incident and ultimately settled into the cemetery. She's never caused any problems, and the property's caretakers told the newspaper that they've largely adopted her as something of a mascot. They claim that Ella's gotten so used to people that she'll usually turn up to casually follow tour groups as they wander the premises.

The deer found a companion, though, when an injured stray dog found its way into the cemetery a few weeks ago. Cemetery workers aren't sure where the dog came from, but after its arrival it was repeatedly sighted at Ella's side. The two would travel together and rest together, never far apart.

This "aww" worth story has a somber end, however—according to WHAS out of Kansas City, animal control officers ultimately decided to capture Ella's canine friend and put it up for adoption. The reasoning: it'd never survive the cold Missouri winter outdoors, especially given what appears to be a leg injury.

While breaking up the pair may not seem like a fitting end to the story, it's certainly the wiser call. The likelihood of a domesticated animal surviving the entire winter outdoors—even with a whitetail as a buddy—isn't great. Thus, Ella is once again Elmwood's lone living occupant.