Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends

A friendship unlike any other

After retiring from the circus, Tarra became the first resident of the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. When other elephants moved in and developed close friendships, only Tarra remained alone--until the day she met a stray mixed-breed dog named Bella. From then on, the two were inseparable.

Color photographs of Tarra and Bella at home in the Elephant Sanctuary deftly illustrate this inspiring story of inter-species companionship.


About the Author
Carol Buckley is cofounder and CEO of The Elephant Sanctuary. Carol has over 30 years' experience in the care and management of elephants and in 1995, Carol co-founded the nation's first natural-habitat refuge for sick, old, and needy endangered Asian elephants with her own elephant, Tarra. She is a well-known speaker on the subject of elephant care. Carol attended the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College in California, and she is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. She is also the author of two picture books.