Molly the dog has always had a talent for making people feel welcome, and she gets lots of chances at Carolina Equine Rescue and Assistance (CERA), a nonprofit that helps mistreated, neglected, and abandoned horses.
The golden retriever adores all animals, including dogs, cats, pigs, goats, and horses, and makes sure that every newcomer to the refuge knows they have someone on their side from the start.
Darlene Kindle, creator of CERA, told The Dodo, “She just runs up with a wagging tail and sniffs and kisses them like a long-lost buddy.”
Sammie, an emaciated silver dapple miniature horse, arrived at the rescue earlier this month, and the 3-year-old dog recognized he needed her care right away.
When an animal control officer discovered Sammie walking the streets of South Carolina in July, he was barely alive. If the neglected little horse was going to make it through the following several days, animal control recognized he needed special attention.
The horse was determined to be 100 pounds underweight, with painful tooth difficulties and a probable birth abnormality causing hind leg troubles during an examination at a nearby veterinarian clinic.
The time and money required to bring the horse back to health were significant, and the vet recommended that Sammie be euthanized if animal control could not find him a home.
The shelter contacted Kindle in the hopes of finding the horse a home, and she contacted a veterinarian to investigate what treatment options were available for Sammie.
“I asked him a lot of questions, and the final one I asked was, ‘Does he have the will to live in his eyes?'” Kindle remarked. “The vet said yes right away, and I said, ‘OK, I’ll take him.’ I’ll assist him in fighting the fight if he’s prepared to do so.’
When Sammie arrived at the rescue, he demonstrated to Kindle his eagerness to improve. Kindle stated, “He immediately placed his head to the ground and started devouring grass.”
Molly was there to greet the newcomer, as she always was, but Sammie was too concerned with his dinner to pay her complete attention.
Molly paid a follow-up visit to Sammie’s new pen after their brief meeting that day.
“It was later that evening, after Sammie had been bedded down — I don’t sleep well at night, so I was out here in the rocking rocker — and Molly was with me, and she simply strolled over to him,” Kindle explained.
Kindle took out her phone and recorded the dog and horse’s adorable relationship.
“She was encouraging him, ‘It’ll be all right, and you’ll be OK.’ “Just be patient,” Kindle urged, “because this lady over here is going to help you.” “[She was] reassuring him and ensuring that he was content to be here.”
Kindle’s Facebook post has gained hundreds of thousands of views and shares since he shared the video a week ago.
Kindle commented on Facebook, “Molly truly has an extraordinary sense of sensing when one of the animals isn’t feeling good or unhappy.” “As a result, she introduces herself in a really gentle manner. This is her profession, and as you can see, she excels at it.”
Many of Sammie’s medical issues can’t be treated until he gains weight, so for the time being, he’s eating three healthy meals a day and going for brief “power walks” with Kindle to strengthen his hindquarters muscles.
Despite the fact that there may be some rough days ahead, Sammie appears to be glad to have a friend by his side.