Written by Marizanne Ferreira
Professional photography by Mariaan Browne, and Luc Hosten
Ellie-Mae was born on the 24th of January 2025 amidst squalor, filth and neglect. She was found and rescued, along with her siblings and mom, by Nicole Blignault while she was feeding animals in the area.
EM, just four weeks old, was emaciated, worm infested and weighed 834g. All three of her surviving siblings found super homes and Ellie-Mae found her way to my home, my life and my heart.
My littlies, LucyJordan and DannyBoy, who really missed Yanka, took almost five weeks before they fully accepted her. Today, they’re inseparable, even though Ellie-Mae’s energy levels can irritate them from time to time.
Adopting Ellie-Mae
The decision to ADOPT this little gogga didn’t come easy. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions; sad, happy, anxious, excited and even guilt.
Although Ellie-Mae is a tough act to follow, she’ll never replace Yanka, nor will she be “the same” – and that’s okay.
Ellie-Mae is brand new and I’ll do everything within my power to help her be a good, happy and safe canine citizen. In fact, she started school after her second vaccination, and we’re hoping that she’ll do her first Canine Good Citizen “exam” soon.
A pup with a pure heart
In her almost nine months of living, she’s met and cared for bottle baby baboons, monkeys, lambs and buck.
EM is a clever girl, but most important is her kind heart. Although she’s quite boisterous and so excitable, she understands the commands “leave”, “gentle” and “it’s a baby” when she’s with me and the foster babies that come in.
She shares her crib not just with The Littlies, but also goats, sheep, wild visiting monkeys and various buck species.
Ellie-Mae’s favourite fun thing is to meet up with her friends for a long walk, whether on the beach or the valley. She also loves playing tug-of-war, and I think she might one day take to dancing...
EM has taken to her new life like a pro and I absolutely adore her. She’s mine!
