Meet Young Hamdü Sena Bilgin, a sweet 11-year-old girl from a small village in Turkey.
Goat milk is a primary source of income for Hamdü Sena and her family. She serves as a ‘goatherd’, protecting and guiding the goats.
Even in the dead of winter, she always has her dog Tomi by her side to provide a helping hand.
One day, one of Hamdü Sena’s goats went into labor as she and her faithful dog were tending to them on a snowy mountainside far away from their house.
The young goatherd feared that the goat and her soon-to-arrive youngster would not be able to make it back on their own.
“After the goat gave birth, I led the rest of the herd back to their shelter,” Hamdü Sena told The Dodo. “Then I grabbed two backpacks from the house and went back to the goat and her baby with Tomi.”
On this particular day though, the backpacks would be carrying something considerably more valuable than books and school supplies.
The mother goat was hoisted into Hamdü Sena’s backpack while the kid was placed in the other, and Tomi carried them to safety.
“He’s a good dog,” Hamdü Sena said. “Very smart.”
They worked as a team to navigate the treacherous, snow-covered terrain and deliver the new family safely to their safe haven.
“The snow was so thick, I was exhausted,” said Hamdü. “But it was worth it.”
A few miles from completion, she was joined by her brother who documented the rescue in action with a camera.
Thanks to the dedication to the animals they care for, Hamdü Sena and Tomi managed to keep the mother goat and her kid unharmed.
While the brave 11-year-old may feel it is her duty to protect the herd, her tale has gone viral and she has received an outpouring of support from the internet community.
Hamdü Sena has been hailed as an example of what it means to be animal-loving.
