This Photo Of A Girl And Dog Carrying Goats Is Going Viral For The Best Reason

Credit: Hamdü Sena Bilgin

A remarkable young girl, 11-year-old Hamdü Sena Bilgin, and her dog Tomi are being heralded as heroes after a photo of them carrying goats went viral on social media. The girl and her dog, who is always by her side, are goat herders with a small dairy farm in a village in Turkey and their family’s livelihood depends on the wellness of the goats they care for.

Last week, Hamdü Sena was out on the snowy hillside far away from the farm when she noticed one of their goats suddenly going into labor. Fearing that the mama goat and her newborn wouldn’t make it back to the farm in the thick snow, the 11-year-old thought quickly in the interests of the goat and herded all of the goats back home.

“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.”

Credit: Hamdü Sena Bilgin

The quick thinking paid off, as the goats would have likely never made it back themselves. The newborn wouldn’t be able to take the cold or the treacherous walk and the mom would not have left the baby alone. The backpacks, which are usually filled with books and school supplies, were instead used to carry the goats to safety. 

Though Tomi the dog had likely never worn a backpack before, much less one with precious cargo, he didn’t show any confusion or opposition at the task ahead of him. Hamdü Sena said this is because he’s a “good dog” and “very smart.” The girl’s older brother met her near the end of her trek and snapped the photos of their rescue that went viral.

Credit: Hamdü Sena Bilgin

“The snow was so thick, I was exhausted,” said Hamdü Sena. “But it was worth it.”

Once the photos were posted, it wasn’t long before she received an outpouring of support from animal lovers around the world, though Hamdü Sena claims she was just doing her job. Both the mom and newborn made it back safe and sound, so many are calling her and Tomi heroes for their quick thinking and compassion.

Credit: Hamdü Sena Bilgin

It’s unclear if the mom and newborn were able to stay together, considering they are a part of the dairy farm, but the father said that she has always been an animal lover, which is clear by the way she called on everyone to love animals, and could be evidence that it is a humanely-run small farm.

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