“[T]hat moment is something I’ll never forget.”
By Caitlin Jill Anders
Published on Nov 29, 2025 at 6:00 AM
When Elika Mansouri, founder of I Care Kuwait, was contacted about a dog lying in the middle of the Friday Market in Kuwait, not moving, she knew what she had to do.
“I already had so much going on, but I couldn’t ignore her,” Mansouri told The Dodo.
I Care Kuwait
When Mansouri arrived at the market, the dog, later named Ella, was lying in the exact same spot. She hadn’t moved at all, and Mansouri was worried she might have passed away.
“When I got closer, I realized she was still breathing,” Mansouri said. “The relief I felt in that moment is something I’ll never forget. I asked the shopkeepers, in my broken Arabic, how she ended up there. They told me someone tried to sell her, and when nobody bought her, they simply dumped her on the ground.”
I Care Kuwait
When Ella saw Mansouri and realized the rescuer was there for her, she summoned what little strength she had left and slowly stood up. Mansouri slipped a leash around her neck and carefully walked her to the car, leading her into her new life.
The next morning, Mansouri took Ella to the veterinary hospital, where she unfortunately tested positive for Parvovirus. Luckily, Ella was already used to fighting, and she fought through the illness and made it to the other side.
I Care Kuwait
Even once she was off the streets, Ella’s future was still uncertain. She was having a tough time being in a kennel and tried to escape many times. It’s incredibly hard to find forever homes for dogs in Kuwait. Mansouri knew that Ella’s best chance of being adopted was to send her to Canada with one of I Care Kuwait’s rescue partners.
I Care Kuwait
Ella had some anxiety adjusting to her new environment in Canada, but her rescuers did their best to make her feel comfortable. After a month at the rescue, Ella was playing in the yard when a woman passed by on her morning run, and the rest was history.
“Their eyes met, and that was it — she fell in love instantly,” Mansouri said.
I Care Kuwait
Several years later, Ella is thriving in her new home. She went from being unwanted and discarded like trash to being so loved by an incredible family, and Mansouri couldn’t be happier for her.
“Ella ended up being one of the luckiest girls,” Mansouri said. “Her new family welcomed her with open arms, and today she’s living a beautiful, happy, safe life in Montreal, Canada — spoiled, adored and finally getting everything she always deserved.”