A call to rescue dogs

THE Paw Prints Rescue heaved a sigh of relief as one of their special pups found his forever home. The Paw Prints rescue is a non-profit organisation (NPO) that rescues dogs and helps them find loving and forever homes through adoption. Jack has idiopathic epilepsy for which he is on medication.

Jade Lee Ashford from the organisation described Jack as a lovable pup who was looking for a family that would be able to take care of his special needs. “Because of his condition, he suffers from seizures. He was doing great until sometime last week when he had another seizure – it had been weeks since he’d last had one. The seizures are manageable, and yes, they can be a bit scary at first, but you deal with them because there is no other option.”

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Jade said his condition has made it hard for him to live in the shelter, and that was all the more reason why it was urgent for him to find his home. “He could not live his life in a shelter. It was not fair on him, and the other more confident pups picked on him because they knew he was not going to stand up for himself. We are thankful to the family that was kind enough to take him in,” she said.
She said she is ecstatic for Jack to be taken in by a family that will understand him better. “They have another dog that is also epileptic, so they are experienced, and Jack is in good hands,” she said.

Speaking to the Highway Mail, one of Jack’s new parents, Melissa Martin of Cowies Hill, said they were touched by Jack’s story and knew he needed them.
“I saw the post on Facebook, and I had a feeling; we went to visit him and instantly fell in love with him. We were not specifically looking for a dog – we have another dog that has epilepsy, and all our dogs are rescued,” she said.

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Martin said taking care of an epileptic dog needs patience and time. “He is a reserved dog on top of his condition, and for the week he has been with us, there has been improvement – he interacts with other dogs, he responds to his name and takes instructions. He is not 100 percent yet, but with time, he will get there,” she said.

Lee Ashford said such stories as Jack’s are a daily reminder of her brainchild. “As a Pro-life Animal Rescue Organisation, the objective is to rescue and support animals in distress by involving different role-players in the community and to rehabilitate animals with the intention of re-homing them at a suitable permanent home.”

Over the last eight years, Jade has rehomed over 6 000 pups and dogs, including those from networking and sharing other dogs in need of homes due to their owners immigrating, divorcing, downsizing or no longer in a financial position to be able to care for their dogs. She pleaded with the community to open up their hearts to adopt more dogs and invited the public to come spend time with their pups. “We are open Saturdays and Sundays from 09:00 to 12:00 at 4 Clement Stott Road, Botha’s Hill,” she said.