Stray dog rescued from Virginia Bush
Local rescuers hope that Virginia, the brown dog that has been living in the Virginia Bush along uMhlanga Rocks Drive, will find a forever home after she was finally rescued.
LARA Gallagher affectionately attempts to touch the paw of a frightened female canine. Virginia, as she has been named, has seen better days.
For the last two years she has been spotted wondering the Virginia Bush along uMhlanga Rocks Drive. Quicha Morgado, of Project Dog, received numerous reports regarding the ‘stray brown dog’.
Over the years she has had two litters of puppies, and in September David Hanson, of Puppy SOS, rescued two of her puppies that were separated from the litter. Residents had reportedly seen the mother carrying the puppies on uMhlanga Rocks Drive.
Many have attempted to capture her, as they feared that she would be struck by a car, but until last week she had managed to evade her rescuers.
After disappearing for several days Virginia reappeared, which prompted Gallagher to spend her lunch hours trying to slowly gain the canine’s trust.
Gallagher had taken over from Morgado, who had spent more than three months feeding Virginia. “She was so petrified that she would not come out of the bush. Eventually she began recognising the sound of my car and slowly approached me with her tail wagging between her legs. Then a magical thing happened – she started eating from my hand,” said Gallagher.
On Saturday, 6 December, they managed to capture Virginia with the help of Steve Smit, of Monkey Helpline. “In the afternoon we dosed her food with a mild tranquilizer and at 9pm we managed to safely capture her,” she explained.
Virginia is currently in the care of the Ashburne Vet, and Morgado will facilitate her adoption. “There is a lot of spark left in her. She is going to need an owner with a lot of patience. She has shown no aggression and I know that she has a lot of love to give,” said Gallagher.
Contact Morgado on 083 272 7201.
