Abused pup rescued, needs loving home

WHEN eight-month-old puppy, Lady, was rescued from KwaMashu by local resident, David Hanson, she was too afraid to lift her head. She kept her ears flattened against her head and shrunk away from human contact. Barely two weeks later, her transformation from an abused pup to a happy-go-lucky dog has been astonishing. Hanson, who runs Puppy SOS, a non-profit organisation, said the circumstances surrounding Lady’s rescue were painful to recall.

“A passerby noticed a group of guys picking up these three pups and slamming them onto each other. They were trying to entice the pups to fight among themselves. All three pups were rescued. Lady was severely emaciated. You could see her backbone and ribs; she was terrified of being touched and was skittish around people. She kept tucking her tail between her legs.

“She also had a noticeable twitch in her right leg. When we took her to Ashburne Vet she was diagnosed with distemper, which is a serious illness that affects animals’ respiratory, urogenital and nervous systems. In most cases the end result is a painful death, but there was something in Lady’s eyes – sadness mixed with a hardy determination. And she’s been able to fight back and grow stronger,” Hanson explained.

Lady is now hardly recognisable from her former self. When Northglen News caught up with the rescued pup last week, she was energetic, curious and, most of all, eager to please and give her love to everyone.

“I can’t believe the change. It’s miraculous. She’s fought the illness, and though there is still a minor twitch in her leg, Lady is what a puppy should be: healthy, energetic and full of love. She loves cuddling and walks on the beach,” he said.

Hanson added Lady was looking for a loving home and urged residents to contact him.

“She has come a long way since her ordeal. I urge residents to email me on puppysoskzn@gmail.com or visit our Puppy SOS KZN Facebook page. There are hundreds of puppies that need to find homes,” said Hanson.