Fur friends are a beacon of hope

SAFE, an animal rescue organistion, is doing the most to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome abandoned dogs but not without challenges.

Kerry Janke, who is the director of the organisation, said that with so many dogs and pups in need, due to immigration, downscaling and economic factors, the organisation is seeing more and more pups and dogs being abandoned, many with injuries and illnesses, which have resulted in an escalation of already exorbitant vet bills.

Also read: International Cat Day: Rescue network with the right ‘cat’itude

No matter the obstacles that SAFE faces, Janke said they also aim to look at each rescue positively and as a story of hope.

In line with this, SAFE recently took a look at ‘the beauty of rescue’ and asked professional photographers to capture all the organisation’s different dogs and pups that need to be adopted. Two photographers, to date, have come on board.

“And so, the campaign, called ‘the beauty of rescue’ was born. The idea is to show the incredible beauty, resilience and loyalty of their rescue pups and dogs. The aim is to champion the slogan ‘adopt, don’t shop’,” she said.

Victory
Dylan was rescued in May near the Tinley Manor turn-off after a person who was travelling at excessive speed struck and hit a dog. He stopped the car to check his bumper but did not spare a glance at the dog he had hit who was lying screaming in pain in the road. He drove away.

“Dylan’s hips and legs were severely injured. It was a woman travelling with her three children who called us and asked us to come out. Dylan had x-rays and pain treatment and went under the specialist care of Dr Vergeer at Westville Veterinary Hospital,” said Janke.

“Two surgeries later, one where a metal plate had to be placed, Dylan went into specialised fostering. He needed time to heal and keep still and has made remarkable progress. He is gentle, kind and will make the most amazing companion for someone,” she added.

Pumpkin was rescued after a drunk man with a panga had attacked four dogs, claiming they had chased his goats.

Three of the dogs died on scene from their injuries, but Pumpkin managed to hang on despite deep wounds to her back and leg.

“She was taken to Aloe Vet under the care of Dr Lamb who performed surgery and managed to save her. Pumpkin then went into foster care to complete her healing. This amazing and special girl has completely recovered and has been waiting for a home for over a year now. She is great with cats, kids and other dogs, and like Dylan, she will make the most special companion,” said Janke.

She said all the pups and dogs at SAFE had stories of sheer courage, resilience and victory.

Advice
Janke gave the following advice to those who are unable to keep their pets.

Immigration
It takes time to find a good home for an adult dog, so if you are not taking your pet with you, choose a reputable rescue organisation that will do an adoption application and home check before placing your dog. Start early. Approved immigration is known months in advance, so while you make those plans, include your animals as one of your first priorities – no organisation can perform miracles with only weeks’ (most often, days’) notice.

Affordability
If you can no longer afford to keep your dogs, do not dump them in a more ‘affluent area’ with the thought that the residents will take them in. Often the dog is so terrified, it runs and is difficult to catch or runs into the road and gets hit by vehicles or runs into dense bush and gets lost. A scared dog can run a great distance in a short time, and the suffering they go through is unimaginable. Please rather take to your nearest SPCA – no questions are asked and you are not fined or penalised.

Death
If you have animals, make an emergency plan where if something should happen to you, there are family members or friends who can take over their care. Share your request and details about your animals with those members so that if the unthinkable does happen, your animals are taken care of.

“If you are a pet owner, it is so important that you chip your animals and make sure that your details are loaded into the chip. Often a dog will have a chip but with no owner details. Also take the time to get your animals a collar and a disk with your contact number and details on it. Sterilise your pets. There are so many pups out there and just not enough homes – we really don’t need any more dogs to be purposefully bred,¨ she added.

If you are a school, company or social club and you would like to do collections for bedding, bowls or food, contact Kerry on 081 564 1649. You may also contact her if you are a photographer and would like to offer your services for the ‘Beauty of Rescue’ campaign. Visit https://safenetwork.org.za to adopt, foster or donate.

For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , Twitter or  Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.