MELVILLE – Jonathan Plaatjies is known by the community as the man without a home who walks around Melville with his two dogs, Blackie and Brownie.
For the past five years, Plaatjies has spent his best moments with his best friends.
On 9 February, he was dealt a devastating blow when his dogs were taken away from him by a woman claiming she wanted to feed them. As his dogs are mainly fed by helpful community members, he thought nothing of it and gave the dogs to two unknown women who promised to feed and give them water.
After hours of not seeing the women and his dogs, he knew something was wrong.
So he turned to the community to help him find his furry companions.
“I went to Ian Logan. He said he would make a plan and he posted an image of my dogs and me on Facebook after I received a picture from the Bergbron community.”
Community member Sandi Caganoff added, “He kept coming back to Melville to look for them at night, crying for his dogs.”
It then emerged that an unknown woman who said she had found them on the side of the road had dropped Blackie and Brownie off at the Randburg SPCA.
Because the Facebook post had gone viral, the SPCA recognised the dogs and contacted Logan.
Logan took Plaatjies to the SPCA where the dogs (and their dad) went ballistic in an emotional reunion.
The Randburg SPCA will keep the dogs until Thursday, which gives them enough time to vaccinate, deworm and sterilise them – all for free. Also, they will give the dogs a small bed and collars.
Plaatjies spent about a week without Blackie and Brownie, so seeing his dogs was a true Valentine’s Day moment.
Details: If you would like to donate food or clothes, there is a collection point at Ratz on 7th Street in Melville.
Watch the touching video here.
