“We would love to reunite her with her owners, as a clinic or shelter is no place for her,” said Cora Bailey from the Community Led Animal Welfare (Claw).
This was after she and another Claw volunteer confiscated a dog from a man who had tried to sell her. “We were on our way back from Mamelodi, and as we stopped at the traffic light on the corner of Christiaan de Wet and Honeyball Roads, we were approached by two running men. They told us about a man who was trying to sell a dog in front of a fast food place, and they said something did not look right. We immediately turned around to investigate,” Bailey said.
She added that they found the man in front of the shop with the dog tied next to him. “He was very drunk, and trying to sell the dog to anyone who passed by.
The poor dog was panting from thirst, and looked terrified. He first told us that he got the dog from someone in Florida, but then changed his story, telling us he had her since she was a puppy and wanted to sell her, because she ate too much,” she said.
Bailey then told the man that they will be confiscating the dog, and if he could provide them with positive proof of ownership, he can claim her back from them. “Because the dog did not have any food or water, and he did not have a licence to sell dogs, we could take the dog away as per the Animal Protection Act,” Bailey said.
Although the dog, which looks like she might be a Shepherd/Border Collie mix, is safe at Claw, Bailey said that they are sure that she must have known a loving home, and is urging the owners to claim her. “To claim her, the owners will need to come visit us and bring along photographs, vet records, or any other documents that can show positive proof of ownership. We will not be launching a massive interrogation, but we do need to know what happened,” she said.
Pet owners are urged to ensure they keep their pets safe, to prevent them from being stolen and sold. “Always ensure your pets are kept indoors during the night, and when you go on holiday, make sure you have responsible caregivers. And, if it does happen that you cannot care for your pets any more, rather seek help to rehome them to a loving home – do not just give them away. Something that also helps to locate a missing pet very quickly, is microchipping. If your pet is microchipped, anyone at a vet’s office, the SPCA or a shelter can scan the pet, and, if the details are updated, you can have your pet back within days. It is also an instant proof of ownership,” she concluded.
For more information, or if you know who the dog’s owners might be, Claw can be contacted on 082 926 3627. Alternatively, Cora can be contacted on 076 850 4466.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
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