CHRIS van Gent from Chrisville loves and adores his dog Stompie.
The pair is like salt and pepper and wherever Gent goes Stompie will be right there with him.
Stompie isn’t like any ordinary dog. He is one of the stylish dogs around the Chrisville area.
Stompie is easily identified as he is always wearing his sunglasses and pink jacket.
According to Gent, he found Stompie 10 years ago in an open veld in Booysens in a shoebox.
Gent took Stompie and treated him with tender love and care and and since then the two are inseparable.
“We are never separated and I treat Stompie as my son. Stompie is all I have and he always treats me like his father. Our relationship has been growing stronger and stronger.
“My love for Stompie is unconditional. People think I’m crazy because they see me talking to him therefore they assume I’ve lost my mind,” said Gent.
Gent is unemployed and begs on streets holding his placard ‘Please help work or food thank you, God bless.’
Every day he starts begging at 9am until 5pm and Stompie is always next to him. “People donate food for Stompie and I’m grateful for that because without the donations I could’ve never been able to support my Stompie,” added Gent.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Johannesburg public relations and marketing manager, Liana Marx said Gent is an amazing guy and he has been begging in the streets for a long time
“I’m sure everyone in the South knows about him. I believe many other people will agree with me he has always been very polite and friendly, and when people do give him money he always has the biggest smile and says thank you, whether you give him R1 or R100.
“Family members of mine have actually brought him food, as many people believe beggars only beg for money to go drink it all out. And what did he do? He took his dog and sat down and broke all the chicken into pieces for the dog to eat, and he ate the bread and chips,” said Marx.
Assistance when possible
Marx said they will always have the door open for any animal which needs treatment.
“As everyone knows we don’t have a Vet, due to the fact that we can’t find one that is willing to work for a charity.
“If the animal is severely injured we will stabilise it and help the owner to get the closest Vet available.
“In someone like Gent’s case, we try and do an appeal to the public to help pay medical bills.
“Most people need help today as the economy is tough, but we will try our very best to help anyone who comes to us and is in dire need of assistance for his/her pet,” explained Marx.
Marx’s message to Gent: “Carry on to look after Stompie. Make sure he is safe at all times.”
Marx concluded by saying if people want to beg on the streets with their dogs no one can stop them. “It is their property, but the moment the animals run around in the street causing havoc and potential accidents, or if the animal is not looked after, we will step in and speak to the owner regarding the animal’s safety and the public’s safety,” added Marx.
ALSO READ:
‘Begging in large retails shops should be prohibited’
Woman begging with baby at the traffic lights – Isn’t this child abuse?
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