As promised , our listener's truly inspiring pet adoption stories!
Kathy Clayton's story.
Hi,
I have four dogs and they have all been adopted.
They are absolutely wonderful, and I would like to share some of their
personal traits and peculiarities with you.
Kayla is the eldest. She is a x-German Shepherd and is almost twelve
years old. Her last remaining "parent" died two years ago, and I took
her in. When I brought her home, she literally had no hair on her back
due to stress. However, she has settled in very well. Most of her
hair has grown back in (except for a few bald patches on her backside)
and is very happy, except when there is a storm. She goes absolutely
hysterical, and the only way I can calm her down is to get up out of bed
(because this usually occurs late at night or in the early hours of the
morning!), take her to my sewing room where she lies under the cutting
table listening to Algoa FM whilst I either sew or read (or fall asleep
on top of the table).
Peanut is the problem child. He is approximately seven years old and
is (was!) a miniature Doberman. He belonged to my daughter but when
she left home, refused to leave with her. He suffers from seperation
anxiety when I'm not at home so to spite me, he pees against my lounge
chair every time I go out. He is beautiful, cheeky, naughty,
aggressive, the most loving of animals and the unfriendliest son of a
bitch alive. I love him to bits.
Sandy is about five and looks as if she could be a cross between a
turtle dove and a crocodile. She was adopted from Save a Pet when she
was tiny and when we brought her home, disappeared into the shrubs in
the garden. We thought she was exploring until we found her - she was
so ill and riddled with worms - in fact, they were coming out of her at
both ends. We took her to the vet who placed her on a drip and kept
her in hospital for three days. When we fetched her she was incredibly
weak and feeble and appeared to be so grateful to be cared for. She
still has that trait about her - when she is taken for a drive, given a
special treat or a cuddle, she laps it up. She is the most
self-effacing of dogs, and always stands back for the others. However,
that is not to say that she won't fight for what she believes is hers!
And then there is Sox! He is a x-Ridgeback and came to me when he was
approximately six months old. His family were emigrating and he was
going to be put down unless a home was found for him. When we were
introduced, I went down on my haunches and he just ran to me and placed
his front paws on my shoulders, knocking me over in the process. As a
matter of fact, I'm still having a helluva job trying to get him to stop
jumping up onto me. He is so lovable, but extremely jealous. If one
of the other animals sit with me, he always tries to push them away to
be closest. He is also very frisky, won't walk when he can run or sit
when he could be walking. Loves his bones, his food and must be
covered by a blanket at night. He sleeps on the floor next to my side
of the bed on his comforter, and cries if one of the other dogs lays
down on his place. I then have to move them to their spot, he lays
down and I cover him with his special blankie. If he wakes during the
night and is uncovered, he sits and cries until I wake up and re-cover him.
All these pets are so special, and I would always rather opt for
adoption from one of the animal societies before purchasing a dog from a
breeder. They need our love so much and are so generous with theirs -
as they say, in our world they're dogs but in their life, we are their
world (or something like that!). They give back much more than they
receive in terms of love, devotion and loyalty.
I was standing in a queue at a supermarket one day and got speaking to
an elderly gentleman standing in front of me. He told me he breeds
Corgis, and showed me some photographs he had in his pocket. He said
he buys a new car "out of the box!" every two years out of the proceeds
of his breeding, and that his one female had already had six litters.
I was absolutely disgusted. These poor bitches are being used solely
for breeding purposes and cannot have a normal life because of (some,
not all) unscrupulous. indiscriminate breeders.
Please go the adoption route, take responsibility for the animal you're
adopting and ensure that they are spayed or neutered, well cared for,
treated with the respect they deserve and most importantly, LOVED.
Kathy Clayton
Janey Anne Marais' story
Dear Algoa FM (Adoption story competition)
The reason for me entering this competition is because I have the most beautiful and proud story to share with everyone. I am currently a 1st year fashion design student at NMMU 2nd avenue campus. I am 21 years old and have completed a BA Media and Communication degree.
The story of my adoption of a beautiful female husky is as follows: In my 3rd year of my BA degree I had to choose a NGO to work with as my client, because my major was public relations. Therefore I chose the Animal Welfare Society in Walmer. I had to raise funds and create awareness for the company. While taking pictures and designing brochures for the AWS I came across “Gina”, the most beautiful female husky. She became the face of my project. During the 3 week June/July holidays last year, I had to go home with a heavy heart knowing that “Gina” would be taken by someone else but I had no place to keep a dog at that time.
The first day back from holidays I returned to the AWS, wishing she would still be there. At first, while walking through the cages, “Gina” was know where to be seen. I was convinced she was adopted and I burst into tears. I was really sad and a few minutes later she came running towards the fence with her sad but happy face. Right there and then I decided to adopt her. Instantly I started making plans to find a place where “Gina” and I could stay together.
The AWS gave me biggest gift ever, granting me permission to call myself “owner” of my beautiful dog. In return, I raised over R14 000 for the AWS and passed my project and degree with ease. Today still I love and appreciate “Gina” more than words can describe.
It would be a great privilege to meet Oscar and fly in a hot air balloon.
Thank-you for this opportunity.
Janey-Ann Marais
Althea Hofmeyer's story
From rural Limpopo to the Sunshine Coast.
I have this wife Althea, you understand. A thing of great delight and beauty – but possessed of an unhealthy overdose of canine obsession. There she was, driving through rural Limpopo doing research in teacher development, when she chances upon this thing in a mealiefield, recognizable to only the expert eye as a dog. Flea- and mange-ridden, skeletal, toothless from trying to eat stones it appears almost beyond death’s door. Research must take second place, for now.
Stop one. The local supermarket. Only one thing on the shopping list. Chicken necks. Stop two. The general area where she spotted the thing. No sign of it so she drives around the area, tossing frozen chicken-necks randomly into the middle distance. The locals decide that this Mlungu is mad. Can we blame them? The children pounce gleefully upon the chicken necks. Back to the supermarket. This time, housing as well. A small blanket, a vuvuzela box (yes, it’s 2010), more chicken.
This time she finds the dog. Has some difficulty getting it into the vuvuzela box (the notion of a kennel is foreign to mealiefields) but wins in the end. Each day she calls me in Jo’burg to report on progress. She is becoming attached to the thing. I am gentle, but firm. We already have a veritable menagerie of adoptees, there are countless more waiting for her to chance by. Will there never be an end to this? With calm but devastating logic I point out every possible disadvantage in bringing the thing to the big smoke. The noise, the traffic, more refined dogs sure to spurn it. The more convincing I think I am the more I realise I will, with an elegant inevitability, lose.
But then, success. The evening before her return my logic wins the day and she assures me that she will bid it a fond farewell and return dog-less. The next evening I get home and (yes, you saw it coming) there is the thing. Having never seen a more decrepit animal I realise – with some relief, I must admit – that the vet will put it down first thing in the morning. We discuss why despatching him might be for the best. Amongst other considerations it looks about 14 and near the end anyway. I am gentle with my wonderful wife as she leaves for the vet the next morning. I call half an hour later, compassion in my voice. “Are you ok, my love?” “Yes”, she declares, with ominous delight in voice, “he’s not 14, but about 4.
The vet is going to save him. The vet and I have called him Madiba for his noble demeanour – Diba for short”. In my view the vet has spotted the financing of his next BMW but I say nothing.
Today Diba (whom I refer to as Derelict) lives in Hamburg, baljaaring daily on the beach and terrifying the children with his one remaining eye. Can he come along for the balloon-ride?
And why should one adopt a dog? Because it's the only way to get a real character like Diba!
Andy Hofmeyr
Jessica Bently's story.
Dear Algoa Fm
My name is Jessica Bentley.
In the beginning of last year my house mate and I took on a female Wippit (don't know the correct spelling). Her previous owner had abused her terribly and she was found being dragged around with wire around her neck by a small child. She sustained a hideous gash under her jaw (being hit with a beer bottle) and other not so serious wounds. She was very skinny and her coat was matted and she was infested with fleas. My house mates cousin was asked to take her home with her and a month later we adopted her as his cousin went overseas. Roxy is the dog's name only allowed me to feed her and pet her as she was terrified of men, whenever my house mate came home she would run and hide. We fed her and loved her and gave her lots of attention and she has finally gotten used to my house mate. She has fattened up quite a bit and she now has a glowing golden coat and she is always happy. She bounces around when people come to visit and she is absolutely adorable. She loves climbing into bed by me and now she lives with my house mate and his male Jack Russell as I had changed jobs and moved away. I miss her to bits and get to see her on occasion when I go and visit.
I truly believe that people should rather adopt pets as they really appreciate the love and attention that we have to offer that their previous owners have neglected to give them. I am always brought to tears when thinking about how cruel some people can be to there animals and if I could adopt a dog / cat everyday I would. Please help these poor animals find good homes and love them unconditionally just as they love us unconditionally. Animals don't care what race we are or how beautiful or ugly we are they just want to love and protect us.
If I do win this competition, I would like to give this opportunity to my grandparents as they deserve a treat as wonderful as this and I wouldn't be able to make it.
With a kind heart
Jessica F Bentley
Jennifer Futter's story
My son came home with a black lab. At the time we had no other pets and felt that the lab needed a friend so I set about finding him a white lab. After calls to the different societies I found one at Animal Welfare but it was about to be put down. When the lady realized that I was an animal lover and sincere she asked me to come and see her. I went along to meet Lucky (the labs new name) and I was shocked into tears. Her previous owner had continuously beaten her. She was not allowed into their home and every time she came near their back door they had taken to beating her with a broom. To make matters worse they had then set their pitbull on her. She has massive wounds and was barely alive. I fell in love and begged for her life. A week later we were asked to bring in our black lab to meet her. The two of them sniffed each other cautiously and Lucky was scared but Nibbles showed her no aggression and she stayed calm. A decision was made. Lucky would be allowed to live. First she had to undergo surgery and recover and was allowed to join us a week later. Our own veterinarian had done the surgery and was prepared to help where needed. For the first 6 months to a year we battled to get her to come in through the back door. It took lots of love and lots of coaxing. During this time she and Nibbles became best friends and soulmates. When she finally came through the back door on her own the tears just poured not just from me but from my entire family of 5.
Lucky is now 14 years old and she and Nibbles are still best of friends but we see her tiring and she likes to spend her days following me around and lying at my feet or close by. She suffers from skin sensitivity and has to take cortisone but to me she is still beautiful. She is a warrior that fought a war and survived and now lives a life of leisure surrounded by people that love and adore her.
Pets should always be adopted and not bought because the pets you adopt are special. They only have one chance and that chance is you. We have only ever gotten our pets through animal welfare and Save a Pet and I would have it no other way. Our pets are loved and because they somehow sense they have been saved they seem to be even more loyal and loving that a pet randomly bought at a pet shop. A pet that is adopted is chosen with love and care while a pet bought at a pet shop is bought to satisfy a whim and easily discarded when it becomes just another chore.
Jennifer Futter
Jennifer's story
I love my animals as if they were my babies (which they are) but have always preferred getting puppies and bringing them up my way.
A year or 2 ago, there was a letter in the Weekend Post about a little elderly dog who had been knocked over and taken to Mount Croix vet but was never claimed. The letter was written as he was in danger of being put to sleep. Via phone calls to the vet and the incredibly caring network that try to find homes for these loving creatures, I tracked him down.
I went to meet him and fell deeply in love immediately. He was deaf and partially blind but had the most awesome spirit and dignity I have ever encountered in an animal.
I called him Womble instantly as he strongly resembled one! He was the most loving little man I have ever had the privilege of knowing.
He, unfortunately, passed away last year after treating us to his presence for only 9 months.
He brightened up our world and cheered up everyone who was lucky enough to meet him.
Our vet told us that he was in the region of 14 years old and never suffered.
I wish I could bottle his spirit and share him with everyone.
If he enjoyed his last 9 months half as much as I did, then he must have been smiling! I still think about him often.
Attached is a photo of the darling boy.
Gillian
