A dog in Cape Town who was saved from being buried alive is reported to be living his best life with his new adopted family in his forever home.
On July 2, the Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) received a call about a dog being buried alive.
“It was a shocking act of cruelty and our Inspector Lee Prins demonstrated extraordinary commitment in rescuing the dog, who we later named Courage,” Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson, Belinda Abraham said.
Courage’s journey post-rescue was fraught with obstacles.
Abraham said Courage was the epitome of neglect and the extent of his neglect was very visible.
He was unvaccinated, unneutered, underfed, and unloved and all this showed in the diagnosis of a life-threatening disease, pain from untreated arthritis, emaciation, a baffling skin condition, and a Transmissible Venereal Tumour.
“He fought to live buried under that mound of sand and his bravery just never stopped.
“He faced every veterinary intervention including repeated examinations, frequent germicidal baths, and various treatments including chemotherapy, like a true warrior,” Abraham said.
As he made a remarkable recovery, a family picked Courage as the newest member to their family.
“Courage is loved at last. The only 'uns' in his life now are understanding, unconditional love, and unlimited care and we couldn’t be happier for him. We’re so thankful to the Mentoor family for giving him the chance to live in a home filled with warmth and compassion,” Abraham said.
Courage’s new dad, Jarryd Mentoor said his new furbaby is doing well, he loves his new home and plays with the family’s two children every day when they get home from school.
“Courage is doing very well and loves his new home and plays every day with the kids when they come home from school. He is very intelligent and very caring and protective of the kids.
“He is eating well, going for walks in the area and drinks a lot of water as he has so much energy. We’re so lucky to have him in our lives, we loved him from the minute we met him, and we will love him and cherish him forever. Thank you for sharing Courage with us. We thank God every day that he now has a family that loves him as much as he loves us,” Mentoor said.
Abraham said Courage’s story also highlighted the crucial roles of united efforts by animal-loving individuals.
“There’s another ‘un’ word that’s relevant to this story, it’s united and it’s the most important one because this story would not have been possible without the collective support of those who choose to report cruelty, adopt rescued animals or contribute towards the work of the SPCA,” she added.
The SPCA receives no government funding and relies on the support of individuals to keep their doors open.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
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