A story of 3 Angels and hope
My son and I were driving down a road in Randburg and noticed a Doberman running in the street.
After a long struggle finally helped by our Staffy making friends with the dog we managed to get him into the car.
Enter the first Angel Bryanpark Veterinary clinic on Grosvenor Road (011 706-2590)
We took the dog through to the Vet to create a record of the lost dog. The dog was not in good condition so we requested the Vet to check out the dog’s health.
They did so, and prescribed various medicines which we bought, The Vet however waived the consultation fees so we were thankful as they would have been substantial.
The next day my son canvassed the neighbourhood and eventually found the owners. The dog’s condition was more due to ignorance rather than deliberate neglect, the reason being that the dog was their sons’ who had been attacked and ended up in the hospital. The parents took over the dogs (there’s more) and did not have the knowledge to feed the dogs properly.
My son spent some time with them offering advice which they gratefully accepted. The end of this part of the story was that the next time he visited the dog was in excellent condition.
The next instalment of the story came about when the parent’s commented that they didn’t know what to do with the puppies. Immediately Mark asked to inspect them and found that the female was in bad shape and the 4 surviving 3 week old puppies were dehydrated and extremely hungry as the mother was unable to feed them.
Mark immediately offered to buy the puppies and arranged to rent the mother to try to save them.
This was accepted and we immediately took the dogs to the second Angels, the Fourways Veterinary Hospital located opposite Pineslopes off Witkoppen Road (011 705-3411). We did this because it was after hours and they have a 24 hour service.
On arrival the Vet inspected the dogs and found that, as we suspected, the mother was malnourished, and the pups were ravenous. We brought various medicines and food and once more the Hospital waived the Consultation fee which would also have been a hefty sum due to the after hours costs.
My son took the dogs home and over 2 days spent almost all the time trying to bottle feed the mother and children but eventually realised that he did not have the time to continue this labour intensive task.
Enter Angel 3 without whom we have no doubt that the dogs would have died. Ark Walk Park and Dog Boarding near the Lion Park in Chartwell (0823347596).
We spoke to Tracey who immediately suggested we take to dogs to their property. On inspection the mother was diagnosed with Piometria and the family was immediately housed in one of their buildings. Tracey then engaged on a concentrated remedial course which has resulted today in a healthy mother and 4 healthy bouncing, 6 week old puppies. They are going for their first vaccinations this week.
I would note that Tracey refused any payment for the care and feeding (4 times a day) of the dogs and the only costs we have had is the vaccinations.
I would mention during this whole experience the mother and father have the most placid nature, never in any way becoming aggressive, which gives me hope that the children will have the same temperament, Every time we visit their mother rushes out of her room to greet us and calls the pups out to proudly display them.
Tracey’s daughter Cara is involved with the mom and pups daily and her son Hunter plays with them every day and need to be restrained from sleeping with them.
After rigorous inspections of prospective owners We have managed to home all the pups so we would like to thank all those that helped in saving 5 dogs that could have died.
I would like to add a huge thank you to Ark Walk Park because this is not the first time thay have done something like this. Two or so years ago Mark and I picked up another stray and, once more, Tracey took her in, fed and housed her until she was ready to go to Woodrock Resue where she was quickly adopted.
If you need kennelling give them a try, they have a 23 acre farm with walks for the dogs and a dam which our dogs love. I would have no issue living in the houses created for the dogs ;-).
