Six days ago, Adam arrived at Cluny Animal Trust’s clinic after making a more than 10-kilometre journey with his sickly dog over his shoulder, and a can of tinned food. Here’s the positive update everyone’s been waiting for!
Free State, South Africa (12 January 2026) – She arrived at the clinic in a crate. Sickly and in poor condition. Adam had walked over 10 kilometres across Mashaeng township to reach the clinic for help.
Snapper has spent six long days under close observation at Cluny Animal Trust, fighting through multiple illnesses and slowly beginning to find her strength again.
Adam brought her to Cluny because she was critically ill. After the examination, it was confirmed that she was battling biliary disease, parvo and worms. The prognosis was uncertain.
Cluny’s veterinarian Dr Elsa, says her team was worried about whether Snapper would make it through.
“She came in very, very sick, with high temperatures and typical biliary symptoms. Parvo symptoms showed up a day later. So we treated the biliary first and then started parvo treatment.” shares Dr Elsa.
Behind the scenes, Cluny’s small team of just four veterinary staff and four support members have been taking shifts around the clock, making sure someone is always nearby to check on Snapper, administer medication and give her the comfort she needs.
After days of worry, the team arrived to a sign of hope on Sunday morning. The sound of Snapper barking.
“When we got to the clinic, we could hear her barking in her cage and honestly could not believe it.”
After a bath and a little walk around in the sunshine, meds were administered and Snapper gobbled up her food. All positive signs that she’s now on the road to recovery. After days of hoping for the best, it was an emotional shift for her heroes to witness.
Alongside Snapper’s slow but steady recovery, the outpouring of community support has been just as remarkable, shares Cluny. People have donated not only towards her care but also thinking about Adam, who walked all that way just to get her help.
“We’ve had donations coming in, and they’re going to cover her sterilisation, vaccinations, food and medication when she goes home,” Cluny explains. “For Adam, we’re thinking of getting food vouchers from the local butcher or supermarket.”
Cluny hopes to fetch Adam soon so he can visit Snapper while she continues to recover, knowing how important that connection can be for both of them.
“When animals are sick, just like people, seeing their people helps. We’ve got a lovely garden here, so they can spend time together.”
Snapper, a seven-month-old German Shepherd cross, has been with Adam since she was a tiny puppy, and while he didn’t know how vital vaccinations were, Cluny is approaching the situation with education rather than judgement.
“He didn’t know. It wasn’t neglect – it was lack of information,” they explain. “We plan to do one-on-one education with him, about the daily, weekly, monthly and annual care that goes into properly looking after your pet.”
They believe that helping Adam understand proper care will have a ripple effect in his community too.
“He’s a caring owner and a nice guy. By helping him, he’ll share that with people around him. It has a knock-on effect.”
If all goes according to plan, Snapper will return back home to Adam along with food, medication, blankets and everything else needed for a strong recovery at her loving owner’s side!
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