Inspired by her beloved pit bull Zola, rescued as an emaciated pup, Laurika Stander is turning her love for vulnerable animals into a local mission – to create a sanctuary where rescues will run freely, sleep cosy and whose broken hearts will finally find healing!
Kleinmond, South Africa (16 January 2026) – Raised on a farm near Thabazimbi in the heart of the Bushveld, Laurika Stander spent years exploring the world – from living in Utrecht and spending six months in Paris after school, to backpacking through Europe and working in England. Eventually, her journey led her back to South Africa, where she has settled in Kleinmond.
Throughout these many adventures, one constant has remained: her drive to help any living creature she encounters.
“It comes from growing up with so many animals on the farm. I rescued everything I could find; I even rescued a little civet cat and kept him as a pet,” Laurika says.
“I have always helped by raising funds, but I struggled to get more involved because I cry when I see animals in cages. I hate that. But I realised I needed to do something different.”
We connected with the lifelong animal lover, whose passion for saving animals is matched only by her dream of one day opening a safe sanctuary – a dream inspired by her beloved pit bull, Zola.
Zola was found by two Good Samaritans as a pup, so painfully thin that her ribs and hip bones protruded alarmingly. She was taken to the Kleinmond Animal Welfare Society (KAWS), which later posted a video pleading for help for the poor dog.
“The moment I saw it, I phoned without hesitation and picked the dog up the very next morning. Initially called ‘Angel,’ she was soon renamed ‘Zola,’ inspired by the famed runner Zola Budd,” Laurika shares.
Zola was so weak that even a modest meal disrupted her digestion. Despite being frail, Laurika says, Zola would dash around with surprising energy, her spirit outshining her skeletal frame.
“Under patient vet care, it took three months for Zola to reach a healthy weight. The plan was to foster Zola just until she recovered. Yet from the moment she felt the warmth of a soft couch and a gentle blanket beneath her, the bond was sealed. Within a week, fostering turned into adoption – the sweetest ‘foster fail’ story imaginable,” the proud dog mom reflects.
Zola’s healing and transformation sparked something deeper in Laurika: to create secure, community-based feeding stations in underserved areas, so stray and neglected dogs can reliably find fresh food and clean water.
She established Zola’s Paw Project, a small non-profit that cares for township cats and dogs who are often forgotten.
“We feed them, give basic medical care, help with sterilisations, and rescue the ones in danger or suffering. Most of these animals don’t have owners who can afford food or vet care, so we step in to make sure they are not hungry, sick, or alone.
“Every time I feed the animals in the township, I realise how badly most of them need a home that is filled with love, safety and kindness. Not cages, a real home where they feel safe and can only be happy. So many cats and dogs need a home, and so many people are forced to give their cats and dogs up because they do not have space.”
Recognising this dire reality, Laurika has been inspired to dream even bigger. Her dream now is to build “Zola’s Home” – a sanctuary where these vulnerable animals and so many others can be safe, healed, and loved.
“Right now, many of the dogs and cats we rescue have nowhere to go. A sanctuary would give them proper space, shelter, medical treatment, and time to recover. It would also give us a place to educate the community about animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, and the importance of sterilisation.”
Laurika has been offered land to buy to build her dream sanctuary, and the plan is to build slowly and responsibly: container homes for carers and an attached space for dogs to sleep safely inside, a cattery, a clinic, and a rehabilitation centre for dogs that need patience instead of punishment.
“I don’t have everything figured out yet, but I have faith, a clear vision, and a heart that refuses to give up on the broken ones. I pray that if this dream is meant to grow, the right people will walk this journey with me,” she says.
For Laurika, Zola’s Home would be more than just a shelter. It is a place where animals can learn to trust again, where children can learn compassion, and where a community can grow stronger through kindness.
To support this dream or for more information, email contact@zolaspawproject.org.za, laurikasster@gmail.com or visit the Zola’s Paw Project Facebook page.
Sources: Laurika Stander
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:
Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 