A generous contribution from the Hot Cares team is providing a vital lifeline for rescued pangolins Kito and Percy and the many other vulnerable wild patients fighting for a second chance at life at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital.
Johannesburg, South Africa (23 July 2026) – When an emaciated tortoise is rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, or a pangolin is recovered during a sting operation, the veterinary care they desperately need comes at a steep cost. Yet, as the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital (JWVH) emphasises, there are no medical aids in the world of wildlife welfare to help foot the bill.
Every pangolin, tortoise, eagle, python, bushbaby, and countless other wild patients arriving at JWVH depend entirely on the compassion of people who choose to stand by them.
Recently, the hospital took in two pangolins, Kito and Percival aka Percy, who require specialised care – adding to the hundreds of smuggled and confiscated tortoises and reptiles currently in their care.
The financial strain has been mounting with every medication purchased, every species-specific meal prepared, and every stage of rehabilitation completed. But this week, the compassion that keeps this vital work afloat arrived once again!
The Hot Cares team made a generous financial contribution for the treatment of Kito and Percy, and the many other wild patients admitted at the hospital.
For JWVH, this support, especially during such a busy period when the hospital is running round the clock for vulnerable and injured animals, is far more than just a financial donation.
“It represents hope. Hope for animals that have endured unimaginable suffering through the illegal wildlife trade. Hope that they can recover, return to the wild where they belong, and play their role in protecting South Africa’s remarkable biodiversity,” the JWVH team said.
The wildlife organisation is South Africa’s first and only dedicated wildlife veterinary hospital. The team provides specialised veterinary care, rehabilitation and monitored release for thousands of indigenous wild animals every year, and is deeply grateful for organisations such as Hot Cares that understand the power of community.
“They [Hot Cares] know that real change happens when people come together to help those who cannot help themselves – and South Africa’s wildlife needs that community now more than ever.”
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