Grab all the tissues for this one. Pepper went missing. His dad set out to look for him every morning with hope in his heart. An entire search party formed around finding him. After 11 agonising days came a moment that left everyone blubbering in the best way…
Stellenbosch, South Africa (26 June 2026) – A father’s heart, shattered for 11 days, is finally whole again. That is the line shared by LEAPS about a dog-dad named Erwin and his beloved Pepper.
It all started almost two weeks ago, when Pepper went missing. It was an agonising period for Erwin, but he was not going to give up. Pepper is his family, and family never gets left behind.
As the sun rose each morning, Erwin set out on the road to try, and find him. He’d only return after dark, each day carrying more pain at not returning with his precious Pepper. Not once did his hope waver.
“For 11 long days, Pepper’s dad, Erwin, drove from Stellenbosch to Oudekraal and Table Mountain every single day, arriving with hope in his heart and leaving only when darkness forced him to go home. Every night he returned without his boy, carrying the pain of not knowing where Pepper was, yet every morning he got up and did it all again.” shares LEAPS.
He did not consider giving up. He would still be searching today, had the happiest ending to the story not found him earlier this week…
As Erwin hit the mountains searching for his Pepper, an incredible village of support formed around him.
“Beside him was Jolene from [LEAPS], faithfully climbing those mountains day after day, sharing in his heartache, exhaustion and determination.” shared LEAPS.
A search party of strangers formed, moved by the incredible love and determination Erwin showed for his missing dog. Encouraged by the hope he had that somewhere out there, Pepper was still alive, and searching too.
By day 7, Good Things Guy reader William Gets had met Erwin on the pipe track on Table Mountain, where Pepper had first gone missing.
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South Africa, We Have SO Much Good News to Share With You!“I came across him on a trail run last Saturday morning and he was standing on the pipe track where the dog had got lost and was calling for the dog. The dog’s name was Pepper. We asked him if the dog had a tag. He said it did, and written on the tag is: Pa se Kind” William tells us.
Erwin did everything in his power to find Pepper and any stranger could tell – he was not just looking for his pet, he was looking for his family. His best friend. His companion.
“He had made multitudes of posters and got word out on the various hiking and running groups.” William shares.
Then came the turning point. After 11 days of fighting through heartbreak with hope, Erwin was the one to spot Pepper. Along with a companion who had set out to help him search that day.
“Then, after 11 agonising days, Pepper was spotted on the lower slopes of Oudekraal Ravine by Erwin and Barry, an angel who came to help search.” LEAPS shared.
With Pepper in an area that was inaccessible on foot, Wilderness Search and Rescue teams immediately descended the mountain by rope and worked through the night to reunite him with Erwin. Nine hours later, just before the crack of dawn, happy tears flowed when Pepper leapt into his dad’s arms. Pe se kind.
“Pepper, Erwin and the rescuers safely came off the mountain together, ending nearly two weeks of heartbreak, fear and unwavering hope.” LEAPS shared on Thursday. “Tonight, Pepper will sleep in his daddy’s arms with a full belly, warm, safe and knowing he is loved beyond measure.”
The pictures of their reunion had us blubbering.
“The tears being shed are no longer tears of despair, but tears of overwhelming joy, relief and gratitude.” LEAPS shared. “This rescue reminds us that miracles do happen, that love never gives up, and that when a community comes together with compassion and determination, the impossible can become possible.”
An entire community formed around finding him. Erwin had angels at his side, searching tirelessly and with hope, right beside him every step of the way. All for the love of his little dog.
“Thank you to the incredible people who came every day, and to those who joined whenever they could. You are all heroes. It took a team of compassionate, selfless and dedicated people who willingly spent 11 days and nights searching steep mountain slopes, risking their own safety, simply because one little dog was deeply loved and deserved to come home.”
Pepper is back where he belongs because love conquers all.
“Welcome home, Pepper. You were worth every step, every tear, every prayer, every sleepless night and every moment of hope.”
by 
