Rhodesian Ridgeback

“I have a name” is an incredible photo series showcasing everyday South Africans in the most phenomenal way. Proudly South African… one story at a time.

 

The stories are told by the incredible South Africans… raw & unedited. It’s a showcase of humanness, a reminder that behind every face, is a name.

Meet Hayley… A South African changing the lives of Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

I met Hayley on my search for a new fur baby for our family. A ridgeback puppy was on our wish list. That is how I ended up at the Ridgeback Rescue and Rehab which Hayley runs.

” My name is Hayley. Growing up we always had ridgebacks. My father passed away when I was 11, and my mother gave away one of our dogs. A bakkie came to take him away. I don’t know where they took him and how far away, but I can tell you that the next morning…there he was…back home. He had run all the way back to us.”

Ridgebacks are amazing animals. They are extremely loyal and form very tight bonds for life with their humans. They can be extremely affectionate, but also very protective of their owners.

I ask Hayley how she came to start the Ridgeback Rehab.

 “It started when I was searching for a playmate for one of my own young dogs. I ended up at the SPCA and came across a beautiful pedigree Ridgeback who had been sitting there for 3 months. It opened my eyes..I had never thought that dogs like that would end up dying in captivity in a cage at the SPCA. I adopted him and realized there was a real need for the rehabilitation and rescue of these animals. I registered an NGO a couple of years ago and now have 26 ridgebacks that I’m looking after.”

“I did not realise that this would take over my life. My life now consists of round the clock care of these dogs…there are a few volunteers who help, but the NGO is struggling and we can’t make ends meet. I haven’t been paid in 3 years! I really, really need help. I need a community with a heart for animals to come around me to help these animals. ”

I ask her to tell me a story of one of the dogs and her face lights up as she pulls out a picture of 8 tiny puppies.

” I got a phone-call last year from someone about a litter of ridgebacks. Upon investigation I found this litter of 8 with the mother and father sleeping in a filthy outhouse. They were malnourished, covered in ringworm, and I doubted they would pull through. Many sleepless nights of nursing them paid off and most of them were adopted…

But this little one – Mohini – had a problem…we realized as she grew that there was something wrong with her leg. After xrays were taken we were told she had a broken growth plate. She had an op – had her leg in traction and had to be in isolation for weeks. Her leg is now straight and although she will need follow up care on it, the prognosis is good and she is about to be adopted. It is so rewarding to see a dog like that beat the odds . I called that litter my’ bog dog billionaires’ because they started off in an outhouse and ended up going to wonderful homes.

Hayley’s cell number is 0823584337 and her email is ridgebackrehab@gmail.com
You can also find the Ridgeback Rehab on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhodesianRidgebackRescueRehabSA/

How you can help:

1. Hayley runs the shelter from her home. She really really needs help in the form of regular volunteers. Volunteers who have a heart for the animals and will stick around. She can’t do this on her own

2. Any donations of dog food, kennels ..any dog related item would be much appreciated

3. Adopt a dog – there are some stunning young healthy ridgebacks sitting in kennels waiting for a home – why not consider adding one of these beautiful dogs to your family

4. All animals that are brought in are vaccinated, sterilized, microchipped, and dewormed. Vet costs, even though subsideized by the marvelous vet she uses, skyrocket every month. Maybe you aren’t in a place where you can adopt a dog, but maybe you would be willing to sponsor a particular dog’s veterinary bills?


“I Have A Name” is a space where an anonymous photographer (we’ll call her J) is taking photos of everyday South Africans to showcase their incredible stories.

How do we bridge the great South African divides? Black vs white, young vs old, rich vs poor, men vs women? The divides that keep us from making eye contact with the beggar standing on the street corner, or the stranger in the lift.

CS Lewis said, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”

Come with me on a journey…the stories and names behind the faces of everyday South Africans living their life in your neighbourhood, on your streets.

I think you will discover that we have a lot in common.


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Sources: Facebook 

About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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