The Crags Veterinary team met Oi outside a shop in Plett, when her owner arrived, they learned he had spent weeks trying to get home after a massive surgery in Cape Town, so they took him in.
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa (23 February 2023) – The team at Crags Veterinary Clinic and Shop in Plettenberg Bay came across a healthy looking dog tied up outside a shop recently. They decided to wait with the dog to meet the owner and met a man who loves his dog dearly, but has fallen on hard times. The team were moved to make a difference and with the help of donors, are now able to do so.
The man who is not native to Cape Town or Plettenberg Bay, arrived in the Mother City to have cancerous growths removed from his jaw. He had traveled from Jeffrey’s Bay with his dog “Oi” and left her in the care of a family member while he was in hospital. The surgery saw the removal of parts of his lower jaw.
Once released, he collected his dog and has slowly been trying to make his way from Cape Town, back to home in Jeffrey’s Bay. At present he found himself sleeping where he could find cover, and has managed to get as far as Plettenberg Bay.
The Crags Vet team saw that his beloved dog was well looked after. As he came out of the shop he had a water for himself, and a cheap egg sandwhich for Oi. After chatting with the team, they learned that he had not had the funding to get her fixed but over the last three years, had managed to keep her safe from male dogs. Unfortunatly, while she was in the care of his relatives, she was bred and was now carrying an accidental litter.
“He has his doggie for over 3 years now, tried to spay her, but could not afford it. So he “kept her away from boys”, successfully till recently, when she was out of his care… so she got pregnant… now he is broken, physically and financially, and is trying for weeks to make his way back to Jeffrey’s Bay.
He sleeps wherever he can, usually at the parking lots or in the ditches. He can only eat liquid food, as most of his lower jaw was removed. When we saw him at Checkers he went in to buy the bottle of water for himself and the cheappest egg sandwich… for his dog. Whatever happens, there is no way we could leave him sitting there. Sweet, very gracious person. His dog speaks for him, so I trust him fully.
When I took him to the shop to buy him something to eat he was just worried that I don’t have to pay too much… when ate, they just both fell asleep at the clinic gate… so here we are.”
The team took him and his dog back to the veterinary clinic and then rallied the Plett community to help cover the costs of a spay for his dog and a lift back to Jeffrey’s Bay for the both of them.
Within hours of sharing the story online, people started sending in the funds needed to help both of them out. They are both staying at the clinic for now, while everything is processed but as soon as Oi’s spay is done, they can head back to Jeffrey’s Bay.
“Thank You All for your help. We have a lift for them on Friday morning, and money to cover the surgery and meds. We had an amazing response, it is really really special. Special man and his special dog.
He told us today, that he was sitting on the side of the road waiting for someone to stop, for days. And that it was his dog who at the end found the way back home for them.
“Things always work somehow, they do” he said…
I must say I have learned a lot today.”
The story won’t end here. You can stay tuned to the Crags Veterinary Facebook page to see how the pair fair on their trip home.
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