What began as an ordinary workday for a Gillooly’s Farm security officer turned into an emotional rescue mission that saw her bond with a frightened puppy in just two days.

Born and bred in Alexandra, Nqobile Mavuso describes herself as bubbly, someone who enjoys being around happy people and tries to maintain peace wherever she is. As a security officer at Gillooly’s Farm, she helps ensure visitors feel safe. However, her first encounter with the lost puppy on October 13 presented a different kind of challenge.

It was her first day back at work after being off duty.When she spotted the puppy in the morning, she assumed it had accompanied someone visiting the park. When she saw it again that afternoon, she began to suspect it was lost.

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She asked her colleague, MaSkhosana, whether she knew anything about the dog.

Neither of them had received information about a missing puppy.

Their suspicions were confirmed when a park user, Jacqueline Oldfield,, arrived and showed them a community post reporting that a car had knocked over a puppy before it ran into the farm.

Goldfield was concerned about its condition as it was covered in mange, visibly frightened and possibly suffering from internal injuries. Its proximity to the freeway also placed it in danger.

Oldfield visited Gillooly’s the day after learning about the puppy, hoping to locate it. “When I arrived, I found Nqobile with a bowl of pap and chicken, trying to feed the puppy,” she said.

The puppy was extremely scared and ran away whenever someone tried to approach it. Although several community rescue groups were involved in the search, Oldfield said catching it immediately could have caused it to panic and run towards the road.

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Goldfield realised that gaining the puppy’s trust would be crucial to capturing it safely. She brought dog food and gravy to the farm and explained to Mavuso that feeding the puppy consistently would help it become comfortable around her.

Together, they put out food and water before Mavuso knocked off. She asked her colleagues to keep an eye on the puppy, and they agreed.

When she returned the next morning, the puppy had eaten the food left for it. Mavuso replaced the food and water and updated Oldfield on its progress.

Oldfield said Mavuso’s willingness to help was particularly remarkable because she was afraid of dogs.

“She took many steps from the goodness of her heart and because of the loving type of person she is. She was afraid of dogs in general, but she tried her best to feed the puppy,” Oldfield said.

Although she was still afraid, Mavuso gently called the puppy and encouraged it to come closer.

Mavuso explained that her fear stemmed from growing up with the teaching and belief that any dog that isn’t yours will bite you.

However, seeing that puppy frightened, hungry and alone made her reconsider those fears. “I imagined myself in a situation where I hadn’t eaten for so many hours, getting so frustrated and angry. What more for a puppy, hungry and lost?” she said. She eventually named the puppy Cyan, the same name as her kitten.

The following morning, Mavuso contacted her because the puppy had been crying and she was worried.

Oldfield went to Gillooly’s to assist, while a rescuer contacted the Bedfordview Germiston SPCA.

By then, Mavuso had made remarkable progress.

“When I arrived on the morning of October 14, she was touching the puppy. That is how quickly she was able to get the puppy’s trust,” Oldfield said.

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When SPCA inspector Gift arrived to assist with the capture, Cyan was reluctant to leave Mavuso.

Having grown comfortable with her, the puppy resisted attempts to place it in a kennel.

The team had to work together, running around the area to secure the animal. As the puppy became increasingly defensive, they eventually used a dog-catching pole to bring it closer.

Mavuso said it felt as though Cyan believed she had betrayed its trust by allowing others to capture it. However, once the puppy was safely inside the kennel, it stopped shaking and appeared more relaxed.

Oldfield said the rescue took about three hours.

Despite the difficulties of cornering the frightened dog in that part of the park, Mavuso worked alongside SPCA inspector Gift to help secure it.

Oldfield said Mavuso stayed focused on capturing the puppy with as little trauma as possible.

She helped during the capture and held the crate while the puppy was placed inside. “She spoke to it, reassuring it that she was doing it because she wanted to help it,” Oldfield said.

She praised the SPCA for its professionalism, adding that the organisation worked hard despite having limited resources.

Mavuso believes the experience taught her an important lesson about compassion.

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“We should treat everyone with love, kindness and respect because you do not know what they face every day,” she said.

She added that the same applied to Cyan. Nobody knew how the puppy got lost or what it endured before arriving at Gillooly’s Farm.

The experience also changed her relationship with dogs and inspired her to learn more about animal care.

Oldfield thanked everyone who contributed to the rescue, from the person who first posted the photograph on community groups to those who helped locate, feed and eventually capture the puppy.

“There are always angels working behind the scenes that no one ever gets to hear about,” she said.

.She encouraged pet owners to join local rescue and lost-and-found groups, explaining that these networks could help reunite missing animals with their owners.

The Bedfordview Germiston SPCA was contacted for comment but said it could not comment at the time because it was dealing with a crisis.