Pug Rescue SA will celebrate 10 years this weekend

Pug Rescue South Africa will celebrate 10 ten years of giving back to animals in need on October 13.

The non-profit organisation will celebrate this milestone with their monthly Yappy Hour at their premises on 80 Nielsen Road, Benoni North Agricultural Holdings, from noon to 4pm.

Entry fee will be charged per person, small breed and sterilised doggies welcome.

There will be live entertainment, lucky draws, food and refreshments, second-hand books and CDs, paddle pools for the doggies, tour of the facility at 2pm, jumping castle, doggy grooming, big group drone photograph of everybody and their dogs at 1.30pm.

Malcolm Gaw, Pug Rescue chairperson, said this is a milestone for them and they are excited and motivated for the next 10 years.

“Even though the journey is very challenging as many sanctuaries and rescue centres have good intentions, but as resources are lacking, they don’t last or they just struggle on,” said Malcolm.

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Malcolm said their passion and commitment to maintain a world-class facility and service, to do whatever it takes and working as a team, is what kept them going all these years.

“Most of all, to see a rescued doggy re-homed or successfully placed in a good home with a family that truly cares about their furry friends, gives us joy as we are their voice.”

The Benoni North Agricultural Holdings organisation was founded in 2008 by Cheryl Gaw with the aim of rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming pugs in South Africa.

Pug Rescue caters for 160 dogs on their property and they have rescued and rehabilitated about 1 747 dogs over the last 10 years.

Malcolm said they had about 10 pugs when they started and they were working from their home.

“We realised that if we wanted to do this, then we need to do it properly, so we researched both local and overseas about what makes a well-run, well-managed animal sanctuary and then adapted these principles and practices in planning our sanctuary,” he said.

“Most importantly, we wanted a sanctuary, not a shelter as we wanted to offer boarding, not kenneling.”

Pug Rescue runs an outreach programme, “Thanda Inja”, which was founded in February 2014, after a need for animal welfare assistance was noticed.

The base areas that are serviced include the Gabon and Chris Hani Informal Settlements, in Daveyton.

“The project offers free veterinary clinic services and sterilisation to even less fortunate animals,” said Malcolm.

Every second Tuesday of the month the Thanda Inja Project team visits the informal settlements and hundreds of animal get to receive veterinary treatment.

The chairperson said they also have a soup kitchen for the elderly and children and their long-term goal is to have their own hospital.

Pug Rescue SA and Thanda Inja Project rely solely on donations from the public.

Malcolm said they would welcome any donations, including pet food, auto washing powder, brooms, mops, feather dusters, hosepipes and sprayers, refuse bags and volunteers are always welcome.

Some of the organisation’s fund-raisers:

• The monthly “Spoil-a-Rescue” held on a Sunday to accommodate those who are unable to come out on a Saturday.

• Every second Saturday of every month the “Yappy Hour” fund-raiser.

• The annual Corlea Charity Concert is scheduled for November 15 at Emperors Palace, Theatre of Marcellus. Tickets available on Computicket.

• The doggy park is open every Saturday from 9am to 2pm for the public to bring their dogs to the park for an outing.

Donations can be delivered to 80 Nielsen Road, Benoni North Agricultural Holdings, or you can visit www.pugrescue.co.za for more information.

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