While many people spend their weekends relaxing at home, Brenthurst resident Sanette Bosman spends most of hers walking dusty streets, greeting wagging tails by name and helping animals whose owners have little resources but loads of love to give.

A single mother who works full-time during the week, Sanette also dedicates many evenings and early mornings to collecting and transporting pets for sterilisation and checking up on animals in need.

Sanette is the director of SPOT (Sunny’s Pet Outreach Team), a registered non-profit company established in 2022.
As previously reported by the Brakpan Herald, SPOT played a key role in helping dogs left behind at the former Plastic City informal settlement.

Through patience and careful trapping, SPOT worked to remove vulnerable animals from the area, where they faced hunger, illness and danger.

The rescue efforts later extended to the Weltevreden Landfill Site, where some of the remaining dogs have settled.

Efforts continue to safely trap the remaining dogs. Sanette’s overall mission is to promote responsible pet ownership through education and practical assistance while helping to prevent animal cruelty, neglect and abuse.

One of the areas she regularly visits is the Mgongo informal settlement (Old Location), where she has become a familiar face to both residents and their pets.

Armed with dog treats, she knows the animals by name, and they excitedly greet her during her visits. At the sound of her calling out “na na”, which is her word for the treats, happy barks and bursts of zoomies quickly follow.

More than 80 dogs in the settlement have been sterilised through Sanette’s efforts. She receives no payment for her work, and told the Herald the reward comes from helping animals and supporting their owners.

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Although SPOT does not have its own clinic, Sanette works closely with a local veterinarian and is occasionally assisted by a small group of volunteers.

Her son, Brandon, usually accompanies her on the outreach visits. The Herald joined Sanette in the settlement on August 1 as she checked in on several animals she has recently assisted.

“This really is my happy place. There’s still a lot of work, and although it’s sometimes overwhelming, I just keep going,” she said.

The first stop was to check in on Foxy, a male dog whose family had agreed to have him sterilised before he disappeared for two weeks.

He later returned home with an injured leg. Sanette took him to the vet, where he was treated and placed on antibiotics.

During the visit, she delivered a new blanket along with dry and tinned food. His injury is healing well, and he will be sterilised once he has fully recovered.

The next visit was to Prentjie, a male dog who was recently sterilised. His stitches were ready to be removed, and Sanette carefully took them out them before leaving him with some food.

She also checked in on another dog suffering from mange, and believed to be a survivor of distemper (a contagious viral disease with a high mortality rate).

Once he has fully recovered, he too will be sterilised. Throughout the morning, dozens of residents stopped Sanette to ask for advice or to tell her about their animals.

She always encourages owners to have their pets sterilised, and explains the health benefits. Sanette was sought out by one woman whose two female dogs recently had puppies.

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The owner agreed to have both dogs sterilised once the puppies have been weaned. With the owner’s consent, the puppies will be surrendered to SPOT so suitable homes can be found for them.

Sanette also provides families with kennels whenever possible and places a strong emphasis on education, encouraging owners to provide proper shelter, clean drinking water and basic daily care for their pets.

She told the Herald there is a common misconception that residents of the settlement keep pets solely for protection.

“They are very much companions and are loved,” she said. “People here do care about their animals.”

The settlement is currently undergoing rezoning, and many families have moved and perimeter fencing is yet to be completed.

As a result, many dogs are kept on chains or runners. Sanette explained this is often for the animal’s own safety.

“The risks for a roaming dog are great. People who don’t like them may hurt them, they can get into fights with other dogs, or be hit by vehicles,” she said.

Before the rezoning, Sanette knew exactly where each animal lived.

“I’ll find my way around again,” she said. “I just need to keep coming back.”

Sanette stated there is a great need for collars and leashes in the settlement, and she keeps a supply in her vehicle whenever she visits.

She added that vaccinations remain one of the most significant needs, but she is not qualified to administer them herself.

“Vaccination is vital. It’s counterproductive to sterilise them only to have them die from disease. There are a lot of animals in this community that need help,” said Sanette.

Numerous other dogs were visited along the way, with Sanette stopping to hand out a treat, give them a pat and to check they were doing well before continuing on her rounds.

The settlement is also home to many families that own cats, and by the end of the visit, Sanette had made plans to return the following afternoon to collect several cats for sterilisation with their owners’ consent.

“Cats are definitely welcome. At least 50 have been sterilised. Sadly, many are poisoned, either accidentally by ingesting rat poison or deliberately by people who don’t like cats. Others simply go missing,” said Sanette.

As summer approaches, she plans to focus on treating dogs and cats for ticks and fleas in addition to regular dipping programmes.

While cash donations are always welcome, supporters can also contribute directly towards veterinary accounts or donate items such as deworming medication/treatments and vaccinations.

The organisation is able to issue Section 18A tax receipts for donations.

Contact SPOT by calling or sending a WhatsApp to 072 689 1767, email to sanbos2005@gmail.com or info@s-p-o-t.co.za, or find them on Facebook (SPOT – Sunny’s Pet Outreach Team NPC – Brakpan).