PAWS R US has been without its normal borehole water supply since August 24, after an electrical problem affected the phase powering the property’s borehole pumps.

The property relies on borehole water for its daily operations, making a continuous supply essential for the rescue. The organisation’s director of operations Tanya Nel said the problem arose while construction work was being carried out on the property. What was initially believed to be an electricity supply fault was later traced to work on the distribution board, where the phase powering the borehole pumps was damaged.

While some electricity remained available, the affected phase meant the borehole could no longer pump water.

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PAWS R US initially received assistance from neighbouring organisations, including another dog rescue and a storage facility. However, as the problem continued for more than a week, the organisation appealed to the wider community for assistance. The Douglasdale Community Policing Forum (CPF) responded after seeing the appeal and has since delivered water to the rescue. The CPF delivered about 3 000L during the first week, followed by another 1 400L recently.

“It is the kindness, generosity and willingness of our members to lend a helping hand that makes moments like these possible,” said Freda Boiles from the CPF. She added that the Douglasdale CPF was grateful to the members who made the latest water delivery possible and described their willingness to assist as truly appreciated.

For PAWS R US, the assistance has provided much-needed relief. “We currently have 70 dogs in our care, and normally use between 3 000 and 5 000L of water a day for cleaning kennels and providing drinking water,” said Nel. “When water is limited, we can reduce its consumption to approximately 1 500L a day by cleaning only areas that require attention rather than washing the kennels fully.”

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Nel said the water received from the CPF has been prioritised for the dogs’ drinking water, while water received from other donors has been used for cleaning. The rescue has also received donations and loans of JoJo and Eco tanks to store water above ground. Its existing borehole storage tanks are underground and cannot be accessed when the borehole system is not operational.

PAWS R US is currently appealing for support through donations towards its veterinary and food costs, as well as physical donations such as dog food, tinned food, dog biscuits and tennis balls for enrichment. Nel said community assistance not only makes a difference during emergencies, but also forms part of its day-to-day ability to care for animals waiting for their forever homes.

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