“It was already late and I was driving home when I spotted a beige bundle next to the road. Crouched down, ears hanging and the nose pointing to the ground, a dog was sitting there all on its own. Her body language alone told a story of despair. I drove past. Harsh, you might think. However, stray dogs are not an uncommon sight. I did not get far though; I could not let it go. A couple of meters down the street I turned my car around, scanning the side of the road for the small puppy. When I saw her I pulled over and approached on foot. Her skin seemed to be too big for the small, emaciated body and the little fur she had left was dull and rough,” said Ronja who now lives in Hoedspruit.

She said that when she found Nala, she had big scars all over her face, a brutal reminder of her rough past. When Ronja came too close for comfort, she ran. “I immediately felt like I had lost the battle but was not quite ready to give up on her just yet and I followed her. Not far along, she fell into a ditch and could not get out. It was my chance to get her. She was absolutely terrified when I got hold of her and stared at me with eyes wide open, trying to wind her body out of my grip. For such a small dog she mobilised quite a lot of power in her try to escape. It was heart-breaking, I had never seen such terror in anyone’s eyes.

From there, it was a long road to recovery. She seemed endlessly tired, was underweight and diagnosed with severe mange. She was in dire need of medical treatment. She required regular baths to combat the mange but how do you bath a dog that tries to get away from you so badly? It was challenging at times, however, slowly but surely the tables began to turn,” she added. Nala mostly loved the food she was given but when Ronja spoke in a high-pitched voice. “The speed of her tail wagging skyrocketed and my heart filled with love and joy. The way to her heart is definitely through her stomach.

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To this day, she does a little step-dance when I reach for her food. Eventually, after a couple of weeks, she trusted me enough to accept my touch. I named her Nala. When I brought her home, my biggest concerns were that she would escape, she was a stray dog after all. Obsessed, I spent hours in the garden trying to dog-proof it. It turns out, her greatest fear was of me leaving her which makes sense when you consider that it is likely the way she ended up on the streets. “One day, I was in the garden and heard some scratching. When I went to check it out I saw Nala clinging onto the lower half of the Dutch door, trying to catch up with me.

Another day, she squeezed herself through the burglar bars and jumped out the window to follow me around. She hated being left alone and still does to this present time. One late afternoon I left her in the garden and went for a run and 150m down the road she pitched up next to me. I did not have a leash or a collar with me, but it did not matter. I trusted her enough and she finished the whole route with me. From that day onwards, she did not miss out on a single run ever again,” added Ronja. She also said that although she became friendly and loving with her, it took her a long time to get over her fear of strangers and she was not necessarily keen on going outside either.

It was like she wanted to let it soak in that she finally had a roof over her tiny head and she did not want to risk losing that. “I usually did not force her to go outside or meet anyone. Eventually, it was time for her to get over her fears. The first time I took her to my neighbours, she rested on my lap all night. In the beginning, she was alert and shaking but soon she realized that they always had a snack waiting for her and it became her new favourite place. We expanded our radius and she accompanied me to bars, restaurants, braais, on walks and hikes and she always stayed glued to my side, being the easiest, most uncomplicated companion I could have wished for over time.

Her true personality became more and more visible. Nala has grown into a confident dog, she is in balance, sweet and gentle-natured and very street-smart. Although generally reserved, she shows a deep connection with the people she loves. For her, it is not about showing constant affection to each other but rather about knowing that the other one is always there. She is also a little bit of a couch potato. She also started going outside more and now dearly enjoys sunbathing and taking naps on high vantage points but do not let her placid nature fool you, she loves exploring and I take her into the field as much as possible. That is when she truly comes alive,” said Ronja. She added that Nala has a couple of other interesting traits and habits that fascinate her every day. However, every time she makes her laugh. “I wonder how many more of these moments we will still have together.

I always knew the day would come but it is a terrible feeling to admit that our time together has now come to an end. From the beginning, it was only meant to be a temporary solution and now it is my task to find her a new home. Find her somebody that loves her, understands where she is coming from, and can be there for her for the most part of the day for the rest of her life. She is reserved towards strangers and takes time to open up, most people don’t have the patience. In addition, she is not a little puppy anymore, she is about 8 years old now. Her big brown eyes tell the story of her life and reveal her loving nature, but they are lined with scars. Sometimes, it makes me wonder if I will find the right person for her, I really hope so. She truly deserves it,” concluded Ronja. Home checks and adoption fee apply. Please send Ronja a message on 062 145 2828 if you are interested in adopting Nala.