For almost three years the Lost and Found Pets Lowveld Facebook page has been helping worried owners to track down and reunite with their beloved pets.
What triggered Liezl Visser to start the page was seeing posts on other local pages being lost in the deluge of information that gets posted daily.
“I realised that we needed a dedicated noticeboard for people to put up missing pet posts,” said Visser, who describes herself as a devoted animal lover.
“I grew up in a home in which pets and animals were a high priority so it comes naturally to me,” she said of the selfless job she does despite having two other jobs and being an administrator of 10 Facebook groups.
If you find a dog, or any other animal that seems lost and out of place, stop, take a photograph and create a post on the Lost and Found Pets Lowveld page, with as much information as possible.
“Any information might lead to the owner being reunited with their pets; a clear description of the animal, its markings as well as the area in which the animal was found are crucial for us to start a process of networking to track down the owners,” she said.
With just over 4 600 members on the page, Visser, Narina van der Westhuizen and Callum MacPherson, her fellow page administrators, rely on a large and ever- growing database of owners and pets which is used to make sure pets and owners are reunited.
According to Visser, their success rate is high and it mostly takes half a day to get in touch with owners and unite them with their pets.
“We work closely with the local branches of the SPCA as well as Hi-Tech,” she said.
Image: Lené Nel
To her the importance of proper pet care starts with making sure all pets wear a well- fitted collar with an identification tag or a microchip.
“It really makes our job so much easier if we have a contact number or other personal details of the owner,” said Visser of the necessary measures all pet owners ought to take in case their pets get lost.
“Don’t make it someone else’s problem, take action and responsibility, you can save a life and that’s what’s important, not being 10 minutes late for your next appointment,” she added.
To her it’s never been about the people, but rather the vulnerable animals that are in need of safety and comfort.
“I won’t be able to live with myself if I knew of a dog somewhere on the streets of the city and the next morning I drive by and see its carcass.”
If you’re a pet owner or a concerned citizen, like and follow the Lost and Found Pets Lowveld page because you never know when you might be able to lend a hand or better yet, save the life of an animal in need.
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