Luna, a Belgian Malinois, has been living in the vlei between Ferreira and Ehmke streets for the past five months and has yet to return home. Despite community outrage on social media and numerous attempts to catch her, these efforts have adversely affected both Luna’s owner and the rescue mission.

Rika Venter, a dog handler leading the rescue, explained the challenges faced.

“We’ve had moments when we were close to catching her, but interruptions – like vehicles stopping nearby – have scared her off, costing us valuable time.”

Venter noted Luna’s avoidance of cars and certain people, especially white men and women, who she associates with shouting and threats.

“People must understand that Luna is wild and cannot be approached directly,” she said.

There have been concerning incidents where community members tried to intervene and faced harassment. Worse, attempts to steal Luna for dog trafficking or dog fighting syndicates, as well as attempts to kill her using snares and poison, have been reported.

Belgian Malinois are highly intelligent dogs with strong survival instincts, often used for hunting and anti-poaching, which helps Luna survive alone in the wild.

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Luna’s owner, Dezi Taljaart, almost lost hope but found strength in the volunteers’ dedication. Luna fled after a suspected break-in left the gate open, with a subsequent Rottweiler attack separating her from the other dog, Rex, who returned home safely.

The rescue team spotted Luna hiding in the dense plants of the vlei, a place where she feels safe. Due to Luna’s growing distrust, the team has adapted their approach. Currently, two homeless men are caring for her, risking their safety in the process. They were recently attacked by unknown suspects, believed to be paid to interfere with the rescue.

Various strategies to catch Luna are underway, including sedating her via food and potentially darting her, though the latter could cause trauma.

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Once Luna is safely caught, she will need at least two weeks to decompress before rejoining her family. Volunteers face the challenge of balancing rescue work with their day jobs.

The team thanks organisations such as the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency and generous community members for supporting the effort with food and resources.

Those wishing to help can donate food or funds. Residents can contact Venter, the operations manager of Unleashed K9 Solutions, on 082 975 6817 or email her at keeplunasafe@gmail.com.