Living for animals

She is called the angel for the animals and it easy to understand why.

Seema Duwarkah is a gentle, little lady with a green backpack, who devotes every moment of her life helping, saving and caring for animals who no one else cares about.

The Stanger resident said her love for pets started at a young age.

“We always had pets, they were animals to everyone else, but to me, they were my babies,” she said.

She started working for local vet, Dr Kurt Landsberg as a cleaner 12 years ago, but quickly moved up the ranks.

“He told me I am not stupid and that I am more than a cleaner,” she said.

Before long, she started working in the grooming parlour, followed by the reception area and then became Dr Landsberg’s assistant.

“She works her fingers to the bone for the animals,” he said.

When he moved his practice, she decided to stay on the North Coast, as her grooming clients were here and more importantly, so were the animals who needed her.

So, she travels on foot to her Ballito clients, where she grooms their pets to make enough money to save the next little furry life.

“My first rescue baby was Chloe, a Husky cross, who had biliary (a serious tick-borne disease) and Dr Landsberg helped me get her back to health again,” she said.

Chloe now lives with one of Seema’s grooming clients and has a happy, healthy life.

For the past two years, she saved many lives, with the support of her group of animal lovers.

“Dr Landsberg and David Hanson from Puppy SOS KZN have always helped me when I was stuck with a puppy needing a foster home or medical care.”

Duwarkah has a few people who donate money for the every growing vet bills.

“My vet bill is open for public viewing. It is currently sitting on R5865.51 and I make sure that every cent which is donated to me, is used for the animals.”

She sends proof of payments to the kind donors, so that they know what their money was used for.

She also makes sure that every dog and cat she has found a foster or a forever home for is looked after properly.

“I do regular home visits and send vaccination and sterilisation reminders to everyone who has one of my babies.”

If you would like to adopt one of her many dogs and cats and give them a good, forever home or work with Seema, contact her on sables.petcare@gmail.com.