What began as a small personal initiative by Anthoney Bosman ultimately resulted in more than 100 blankets and essential supplies being donated to the Animal Anti-Cruelty League ahead of winter.

Bosman launched the blanket drive to help animals in shelters facing the cold months without adequate warmth or bedding. However, after an initial community appeal was published, he said he was discouraged when no responses came through. It was later discovered that incorrect contact details had appeared in the published notice, limiting residents’ ability to reach him directly.
Rather than abandoning the project, Bosman took matters into his own hands. He distributed pamphlets in the area, used additional mobile data to contact friends, acquaintances, and previous property clients, and regularly shared updates and photographs to encourage support.

Read more: Blanket drive launched to support animals in need

His persistence paid off. “In the end I collected 112 blankets, baskets, pet mattresses, cushions, dog and cat food, as well as cat litter.” He added that the donation filled an entire Nissan NP200 bakkie when collected by the organisation.

Among the donations were blankets from pensioners in his street, contributions from colleagues and friends in Pretoria and Centurion, and assistance from a local upholsterer who repaired around 30 blankets free of charge.

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Bosman said winter can be especially harsh for shelter animals. “Imagine an animal without a warm blanket, basket, or even heating.”

While grateful for the support received, he believes even more could have been achieved with wider community involvement. Still, the initiative reinforced his belief that small acts of kindness matter.
“It felt good to make a small difference to those without a voice.”

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