One-year-old Jackson Strauss will tag along with his family and fellow cyclists on their cross-country trip.
Photo: Supplied
A small group of local cyclists will pedal more than 1 000km from Bloemfontein to Cape Town over eight days to raise funds and awareness for Pretoria Dog Rescue.
Rekord spoke to the communications manager of the Pedalling for PDR campaign, Juan’Ri Strauss, who said the mission is rooted in a tight-knit family dynamic.
“My involvement with Pedalling for PDR actually started through my mom, Samantha,” said Juan’Ri. “Her brother, my uncle Riaan, came up with the idea, and when they started putting everything together, they realised they needed someone to handle social media and help spread the word.”
Juan’Ri and Edburg Strauss will both be contributing to the ‘Pedalling for PDR’ initiative Photo: Supplied
Riaan Marx is a long-time cyclist who has completed numerous events, including the Cape Town Cycle Tour and Ride Joburg. Juan’Ri also shared that, while he is a spinning instructor, he worked for the SAPS Dog Unit for several years.
“That is actually where his love for dogs first started,” she said. “He has these two big passions in his life, cycling and dogs, and he wanted to find a way to bring them together to do something meaningful.”
Her uncle got in touch with her mother, Samantha Steenkamp, who works for and is closely linked to Pretoria Dog Rescue, and the rest is history.
“We will be starting our tour on March 3, 2027, cycling from Bloemfontein to Cape Town over eight days, covering more than 1 000km,” said Juan’Ri.
“The whole idea is to raise funds and awareness for Pretoria Dog Rescue, but also to encourage people to get involved, whether that is through donations, volunteering or adopting a dog.”
Samantha Steenkamp is one of the cyclists who will taking part in the Pedalling for PDR ride from Bloemfontein to Cape Town. Photo: Supplied
As someone who has a deep love for cycling and dogs, Riaan Marx is the brains behind 'Pedalling for PDR' Photo: Supplied
For this mission, Riaan is joined by more family members, including Samantha, her brother Alexander Steenkamp, her stepdad Stoney Steenkamp and her husband, Edburg Strauss.
Others include cyclist Migael Byleveld and two members who preferred to remain anonymous. Juan’Ri herself is tagging along for the ride, but not as a cyclist.
“During the tour, I will be travelling with the support crew, capturing videos and photographs and keeping everyone updated,” she said.
The cyclists will be joined by JuanRi’s 1-year-old son, Jackson, and their official giant mascot teddy bear, Pedalton.
Juan'Ri and Jackson Strauss will be joining the determined cyclists.
Photo: Supplied
In addition, Juan’Ri made it clear that every cent of the donations will go to the organisation.
“We are covering our own travel, accommodation and personal expenses,” she said. “We do not want the money raised for Pretoria Dog Rescue to fund our trip.”
She said the non-profit rehabilitates and rehomes abandoned dogs, adding that the shelter relies heavily on volunteers and donations.
“I think one of the biggest challenges for a smaller organisation like Pretoria Dog Rescue is simply getting enough exposure,” said Juan’Ri. “There are so many wonderful dogs waiting for homes, but people need to know about them.
“And that is really one of the main things we are hoping to achieve through Pedalling for PDR,” she added. “We want to introduce more people to the rescue and help them get the support and recognition they deserve.”
Juan’Ri said there are other ways that people can assist the non-profit that don’t necessarily involve donations.
“I think this is something that is really important for people to know because you do not necessarily need money to make a difference,” she said, highlighting volunteering as an impactful option.
“Pretoria Dog Rescue welcomes volunteers, particularly on Saturdays, to help walk the dogs and spend time with them,” said Juan’Ri. “The dogs have lovely kennels, but obviously they still need exercise, stimulation and interaction with people.
“When volunteers come through to walk the dogs, it gives them an opportunity to get out, stretch their legs and enjoy some attention,” she said. “It also gives the people working at the rescue a chance to clean the kennels properly while the dogs are out.”
Edburg Strauss, Stoney and Samantha Steenkamp holding 1-year-old Jackson Strauss, Riaan Marx, Juan’Ri Strauss and Alexander Steenkamp
She also mentioned a new area where volunteers can play with the dogs.
Physical donations can also assist, with Juan’Ri noting that dry dog food, canned dog food and rice are regular necessities, alongside veterinary expenses.
Lastly, she noted the importance of spreading awareness by sharing social media posts and asking those who adopted dogs from the non-profit organisation to share their experiences on Facebook.
“There really are so many ways to help, and even the smallest contribution can make a difference.”
Juan’Ri said supporters can follow their journey on Instagram and Facebook, where the team is already sharing preparations ahead of the ride.
“I would also really encourage them to follow Pretoria Dog Rescue’s Facebook and Instagram pages, because that is where they will get to see the dogs we are doing this for and the work that the rescue does,” she said.
