New life for pit bull terrier after near-starvation
At the Johannesburg SPCA she was fed three times a day and kept in a heated kennel with a cosy bed.
THEY called her Angel because she has the loveliest, softest nature. All she’s looking for is love – something she’s experienced very little of.
Two months after a pit bull terrier was saved from starvation, she is now a happy, healthy dog and ready for a new chapter in her life! Angel, as the Johannesburg SPCA named her, was famished when an SPCA inspector rescued her from a residential house in Lenasia.
“She was a skeleton. We could count almost every bone in her body. She was severely neglected and incredibly scared. We didn’t know if she would make it.
“The inspector took the pit bull to the Johannesburg SPCA where a vet fed her, examined her and put her on a drip. It was clear that she hardly ever got food.
“The vet established that she had been used over and over and over again for breeding. We suspect her offspring were all destined and raised for dogfighting,” explained Liana Marx, spokesperson for the Johannesburg SPCA.
At the Johannesburg SPCA she was fed three times a day and kept in a heated kennel with a cosy bed.
“Because she was so starved, she had no body fat to keep her warm. We had to put a heater in her kennel to help her generate body heat,” said Marx.
Ready to go to a loving home
With the care of the Johannesburg SPCA, Angel soon gained 8kg in weight and blossomed into a playful, happy young dog.
“Her true personality started shining through and she started to trust people again. At her arrival she only weighed 15kg, but now sports a healthy body of 23kg. She is now ready to go to a loving home,” she said.
No one is being prosecuted in connection with the dog’s abuse because the owners couldn’t be traced. The people who called the SPCA to collect her said she was a stray dog.
The Johannesburg SPCA is currently raising funds to buy more heaters, especially for the puppies’ and kittens’ kennels in the upcoming winter months.
“We’ll greatly appreciate any donations to enable us to help more animals like Angel,” said Marx.
Anyone who is interested in adopting Angel or donating can contact the Johannesburg SPCA at 011 681 3600, pr@jhbspca.co.za or visit www.jhbspca.co.za
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Get regular news updates sent directly to your inbox: Newsletter-Signup
