Neighbours tell you a dog’s given birth in a wheelbarrow…

You know the house well, you’ve sterilised their dogs already, clearly you missed one.

You see the pups, most dead, some still clinging to life – too young, too weak…you know you’ll try anyway.

Well – you’ll ask your most trusted bottle feeder to try, tell her it’s unlikely they’ll make it, know she’ll blame herself when they don’t.

You see the mother dog, too weak, too young, so busy trying to survive herself she has no interest in her pups survival.

You speak to the owner, the dogs second litter – the first litter all died…another indicator that the handful of pups you’re holding won’t be for this world.

The rescuer in you wants to take the dog, rehome her, find an owner who’ll buy her outfits and start an Instagram account of her adventures…

Your logic kicks in, thousands of dogs in South Africa needing homes, thousands of dogs without a human who will be euthanised this week. Shelters warehousing dogs, struggling to pay bills, closing.

You learn the mom dog’s called Lady, Lady isn’t shy to bite – another mark against rehoming.

The owner wants her sterilised – finally light at the end of a very bleak tunnel. Her other dogs you sterilised last year are now happy, fluffy, friendly, fat – you take heart that this could be Lady’s future too.

You’ve never been so grateful for the team of volunteers, vets, donors and sponsors that allow Sidewalk Specials to bring sterilisation to De Doorns!

Some kind stranger has donated a ‘Care Pack’ – a dog can get sterilised, inoculated, dewormed, given NexGard parasite treatment, an antibiotics course and a bag of food – bingo, Lady gets the first vet care of her life!

She’s sent home with extra food, strict instructions and is added to the weekly check up list…

Sterilisation and education are the only effective way of uplifting South Africa’s township animals – we believe in our ‘Steri Clinic’ and it’s ability to change the face of De Doorns!

If you do too, please sponsor a ‘Care Pack’ for R450/$26/€25/£22 using any of the donation options below with the Ref: ‘Care Pack’

Sidewalk Specials are PBO approved and can issue Section 18A tax certificates for all donations received!

Massive shout out to the Hard Family Foundation and your invaluable support!

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