From roadside rescue to making others smile again

Date: 14 March 2020 By: 

As 2020 is a leap year, the Louis Trichardt SPCA decided to grab yet another opportunity to raise some much-needed funds for their animals.

“Our committee came up with the great idea of selling some delicious Lindt chocolate frogs, painstakingly made by committee member Antjie Brennan. What a hit they were, and we had to shut down orders when we reached a total of close to 1600 frogs. Thank you so much once again to our amazing community for the incredible support,” said the SPCA’s Alicia Thomas.

On Tuesday, 10 March, members of the local SPCA visited Our Home Old Age Home (Ons Tuiste) together with resident Sigrid Jefferies and her therapy dog, Rover, to hand out some chocolate frogs to the residents. “Our visit was thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by the residents, but even more so by ourselves. How true is the quote by Hada Bejar, that the fragrance stays in the hand that gives the rose,” said Alicia.

But the highlight of their visit surely belonged to one very special boy and that is Sigrid’s rescue dog, Rover.

In October 2018, Sigrid and her husband Michael were on their way to a family reunion in White River when they witnessed a small dog being run over, and the car involved just sped away. They immediately stopped and assisted the injured dog and took him straight to the closest veterinarian clinic in White River. A few days later, they followed up as they could not get this special puppy out of their minds. He had been given a clean bill of health and was taken to the White River SPCA.

Adoption wheels were set in motion as Sigrid and Michael had made up their minds to make Rover a part of their family.

Sigrid and Rover have been dedicated members at Love on a Leash Dog Training, the dog-training school in Louis Trichardt, and they are also now registered and qualified with Pets As Therapy (PAT). PAT is a national charity and is unique in that it provides temperament-assessed and vaccinated PAT dogs and cats with registered volunteers to hospitals, hospices, residential care homes, day-care centres, special-needs schools and many other establishments, to give comfort, companionship and therapy.

“During our visit, quite a few of the residents said to me, the saddest part of moving into a retirement facility was the fact that they had to give up their most loving and loyal companions. Sigrid and Rover’s weekly visits have brought so much joy and comfort to so many and is an event that they now look forward to every week,” said Alicia.

Alicia and the SPCA team thanked Sigrid and Rover for the difference they are making in their community and in so many lives. “As Theodore Roosevelt said: ‘Do what you can, where you are, with what you have’. We all have the means to make a difference, no matter how big or small. You just have to do it!” said Alicia.

Alicia also thanked Ms Kitty de Bruin and all the staff at Our Home Old Age home for allowing them to visit and spend some time with the residents. “We were truly more blessed by their enthusiasm and appreciation than anything we could ever offer or give,” said Alicia.

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Sigrid Jefferies and her therapy dog, Rover, spread some much-needed joy during their visit to Our Home Old Age Home. Pictured with them is the 72-year-old Ms Susan Pienaar. Photo: Louis Trichardt SPCA.