Man in the dog box after taking in 200 strays
HAVING rescued at least 200 stray and abandoned dogs, Andre Verbiest may soon find himself without a home for himself and his four-legged friends, if an eviction order against him is carried out.
Verbiest’s landlords have brought the eviction order against him, which he plans to fight in the Western Cape High Court today.
Last month the Cape Argus reported that Verbiest, who lives on a farm in Melkbosstrand with no running water or electricity, has taken in at least 200 animals.
While Verbiest understood the agreement with the landlord to be unlimited, one of the land owners, Gail Basson, said the arrangement was only temporary.
“Initially the agreement was that he and another woman rent the premises for small period of time. They agreed to pay R2 000 a month. My father and I only received payments three times,” Basson said.
Verbiest is now unsure of his legal standing and should he be evicted, he and his 200 dogs will have nowhere to go. “There have been a lot of people saying that I’m a squatter and other mean things,” he told the Cape Argus.
“He had ample time to find a place,” said Basson. “I spoke to him and said we will take care of the dogs even though it will put a strain on us.”
Verbiest’s stand is adjacent to another piece of land where another shelter is being run. Basson said it was difficult to run two animal shelters on one farm.