For the love of dogs in Alex
Residents and their beloved pets captured
IT TOOK Joburg photographer Emma O’Brien four years to capture and document 41 dogs and their 30 owners in Alexandra.
And her main aim was to dispel a common notion that people in townships don’t take care of their animals.
O’Brien, whose exhibition is on display at Graham’s Fine Art Gallery in Bryanston, said she wanted to show the relationship the people of Alex have with their dogs and to tell a story that most people are unaware of – that dogs are an integral part of families in Alex.
“Some of the dogs are actually in better shape than their owners, which was incredible to experience.
Troy Matsime, 17, has experienced both the joys of having a dog and the anguish of losing one.
His dog Bounce was recently stolen. “There isn’t really space for a dog where I live. This is why Bounce was stolen. The pain is still real to me,” Matsime says.
His loss has not diminished his love for dogs; it has only made him want to do more to care for dogs. He has volunteered to walk other people’s dogs on weekends, and also serves as an SPCA ambassador in Alex.
“There is nothing more reliable in the world than one’s dog; I will replace Bounce eventually, I will surely bounce back,” he chuckles.
O’Brien worked very closely with the Sandton SPCA and its chairwoman Stephanie Brown and says the idea behind the exhibition came in 2012 at a mobile clinic day in the township.
“We vaccinated and treated 400 animals that day, which showed us that people in Alex love their pets, especially young people.”
Brown says they hope the exhibition will show the connection people have with their dogs in Alex.
“We hope the beautiful side of the dogs and people are highlighted – it’s human to love animals.”
The exhibition hopes to raise funds through an auction and sale of the pictures to enable Sandton SPCA to have more mobile clinic days in Alex and other townships.
“The mobile clinic must be in the community more. For township people cash is not readily available to take their pets to private veterinarians,” Brown says.
The exhibition raised R88 000 on Thursday alone.
Bidder Annie Stapelberg says the pictures reflect her own passion for dogs. She says her life would be “incomplete” without her beloved dog, Tiga.
She says it is good to contribute financially to allow someone else to better take care of their dog.