Pet rescue shelter gets helping hand
FOR THE past few weeks the road to the Fallen Angels Pet Rescue Haven near Melkbosstrand, which houses about 250 dogs and a few dozen cats, has been virtually impassable.
A combination of damage from fire engines and water bowsers using the sandy road during the recent veld fire, which raged for several days near the Koeberg nuclear power station, has made access to the shelter very difficult without a 4x4.
The co-founder of Fallen Angels, Gayleen Basson, said the fire last month had come right up to their perimeter.
“We thought we’d have to evacuate and had a list of people on standby to come and collect the animals.”
It has meant volunteers who help out and walk the dogs and other supporters have been unable to bring supplies in.
“People are still trying but we land up having to tow them out almost daily,” Basson said. However, a neighbour has come to their aid.
After reading Fallen Angels’ posts on social media about their plight, Fraser Gregg, of Atlantic Beach, contacted the managing director of Martin and East, who are upgrading major roads in the area.
“I asked if they would redirect their equipment and resources to re-grade the access roads and they agreed immediately,” Gregg said. The work is expected to be done this week.
Fallen Angels was set up about a year ago to care for animals in need.
Basson sold her house in Flamingo Vlei to buy the land just off the R27. It was just bush and they had to start from scratch. “We built everything from donations,” she said. They only recently got electricity “so at least we can charge our phones now”. Most of the dogs are rescued from abusive situations or have been abandoned or neglected.
Some are handed over when their owners get divorced, lose their jobs or emigrate.
“Those are the ones who get really depressed and pine for their owners,” she said. They also respond to calls from the public and work with other organisations dealing with animals.
“We started with 30 dogs, but then it just exploded,” Basson said.
Fellow founder Shireen Williams said one of their volunteers recently responded to a call about a puppy being stoned in a nearby area – but came back with nine dogs. “People were literally throwing the dogs into her car.”
Some of the animals arrive in an appalling state and need extensive veterinary attention.
There is a pug with crooked teeth and an alarming wheeze and a little white cross-breed with deformed back legs and hairless pink ears but plenty of character.
Some animals are disfigured by mange and others have been so traumatised they hide for days before feeling safe enough to venture out.
But the dogs all appear happy and confident. They live in small groups in about 20 camps with some of the staff living next to them in sheds so they have company at night. Several of the dogs were sprawled on beds or snuggling on couches when the Cape Argus visited on Friday.
Basson said they always needed help to cover their monthly vet bill and food costs. The dogs go through 110kg of food a day and cats about 30kg.
For more details on the organisation, visit its Facebook page “Fallen Angels”.
A COMBINATION OF DAMAGE FROM FIRE TRUCKS AND WATER BOWSERS HAS MADE ACCESS TO THE SHELTER VERY DIFFICULT