Humphrey’s charitable causes
When an uMhlanga pharmacist took an abandoned dog home, little did he realise that he had inherited a pooch with the temperament of a saint, writes Liz Clarke
PHARMACIST Alwyn Immerman breaks into a broad smile when I tell him that he has been nominated as a LeadSA Hero.
Must be a mistake, he says, between serving customers at the uMhlanga Medisport where his pharmacy duties mean that he barely has a moment to leave his post.
“Humphrey is the hero,” he says, pointing to his pet crossschnauzer sitting quietly in his basket near the pharmacy’s entrance.
“He is the one who never complains about coming to work with me and collects thousands of rand for his less fortunate friends at the SPCA.”
Immerman does concede, however, that taking on a fully grown rescue dog with a traumatic past and dodgy back legs, required a deep breath or two.
“I was looking to adopt a puppy from the SPCA. But then the staff told me about this large schnauzer-type dog that had such a lovable nature.
“He had been found wandering in the road in Phoenix, obviously lost or abandoned, and had possibly been injured by a car. He appeared to be recovering well, but was lonely and in need of a loving family.
“The next thing I learnt was that Humphrey had been at the SPCA for seven weeks without anyone offering him a new home. One more week, the staff said, and he would have to be put down.
“I made up my mind there and then – Humphrey with his shaggy coat and mournful eyes was coming home with me.”
That was nearly four years ago. Humphrey soon learnt that part of his payback was to accompany his master to work on one morning a week, sit quietly next to a large bottle labelled “SPCA donation” and persuade shoppers to give generously.
“Thanks to Humphrey we are able to buy a bulk load of Montego dog food once a month, which we donate to the Durban and Coast SPCA for its outreach programmes.”
“We are not sure of his age,” says Immerman, but we think he’s about four or five years old. We also have no idea of his parentage or his background. However, one customer who didn’t know his history suggested he was a pedigreed and rare breed of Black Russian Terrier. Not bad for an orphan from Phoenix!
Lindsay Fogarty, the SPCA’s marketing assistant, says that without the Immermans and the Humphreys of this world, many animals would be starving.
“Our goal is to make a difference to the abused and abandoned animals in our care and thanks to Humphrey and his owners, our orphans have full bellies and plenty of love.
“People just need to know that there are others like Humphrey that are wanting good homes.”
Humphrey’s working life has recently taken a new turn. Apart from the SPCA charity work he is now becoming the face of Proudly South African – starting with his own store.
“We felt it was high time to promote South African-made merchandise in our pharmacy gift shop, rather than going for foreign imports that do nothing for our home grown enterprises.”
For Humphrey this is a welcome diversion and means he can spend time showing off a line of locally-made cushions, handbags, kitchen and bathware.
“As a special treat he is allowed to sit on a couch and just look handsome,” says his proud owner.
“The amazing thing about Humphrey is that whatever you ask him to do, he does with such grace. And just to think he may never have survived to be the champion he is!”
So far Humphrey has raised more than R60 000 for his pet charity with the promise of more to come.
Over the past two years his fundraising effort has supported more than 100 dogs, which works out to R2 500 a month.
lizclarke4@gmail.com THE Black Russian Terrier was developed in the former USSR in the state-owned Red Star Kennel for use as a military/working dog during the late 1940s and 1950s. The breed has a double coat with a coarse outer guard hair over a softer undercoat.
It should form a beard and eyebrows on the face.
The terrier is a calm, confident, courageous and self-assured dog. It is highly intelligent and adapts well to training. The breed is alert and responsive, instinctively protective, determined, fearless, and deeply loyal to family
Because of its breeding as a working dog, it has a strong “work ethic”, and needs a job to do in order to be happy.
So could there be more to Humphrey than meets the eye – a dynasty steeped in turbulent Russian history?
Sadly, we will never know.