PUG RESCUE SOUTH AFRICA – A DREAM COME TRUE!
What do Charlize Theron, Princess Charlene and Pug Rescue SA have in common? We are all from the beautiful city of lakes - Benoni!
Pugs' H(e)aven and Sanctuary is the home base for Pug Rescue SA - a registered Section 21, non-profit, public benefit organisation. The very reason we exist is due to irresponsible breeding by puppy mills and backyard breeders. The puppy of a responsible, reputable breeder will never end up in a rescue centre as these breeders knows where the puppies go, do follows up over the years and will take it back dogs if not well or no longer wanted.
Pug Rescue SA was established in April 2008. When we share the success stories and the numbers of pugs and non-pugs that we have rescued to date, we get a 'WELL DONE!' We need to see the tragedy in the numbers of rescued dogs; pet owners need to understand that when we purchase a puppy or a kitten it is a lifetime commitment.
In May 2010 we sold our home and moved to a property that my husband Malcolm and I purchased to build our new home and establish a Pug sanctuary. When we first moved onto the property we hired a trailer home to live in and we erected army tents where the pugs slept in at night.
We did extensive research of what a best-practice animal welfare rescue centre and then set about making it a reality. The first project was to establish the sleeping quarters for the Pugs. The second project was to build a home for ourselves. Well the Pugs moved into their sleeping quarters while my husband and I remained living in the trailer home for 14 months! A visit to Pugs' Haven will give you a view of the facilities being enjoyed by our little flat-nosed and not so flat nosed friends.
The purpose of Pug Rescue S.A. is to rescue, rehabilitate, re-home and offer sanctuary to pugs and other breeds. This means we give every rescued Pug a second chance to find a happy, loving home for his/her lifetime. We rescue ALL pugs regardless of age, breed standard or medical condition. We even rescue what we refer to as "honorary pugs" which have ranged from the smallest being a 1.95kg Chihuahua to a 55kg St Bernard. In the three years to date we have rescued 283 pugs and around 24 dogs of other breeds.
Our philosophy is that every animal has the right to a good quality life. All funds we raise go directly to the care of the animals as we all work full time. We have a very active Interest Group who are all Pug lovers or Pug owners who volunteer time and resources. Members of the public and scholars regularly visit and do community work at the centre. They help with grooming; walk and play with the pugs, and clean sleeping quarters.
Our success is that we adopt pugs into compatible homes. We do not 'sell' pugs. It is about placing 'the right pug in the right home' taking into consideration the family circumstances, ages of the children in the home, other resident dogs and cats, safety of the area and whether the family will be able to afford veterinary care and supply good food. We will not put an ill or unhealthy pug up for adoption.
The average cost of adopting a Rescue Pug is R750.00; this covers the cost of sterilization, inoculation, de-worming, dentals, ear cleaning, nails clipped and anal gland draining. All pugs are sterilized as soon as they arrive at Pug Rescue SA unless they are strays – we then give the owners 7 days to owner claim.
We are very fortunate to have the support of Dr Coleman, Dr Engelbrecht and Dr Prinsloo from Rynfield Veterinary Hospital , Dr Jackie Sharp from Sunninghill Village Vet, Dr Tanya Grantham from Animal Health and Hydro, and Dr Karen Levy from Noordhoek Veterinary Clinic in the Western Cape. The core to any rescue organization is a good team of veterinarians.
Our current project is to fundraise R285,000 to complete our Pugs' retirement centre where we will relocate our aged Pug retirees and a Maltese named Harry Potter! This will form a key role for the sanctuary and safe keeping of the older rescued pugs. Our aged Pugs attend weekly Hydrotherapy, Acupuncture or exercise sessions dependent on their individual needs. Any individuals or organisations that wish to sponsor or make donations are welcome to do so. We are able to issue a tax certificate for such contributions.
Once a month we host a themed 'Yappy Hours' at Pugs H(e)aven where Pug and non-Pug owners bring their doggies to enjoy an afternoon of fun. The proceeds raised from entrance fees, selling food and refreshments, a raffle, selling items at our Pugtique Shoppe and hosting a dog fancy dress competition all go towards vet bills, food and medication. All small breed dogs, which are well socialised and up to date with their annual inoculations, are welcome to attend. All details can be found on the website www.pugrescue.co.za.
We are grateful to SA Pet Pages for the opportunity to create awareness around Pug Rescue and rescue animals needing homes. 'Rescued is our favourite breed!'. We encourage everyone who is considering adding an animal to their family to firstly consider adopting from a shelter – older animals have so much to offer.
If you want to experience the joy of owning a Rescue Pug or need to place your Pug for adoption or you have found a stray Pug then please contact Cheryl Gaw at 082 4492 644 or email info@pugrescue.co.za or visit www.pugrescue.co.za.
If you wish to donate to Pug Rescue, no matter how small, our banking details are:
Account Name: Pug Rescue SA Bank: Nedbank
Branch No.: 198765 Account No.: 1001907396
