Cape Town - A female pit bull was rescued after being involved in a train accident about a week ago when Tears Animal Rescue and local residents found the dog lying along the tracks with severe damage to its front leg.
The dog, now named Valora, was first reported to be abandoned on April 14 in Muizenberg Main Road. According to the founder of Tears, Marilyn Hoole, a dog bed was found on the pavement nearby where the dog was left to fend for itself.
“Two residents and Tears supporters called me about seeing the dog, who had a dark ring around her neck as though she had been chained or tied up, and was emaciated.
“We immediately headed out with a net and treats to try to catch her. We were almost successful but she was so frightened and strong that she got away from us,” Hoole said.
In the process of trying to catch Valora, Hoole said the dog was struck by a car, causing injuries to her right shoulder before she proceeded to run and vanish through the bushes of Zandvlei where, in an attempt to get away, she jumped into the vlei, swam across a large expanse of water to an island and disappeared among the reeds.
“We searched for her for days, leaving food for her in places she had been seen. Many residents knew we were looking for a white and tan pit bull. We followed up numerous calls from people who’d spotted her limping around the vlei area.
“April 18 was the last time we saw her after nearly catching her at Lakeside train station, but again she got away, running down the tracks towards Steenberg station.”
A week later, a resident from Lakeside, Helen Jordaan, called the rescuers to tell them about a homeless man, Wayne Adams, who had seen a dog lying in the bushes off the railway tracks along the tracks from Lakeside station.
“We found the pittie girl lying in the bush next to the tracks. I could not understand why she did not run, and then the horror of the situation hit me – her left front leg had been severed below the elbow joint and the wound was jagged and smelled rotten.
“After a night of observation in the clinic, Dr Achim (Steinhagen) determined that an amputation was necessary. She survived the surgery and is in recovery.
“She is in a lot of pain, which the vet staff are monitoring and controlling with medication. She is also experiencing phantom pain (pain where the missing body part should be) which has had an emotional impact on her, causing confusion.”
siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za