The animal welfare organisation Dead Animals Walking (DAW) received a financial donation last week from residents of Boschenmeer and the Harcourts Real Estate Foundation.
According to Nicoline Grobler, Harcourts Boschenmeer real estate agent, a fun walk was recently held at the golf estate. Harcourts Winelands, which is situated in Paarl, has chosen DAW as a beneficiary of the event.
Those who participated in the fun walk donated close to 100 kg of pet food. A total of R20 000 was also raised among the residents.
“The Harcourts Foundation, a division of Harcourts Real Estate, doubled this amount and a total of R40 000 was handed over to Richelle van Dyk, director of DAW,” says Grobler.
“The Harcourts Foundation cares for its communities and is funded by every property sale within Harcourts, while staff members contribute through salary sacrifice. So far the foundation has raised more than R74 million for their communities and supported 1 078 charities.”
The handover of the cheque took place on Friday 21 April at Boschenmeer. Vlekkie, who is one of the many dogs that DAW has rescued over the years, were also in attendance.
Van Dyk says when Vlekkie was recently rescued in Moorreesburg she was in an ill condition and had to drag her two legs at the back as it was paralysed. After she has been taken into good care Vlekkie has made a good recovery, and was also adopted by a Boschenmeer-family on Friday.
Van Dyk started working in animal welfare 13 years ago and volunteered at a local SPCA.
“One tragic day a call came in about a pregnant dog tied to a railway line. I rushed there as fast as I could, but the train had already gone over the dog and had severed her leg. After cutting her loose and rushing her to the nearest vet, she (the dog) had lost all her puppies. I ordered the vet to do everything to save the dog’s life and promised to raise all the money by myself by getting her story out in the public. I named her Lucky Lucy and she is alive, happy and well today and I have set up a foundation in her name.”
Van Dyk says she was so inspired by Lucky Lucy’s story that she decided to give up her modelling and acting career so that she can dedicate herself full-time to work in animal welfare.
“After a few years in animal welfare, I finally set up Dead Animals Walking in 2014, inspired by the movie Dead Man Walking where there is no hope – well, in this instance, until a miracle comes right at the end. And we are that miracle. The name of the organisation represents exactly the sort of animals we rescue, the ones so far gone, on the verge of death also known as ‘death row’ animals, which no other organisation would spend the time or money to give a second chance in life to.”
DAW’s mission is to work actively and live by its set of principles for “rescuing, rehabilitating, relieving, sterilising and re-homing one animal at a time.
“We mission our way through underprivileged communities, some of the darkest and dangerous places others won’t go into, tackling flea- and tick-ridden, mange, sick, injured, suffering, tortured, miserable, hanging on by a last breath and unsterilised domestic animals. Also, misused and misunderstood farm animals by providing a safe haven as well as creating a concerted, cooperative effort between the veterinary profession, the welfare sector (including the SPCA), private and corporate donors and the beneficiary community.”
Although DAW’s rescue haven is based in Joostenbergvlakte, its staff do work and rescue animals across the Western Cape. These include domestic animals, farm animals, feathered animals. The group recently opened a small wildlife section as well.
“We currently care for 98 animals from dogs and cats to two sheep, cows, ducks, chickens, goats and emus,” Van Dyk said. “Forty-five of these are currently ready to be adopted. As a non-profit we are always in need of donations. We believe anyone can contribute to the fight, whether it be financial donations, volunteering time and love, or just donating food or other items we always desperately need, as seen on our wish list on our website and items we can use to sell.”
Anyone who would like to get involved or support DAW can contact Richelle van Dyk by WhatsApp 072 298 9086 or at info@deadanimalswalking.co.za.
