Die sesjarige Gedwaapie was nie net ‘n hond wat as troeteldier aangehou is nie \u2013 hy was ‘n lid van die Van der Westhuizen-gesin en het verlede week as ‘n held gesterf toe hy sy familie teen ‘n Kaapse kobra beskerm het.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gereldine van der Westhuizen vertel sy was verlede Dinsdagmiddag (3 Februarie) net n\u00e1 15:00 in haar huis toe sy hoor hoe hul labrador-kruising aanhoudend blaf. Sy en haar gesin woon op ‘n plaas in die Bo Vlei-gebied in Wellington.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Ons was op daardie tydstip in die huis toe Gedwaapie en die slang mekaar te\u00ebkom. Ek het my meisiekind gestuur om te gaan kyk hoekom die hond so aangaan. Toe sy uit die huis gaan, het sy haar in die slang vasgeloop \u2013 alles terwyl Gedwaapie besig was om die slang uit die erf te sleep. Toe ek en my seun uitkom, het die slang reeds aan die hond se bek vasgesit. Ons het my man, wat nie ver van die huis af nie werk, ontbied. Die hond het ook al die slang ‘n paar keer gebyt en die kinders het die slang verder geslaan om dit van die hond af te kry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Kort daarna het my man toe dadelik die hond na die hospitaal geneem en vir Gedwaapie daar gelos vir behandeling. Die hospitaal het agterna gebel en ges\u00ea Gedwaapie het dit ongelukkig nie gemaak nie. N\u00e1 sy bakleiery met die slang was Gedwaapie normaal toe hulle weg is hospitaal toe. My man vertel Gedwaapie het op die lorrie gestaan op pad hospitaal toe en het nog vir die rygoed geblaf. Hy was baie happy toe hy hier weg is.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Volgens Van der Westhuizen is haar kinders, Joshua (19) en Jane (9), nog geskok oor Gedwaapie se skielike dood.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Die kinders het dit baie erg ondervind en ons as grootmense ook. Hulle het letterlik by die foon gestaan om te luister of die hond alright is. My seun ly nou nog aan skok en hy blameer homself want hy s\u00ea hy het Gedwaapie met die hark geslaan om hom van die slang af weg te kry. Joshua dink hy het die hond seergemaak.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Van der Westhuizen s\u00ea slange kom gereeld in die gebied voor, maar in al die jare wat hulle daar woon, is dit die eerste keer waarvan sy kennis dra dat ‘n slang hul erf binnegekom het. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deur die hartseer koester die gesin elke dag die herinneringe saam met hul geliefde Gedwaapie.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Hy was baie spelerig en kinderlik \u2013 hy het nooit regtig grootgeraak nie. Wanneer ons skoene buitekant gestaan het, het hy dit rondgedra en daaraan gekou.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joshua en Jane s\u00ea op hul beurt Gedwaapie was lief vir speel en het ‘n sekere geluid gemaak wanneer ‘n bekende gesig die erf binnekom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Op die vraag oor waar Gedwaapie se naam vandaankom en wat dit beteken, lag Van der Westhuizen net en s\u00ea: “Ons weet self nie wat die naam Gedwaapie beteken nie. Die kinders het net eendag op die naam besluit.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eduanne Niemand, die plaaslike slangvanger, het sy kennis gedeel oor wat gedoen moet word wanneer jou hond deur ‘n slang gepik word.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Met ‘n pofadder \u2013 ry rustig. Met ‘n Kaapse kobra \u2013 ry met die noodligte veearts toe. By Vetscape Paarl kan jy net instap \u2013 jy hoef nie eers te bel nie. Mond-tot-mond-asemhaling kan help met ‘n kobrabyt, wat neurotoksies is en die hond se asemhalingstelsel verlam. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Probeer by die hospitaal uitkom voordat die hond bewusteloos is en neem ‘n foto van die slang om die dokter te wys. As skuim by die hond se mond vorm, beteken dit versmoring en in die meeste gevalle is dit dan reeds te laat.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Die sesjarige Gedwaapie was nie net ‘n hond wat as troeteldier aangehou is nie \u2013 hy was ‘n lid van die Van der Westhuizen-gesin en het verlede week as ‘n 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