Pelican Park mother of three Verity Bruce is grateful to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA for helping her daughter and saving the life of their critically injured dog, Ollie, after she could not afford his treatment following an alleged pit bull attack

Despite having a limp, the Bruce family’s dog is showing signs of recovery since Monday 3 August.

She said she borrowed money for an Uber to seek help from the SPCA and is ever grateful that the staff heard her plea so that their dog would not have to be euthanised.

Critical injuries

The dog was suffering from severe injuries after surviving a pit bull attack last month before it was taken to the SPCA, recalled Bruce.

She says the ordeal began on the afternoon of Wednesday 8 July when her daughter was chasing Ollie near their home.

A pit bull that had broken loose charged straight for the little girl, according to Bruce.

Ollie saw the pit bull, stopped and ran around to confront it.

The pit bull grabbed him by the throat, smashed him to the ground and broke his shoulder.

Traumatic experience

“It was very traumatic. I had my toddler on my arm and grabbed my daughter out of the way,” Bruce explained.

Bruce said they called an emergency vet who had earlier offered to euthanise Ollie, but the family was not willing to do that.

That night, the family struggled with Ollie, who was in severe pain. Bruce’s daughter was crying.

With no money and a broken pram, Bruce had to borrow money for an Uber to get to the SPCA.

“When we got there, I sat wondering how I can pay for this procedure. I didn’t want them to put him down. It’s the second time he saved us. I sat and panicked, if they said they couldn’t help us, what can we do?” I was just praying, Lord please intervene,” she said.

Daughter’s plea

Staff suspected a broken leg in the elbow and shoulder.

Bruce explained that she had borrowed money just for the Uber, meaning they would have had to walk home.

When the manager heard their story and saw Bruce’s daughter with Ollie, the SPCA offered to help free of charge.

“The relationship my daughter has with Ollie; she treats him like her baby brother. They offered to help us for free because they saw my daughter. They didn’t want to disappoint her, I think. They could see on her face that it was very traumatic for her,” Bruce said.

SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham confirmed Ollie was helped free of charge. “Ollie had a very swollen leg, initially thought to be broken. The SPCA put him on pain management, then sedated him for x-rays and was relieved to find the injury to be limited to deep tissue damage. He was then put on antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and could be discharged days later, weight-bearing on all four limbs,” Abraham said.

Ollie was admitted on the first week of July and treated immediately.

“The dog is recovering very well. When he runs, he falls sometimes; there’s weakness in his limp,” Bruce said.

Bruce said she is grateful to the SPCA and would like to donate money to them.

Ollie is family for us. They saved a family member,” she said.

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