CAPE TOWN – Every year, Mariechen du Toit drives more than 400 km from Calvinia to Cape Town, paintbrush in hand, to take part in something she believes in with all her heart.
As the founder of Hantam Pet Paws, an animal outreach organisation operating in impoverished rural areas and townships such as Blikkiesdorp in the Northern Cape, she knows exactly what a painted kennel means to a dog that has nowhere warm to sleep.
“Animals have always been my passion, to take care of them, rescue those in need and provide forever homes,” she says.
“Our organisation assists all animals in need in surrounding communities. We also collaborate closely with organisations such as the Angel Project in Vredendal and Langebaan Fluffy Homes to place animals in new homes. Distance is not a factor when it comes to rehoming. My friend Karin Ungerer and I have driven as far as Sedgefield and Wilderness to take a dog to its new home.”
A community effort
On Saturday, 18 July, CapeGate Shopping Centre opened its centre court to families, volunteers and animal lovers such as Mariechen for the return of the annual Dogbox Project, a Mandela Day tradition that turns painted kennels into warm, dry homes for dogs that need them.
The project began in 2012 as a single Mandela Day gesture and has grown into an annual event because the need has never gone away. Local shelters are often short of blankets and food, but kennels remain the biggest cost and the hardest item for many shelters to afford on their own.
“The response was overwhelming, and what began as a single event blossomed into a year-round mission, with DogBox hosting kennel-decorating events that bring teams, communities, and organizations together to make a difference in the lives of shelter animals,” says a spokesperson of the organisation
“Since our founding, we’ve partnered with companies like Old Mutual, Wonga, Achievement Awards Group, ProMeal, Hyprop and Tyger Valley Centre. And while our Mandela Day event remains our flagship event each year, our ongoing initiatives have resulted in near 2000 kennels donated to date.”
This year CapeGate and its partner businesses sponsored the kennels.
“Every Mandela Day, our centre fills with people who simply want to help, and that is what makes The Dogbox Project so special. Whether you bring a team or come on your own, an hour of your time can give a dog somewhere safe and dry to sleep.”
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Kennels painted on the day will go to six shelters: Grace Animal Sanctuary, Fisantekraal Animal Welfare, Help a Paw, Farm Paws, Dead Animals Walking and Hantam Animal Rescue.
For Mariechen, the long drive from Calvinia is always worth it. Becausesomewhere in a township or rural village, a dog is waiting for a kennel to call home.
