IT is not often that a pair of pitbulls back off. If so, their “opponent” must have been a real brave and tough bloke. One like Ollie the otter.
Ollie is a fully grown and exceptionally huge otter that got trapped at a property in Uitenhage. It is believed that the otter might have reached the property from Willow Dam’s side.
Help was quickly called in, setting in motion a dramatic joint rescue operation by the Animal Anti-Cruelty League and the Uitenhage SPCA.
Kevin Brown from the Uitenhage SPCA said they received an emergency call of an otter trapped inside an outside toilet in
Dundas Road, Fairbridge Heights.
“I knew this was going to be an interesting rescue operation. Whenever an animal is involved that I have not encountered with before, my best bet is to phone Deon Combrinck of the Animal Anti-Cruelty League. He is fearless and knows exactly how to deal with and catch nearly any animal,” explained Brown.
Combrinck concurred: “I’m not afraid of anything. However, when I saw this huge otter, I thought this might be my nemesis, but I could avoid it by acting quickly and decisively.”
Geared only with a net and a broom, Combrinck struggled for nearly an hour to catch the otter inside the outside toilet.
“I have caught otters before, but this one was very strong and aggressive.”
Eventually Combrinck got a good grip on the otter and pulled it out. He urged Brown to cover the otter with a blanket for better protection against its brutal teeth.
But in this process the otter scaled the property’s boundary wall and landed in a yard where two pitbulls guard the property.
“Chaos erupted! The dogs were going berserk, so I jumped over the wall, only to be confronted by two pitbulls and the very aggressive otter.
“I shouted at them. One of the pitbulls ran away, but the other, an almost 30kg fellow, kept on confronting the otter. As I came closer, I realised the otter was ahead in the fight as he bit the dog on the nose.”
Combrinck again got hold of the otter, but the strong animal succeeded again in escaping. Later on the same day the otter, in the meantime named Ollie, was found at the back of a racing pigeon loft. For Combrinck it was third time lucky when he finally succeeded in catching Ollie.
Yet, the struggle was long from over, because Ollie at first resisted being put in a cage and almost again escaped on the way to the bakkie. Another scuffle ensued. Luckily Ollie couldn’t pull another Houdini-stunt.
The trip to Kruis River, where Ollie was to be released, went smoothly.
“And then Ollie refused to get out of the bakkie! There it laid on its back, it was too cute! You would never say this chap was so aggressive.”
Combrinck called on Brown for assistance to get Ollie freed from the bakkie.
“At last Ollie jumped out and disappeared into the water where I sincerely hope he would stay,” said Combrinck.
It is not the first time that this rescue duo rescued a wild animal. A few weeks ago, Brown was called to rescue a huge leguaan from a property in town.
“When I saw the leguaan, I knew, this is not going to be an easy solo operation. Definitely the kind of rescue task that Deon will handle with ease. And so he did.
“We really are grateful to Deon who always is willing to come and help whenever there is a wild animal in distress,” said Brown.
