BLog / archive

Retreat 2 Eden

With the aim of not only taking in the usual waifs, strays and cruelty cases, but also to honour dogs who dedicated the majority of their lives to the service of mankind, an unusual rescue centre, Retreat  2 Eden, was founded on a sprawling 43ha farm in the Southwell area of Port Alfred six years ago. The brainchild of Johann and Lynne Wilhelm, the resultant haven is brim full of

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Welcome To Eseltjiesrus

In 2001 two donkeys were rescued from a miserable existence, blindfolded and walking endlessly in circles to mix mud and straw in a brick-making arrangement just outside the little village of McGregor in the Western Cape. They found a home with Johan and Annemarie van Zijl who had recently retired there. It quickly became evident that there were many more donkeys in need of help and the concept of a

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Meet Hank! – Camdeboo Sterilisation Initiative

Late in June 2018, the Camdeboo Sterilisation Initiative (CSI) was contacted by a kind person who was taking her domestic worker back home to the township, when she noticed a dog being tied at the side of the road, with a group of children gathered around it. She stopped to investigate what was going on, upon which the children ran away. She could see that the dog was hurt, as

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Monkey Helpline

Who we are and what we do!   One of the privileges that come with living in the eastern and north eastern regions of South Africa is that we also have Vervet monkeys living around our homes, schools, parks and even our factories.    With the presence of monkeys, we also have mixed emotions about them, but love them or hate them, feel or be indifferent to them, they are here to

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Friends Of Ferals – every life matters

Friends of Ferals is a Pro-life, Non-Profit Organization (NPO 202-559), which focuses on the plight of feral and stray cats. Their miserable, short lives are spent scavenging for food, dying from starvation, in pain from one or both infectious and fatal cat viruses, injured, or systematically being killed.  The dire situation of the over-population of ferals in South Africa is the product of society, through the gross neglect of failing

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Meet Sniffels

Meet Sniffels (now called Marie): The rescue: On 21 November 2017, at the Lucky Lucy Foundation in Cape Town, our head caregiver, Bonile, received a phone call from a distressed owner in one of our Outreach areas.  Her dog had been kicked by a horse and needed immediate medical care. When Bonile arrived on the scene, he attended to the injured dog first, but spotted another dog, a female puppy,

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Fisantekraal Animal Welfare – Helping people to help animals

“Never doubt that a small group of  thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead Animals and people fill the rust-red shipping containers, overflowing onto the surrounding dusty pavement. A glance around shows more people heading that way, many walking dogs or carrying puppies or even cats. Inside, there’s a hubbub of noise and action, and people interacting with animals wherever you look. This

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Meet Pote

IT’S JUST ME! I may not be pure breed, Not exactly a Yorkie or a Poodle or even a Pitbull I might not come from an upper class  family… I have been told that I am not as pretty as a picture …   But one thing is for sure! I have a heart of gold and I am super sweet. I have a soft nature, I am gentle with

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petprints - when treates become trouble

When Treats Become Troubles

There’s something undeniably rewarding about giving our pets treats. It’s a universal language of love—an unspoken “I adore you” wrapped in a tasty morsel. Whether

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petprints-theBitterBite

The Bitter Bite

Understanding Tick Bite Fever in Pets If you’ve ever found a tick on your dog, you know the sinking feeling that comes with it. It’s

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petprints - Superfoods2

Superfoods for Super Pets

Boosting Your Pet’s Diet with Nutrient-Rich Ingredients As pet owners, we all want the best for our furry companions, and that includes their nutrition. While

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Pet Prints Recipes - jennys doggy bday cake

Recipes (March / April 2025)

Jenny’s Doggy Birthday Cake CELEBRATE YOUR PUP’S SPECIAL DAY WITH THIS NUTRITIOUS AND DELICIOUS HOMEMADE DOG-FRIENDLY CAKE! MADE WITH WHOLESOME INGREDIENTS, THIS CAKE IS A

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Petprints-FF-zebra_1

Fascinating Zebras Fact

The zebra, a fascinating and iconic African mammal, is scientifically classified into three main species: the plains zebra (Equus quagga), the mountain zebra (Equus zebra),

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PetPrints- GTKYV DR. MAC1

Get to Know Dr. MAC

I qualified as a veterinarian in 1973 and have been in private practice ever since.  That’s a career spanning over 52 years, and during that

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Fascinating Puffin Fact 3

Fascinating  Puffin Fact

THE SCIENTIFIC NAME FOR THE ATLANTIC PUFFIN IS FRATERCULA ARCTICA. Puffins belong to the family Alcidae, a group of seabirds that also includes guillemots, and

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Fascinating Sloth Facts

Sloths are divided into two main categories: two-toed and three-toed sloths, which are distinguished by the number of claws on their forelimbs. The scientific name

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