Animal Cruelty is usually associated with deprived areas where evil lurks around every corner and social ills such as substance abuse and domestic violence frequently make news headlines, but Coco an adult female Pitbull doesn’t come from such an area.
Coco comes from a home in one of the sought-after neighbourhoods on the Cape Flats and her owner is a well educated Civil Servant – a school teacher entrusted with the responsibility of educating and taking care of impressionable young children.
“We know for a fact that Coco’s neglect and abuse started several years ago and escalated over the past year leading to the owners’ grandfather stepping in to save her”, says the Animal Welfare Society of SA.
Coco’s examination revealed that she has a massive excruciatingly painful mammary tumour that weighs almost as much as her. It is so debilitating that she battles to walk preferring to sit to help ease the weight on her skeletal body.
The Animal Welfare Society of SA also discovered that she has ehrlichia (a disease that affects dogs caused by tick-borne bacteria). Her skin was a mass of these potentially deadly parasites that were fast sucking the life out of her battered body. She battled to walk and upon examination discovered several in-grown toenails that had penetrated her pads.
“Despite her disgraceful appearance (that caused the grandfather to choke up with tears for how badly his granddaughter and her estranged partner had allegedly let her down), we noticed that she was gentle and very receptive to being stroked and reassured”, further added the Animal Welfare Society of SA.
“Like all dogs her capacity to forgive appeared infinite. She craved love and a gentle touch (two things that AWS SA has an abundance of) so we have decided to save her! Her care bill is likely to be astronomical but in our opinion, she is priceless and deserves a second chance.”
The granddaughters’ partner has “done a runner” but the Animal Welfare Society of SA knows where he is hiding and will spare no effort to flush him out and ensure that both he and his partner are charged for animal cruelty. Coco’s days of torture and suffering and trying to fall asleep with hunger pains so bad that they kept her awake are finally over.
This Christmas Coco will get her every wish. The Animal Welfare Society of SA will fill her stocking with an abundance of love and hope and give her the ultimate Christmas present – the gift of life and a future filled with all things bright and beautiful.
“Please keep her and our emotionally fatigued team in your thoughts and prayers this Festive Season. This is a developing story and we promise to keep you updated every step of the way”, the Animal Welfare Society of SA concluded.
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Picture/s: Supplied