Several Capetonians braved the windy weather alongside their pooches to honour the life of the first dog in the world to receive an official Royal Navy rank on Saturday.
Also read: The legendary tale of Just Nuisance
Just Nuisance, a pedigreed Great Dane, was born on 1 April 1937. He was bought by a man who worked at the port in Simon’s Town. During World War II, Just Nuisance played a pivotal role in the lives of sailors who passed through Simon’s Town.
‘Many years ago, we were sent a photograph of Just Nuisance by a man who’d been taken prisoner by the Japanese,’ Cathy Salter, the curator of the Simon’s Town Museum, told Al Jazeera.
‘He wasn’t allowed any personal possessions, but he managed to smuggle that photo in and keep it with him throughout. It just shows how important Just Nuisance was to them.’
Salter says the Great Dane took an instant liking to the sailors. ‘But only the low-ranking ones. He’d have nothing to do with officers.’
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Terrence Sisson, Just Nuisance’s biographer, says the dog was ‘his own master’ even though many sailors tried to adopt him.
As reported by Al Jazeera, Just Nuisance was ‘massive, even for a Great Dane’, weighing 67kg. Sisson, who knew the dog personally, described the animal as ‘almost human in concept and intelligence’, as the dog would extend its paw to shake hands with humans.
His name, Just Nuisance, is derived from him basking in the sun onboard the HMS Neptune, in one of the busiest parts of the ship. This resulted in crews having to move around his long legs and tail.
‘Although they were all fond of the dog, their language directed at him was certainly not suitable for the ears of females and young children,’ says Sisson, adding that ‘Just Nuisance’ was a cleaner version of these insults.
He became an official member of the Royal Navy on 25 August 1939, the only dog ever to do so.
Last year, about 80 dogs and their owners showed up for the 1km walk at Long Beach to honour Just Nuisance. This year, the procession was led by the Nelson Mandela Artillery Pipes & Drums.
Proceeds of the R50 entrance fee per dog will be donated to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and TEARS Animal Rescue.
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Picture: City of Cape Town / Facebook