The German shepherd was buried alive in a one-metre deep hole and was in there for about two hours before being rescued by the SPCA in Cape Town.
CAPE TOWN – A German Shepherd was dubbed “Courage” after it was found buried alive in Delft.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspectors described the grim picture when they arrived in Delft and had to search for the dog frantically under the sand.
Spokesperson Belinda Abrahams said: “In the world of first responders, every call presents a unique blend of emotions and challenges, but this one made our blood run cold. It came from a concerned resident in Delft, The Hague, on Sunday.
“The caller had seen a dog take shelter under a concrete slab, after which an unidentifiable group of individuals filled in the exit and completely covered the area under a mound of sand.”
He said Inspector Lee Prins reached the location and dug through the mound of sand with a sinking heart.
“It was taking too long but I had to keep reminding myself that if I start to panic, I won’t be of any use to the dog that needs me now. When I finally reached him, he was curled up in a ball and he didn’t move, so I thought I was too late.”
Courage was clinging to life, and the inspector took him to a hospital where he is receiving treatment.
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse said: “Once at our hospital, Courage was assessed by our veterinary team. He surprisingly tested negative for a range of diseases we suspected based on his levels of lethargy and the condition of his skin.”
“Thankfully, he was only dirty, neglected and emaciated. He is being treated with a liquid nutritional supplement and vitamin B to support his immune system, improve appetite, aid in digestion, and enhance overall vitality. He is also being fed intermittently on Hills a/d to aid his recovery. Courage was also prescribed an F10 (Germicidal Treatment Shampoo) bath to treat his skin condition.”
Pieterse appealed to the public to donate towards Courage’s road to recovery.
“Please support Courage’s journey to health and a loving home by sending a donation now. Courage can’t do it alone, no matter how brave he is.
“It’s such a heartless thing to do. We are very grateful to the compassionate person who called us. This dog would have suffered terribly had we not been notified. We will do everything in our power to identify those responsible for this heinous act of cruelty and ensure they are brought to book,” he said.
