Written by Lise du Toit
Professional photography by Chasing Light Photography
In 2018 I really started my journey with animals. I never thought I’d have my own rescue organisation – it was just a dream.
I only began helping out at Change for a Better Foundation by giving a puppy some love – a Golden Retriever cross. That’s where my heart for rescues really started. In the same year I established my very own dog-sitting business – just the beginning of my business-growing.
Later on, I volunteered at Animal Anti-Cruelty League Bellville and visited the kennels, wishing I’d one day take a doggie home. It was after a Mandela Day event at the AACL kennels that I decided that I wanted to volunteer and help out more.
A dog of my own
In 2021, my business grew when the first doggie for my daycare started coming to me. I then began looking for a dog of my own.
I asked every organisation, explaining what I was looking for. Then, Grace Animal Sanctuary came back to me with the photo of a doggie named Lilo. She definitely caught my eye.
I quickly filled in a form and wanted to meet her. I already had her foster mom, Lauren, on my phone and she WhatsApped me, seeing that I was interested in Lilo.
Not long after I met Lilo – a very shy and scared doggie with not much confidence. I decided to take her for the end of July 2021 – just for a weekend. On the 1st of August I decided to adopt Lilo forever and changed her name to Lila.
Lila settles in
Lila had a terrible past; we think she was abused – such as being kicked and slapped. She was left by her guardians at a daycare with four other doggies with little food and the like. They never came back for her.
Then Caron Burger from Grace Animal Sanctuary helped all four doggies and they went to the farm. Lila was left on the farm for a few days before Lauren fostered her, after which she was adopted by me.
Lila has really grown in confidence and is no longer a scared, shy doggie. Along with her daycare friends she adores her outdoor activities, walkies, playing ball and running in the garden. She loves to sleep under the duvet at night and cuddles. I often take her to see Lauren and the rest of the Grace team. She’s a little celebrity at Grace Animal Sanctuary and all the volunteers love her a lot.
Disaster strikes
Then, on the 30th of December, Lila had an accident while playing with her ball in the late afternoon. She was screaming in pain and we rushed her to Tygerberg Animal Hospital. The doctor said she thought Lila has IVDD – a disease that starts between the vertebra of the dog’s spine. She stayed three nights at the hospital.
When she came home, the really hard work started. First, she needed crate rest, and once she could move her back legs, physiotherapy began. We started a Back-A-Buddy to help with Lila’s vet costs – I want to say thank you for everyone who contributed to her page. It really means a lot.
Lila had featured in an advertisement for Montego Pet Nutrition* in 2025, and so we contacted them to see if they’d sponsor her for her physio. After a week, they came back and said yes! They’d sponsor all of Lila’s physio.
Lila started physio at Startline Veterinary Physiotherapy on the 19th of January 2026. After a few weeks she regained her walking. The physio did an incredible job with her in the last few months. Lila also underwent hydrotherapy, which helped her a lot – we did it with a small swimming pool.
She’s still in the process of recovering, but she can walk again – we’re making sure that she’s taking it easier.
*You can watch the ad in which Lila starred here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H98YERSR5a0
