Written by Rika Claessens, Fieldworker for LEAPS in Lamberts Bay and Elands Bay
Photography by Sulandi van den Heever
On the 18th of March 2021, our LEAPS fieldworker was attending to dogs in Lamberts Bay township when she came across Lina. Lina was tied up, lying in the sand, with no food or water to be seen or any shelter. She was so emaciated that she could hardly lift her head off the ground.
She was immediately removed from the premises after a great ordeal with the owner, who claimed that “the dog always looked like that and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with her”.
LEAPS posted about Lina, and the response from the public was so great that she received the medical attention and food she desperately needed.
On the 25th of March, our warrior Lina stood up for the first time! She wasn’t able to stand for long periods of time or walk far. But she fought with all she had.
On the 7th of April, she started climbing on the couch and decided that was her new bed. She slowly but surely gained weight and confidence in humans.
On the 7th of May, she started playing and socialising with the other dogs in foster care. And on the 23rd of June, Lina began going for walks, albeit a bit stiff as she had to rebuild muscle strength.
Lina is a true warrior!
Susi Engelbrecht, Lina’s owner, shares...
Lina arrived at our home on Friday the 22nd of October 2021.
Isabel Vosloo (former fieldworker for LEAPS in Lamberts Bay and Elands Bay) phoned and asked whether we could foster Lina for a few days. It was evident that it was urgent for Lina to find a place to stay and be cared for – apparently, the tenant next door to the LEAPS clinic was having issues with dogs staying there, especially with Lina.
We agreed to let her stay with us, provided she got along with our other dogs, and fetched her immediately.
When she arrived, she was so scared. Luckily, our dogs reacted curiously, with no hostility, and Lina stayed. In the yard, our two little dogs played wildly as usual, Lina cautiously and rather stiffly moving around and checking out the new place.
Sunday outings are a weekly treat for our dogs; we take them for a long run to the Dunes. Lina’s first trip there was on the 24th of October. She had no idea of how to ride on the back of a vehicle. For those first few drives, we had to lift her onto the back of our bakkie, and I sat with her to calm and stabilise her for the ride. Her muscles and balance weren’t up to the shaking and bouncing on a sand track.
She enjoyed the open space as much as her mobility allowed, but always made sure to stay close to us – afraid of being left behind!
Over time, her balance and strength improved. Her body will never regain 100% health, but Lina has recovered remarkably from the ordeal of her earlier life. She runs and jumps with the other dogs for as long as she can, then rests and recovers until she’s strong enough to join the fun again. In the mornings, she’s the first to jump up and down in front of the gate and onto the bakkie to go for our morning walk in the veld.
It’s taken months for Lina to believe that she’s safe and at home with us; now her tail keeps on wagging. She’s also started to defend her home, barking at passersby and vehicles. Given her way, she’d also happily attack the neighbouring dogs in defence of her home.
Lina never had an opportunity to learn how to play, but slowly she’s joining in the fun and learning to love life.
