Written by Cheryl Campbell, Founder of Sighthound Rescue SA
Professional photography by Elysian
I received Scout after he’d been in hospital for a week in Port Elizabeth and carried on with his rehabilitation. He was suffering from mange, pressure sores, starvation, dehydration and Ehrlichia. Scout was also terrified of all people and animals. After a gentle process through his rehabilitation and socialisation, he was ready for adoption.
My thanks go to Domestic Animal Care (DAC) for rescuing him, and to our valued Sighthound Rescue SA supporters for donating towards his expensive vet bills. Thanks too to Monique Hodgkinson for her donation to him of Raw Gold, and to ACANA Pet Foods for donating kibble. Thanks to Patricia Boschoff for transporting him from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and to 9th Avenue Veterinary Clinic in PE and Vet-Clinic in Tableview for his awesome vet care.
Frelma Schussel had enquired about him in January when he first arrived. Frelma was willing to wait for him until he was ready for adoption. We couldn’t have asked for a better home! He’s settled into her home, and when he’s strong enough, he’ll need a full dental and some other vet work as he’s been too weak to have it before. In his loving home, Scout gets stronger and braver daily.
Frelma Schüssel, Scout’s owner, shares...
We lost our beloved Whippet, Buddy, to kidney failure on the 29th of December 2021. He left behind our other Whippet, Storm, who was really battling with the loss. We’d decided that in time, once we’d grieved Buddy, that we’d need to get a companion for Storm.
We started following Scout’s tragic story on Facebook in January 2022 and decided that rather than getting another Whippet puppy, we’d give a rescue dog a chance that he might not have had. We were shocked and saddened by the first photos of Scout and were following his recovery with Sighthound Rescue SA’s page on social media. We then expressed an interest to foster him once he was well enough to be homed.
That day came on the 12th of March 2022, when Cheryl brought him to our house to meet us and Storm. He’d already made good progress with his recovery but was still very timid and obviously emotionally scarred.
During the first three days, he hardly moved from his bed and was understandably anxious and withdrawn. We had to show him what love was and how to encourage him out of his shell. He was given two great healthy meals a day, a warm bed in which to sleep, lots of love, and affection.
By the third week, he was starting to settle in and come out of his shell. He was beginning to see what love was again, his personality started to shine through, and he and Storm started to get a little more friendly with each other. Storm wanted to play with Scout all the time, but he wasn’t sure. When we threw a ball for Scout, he’d still run away scared. There was still much work and much patience needed in order for him to start trusting humans again.
It’s now been over two months and Scout is nearly fully settled; he has an amazing personality and nature. He plays with Storm and now steals his toys away from him when he’s not looking. He’s always coming up to us for attention and affection. He starts to get excited about two hours before feeding time in the morning and evening, and he won’t leave us alone until he’s fed... it seems to be his highlight of every day.
We’re so glad that we made the decision to give a rescue dog a chance. He now lives in a home filled with warmth, love, comfy beds, and enough food... a far cry from where he was a few months ago, stuck in Port Elizabeth, alone, close to death, malnourished and abused.
