Written by Caroline Power
Photography by Strike a Pose Photography
As a veterinary nurse, I follow many animal rescues on social media. Every once in a while there’s a little face that just speaks to you. This was our Cooper. His long journey had the happiest ending for us.
He was living in Touws River, a small, rural community in the Western Cape, in not the best circumstances. He’d been hit by a car and was not treated for his injuries due to the unavailability of veterinary services in the area. The Rupert Foundation, who do the most amazing work in this community, got him to a vet (thanks to the lovely Tesna du Toit), and his leg was amputated. His sparkling personality shone through his whole ordeal. His tail never stopped wagging.
GT One were kind enough to pay for his transport to Cape Town International Airport and to fly him up to Johannesburg at their expense to get physiotherapy and start his healing process at Royal Pet Rehab, where he lived for a couple of months before finding his forever home. It took an army of dedicated people to whom I’ll forever be grateful.
Like a lot of stories, Cooper popped up on my Facebook feed and it was love at first sight. He fitted in to our family like he’d always been with us. A year after having him, we just had to do a MuttMix test on him, as he’s such a nice guy. It was anyone’s guess as to what he was.
Cooper’s MuttMix Results:
Level 2 Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Level 3 Parson Russell Terrier
Level 4 Bull Terrier
The Staffie was the only one that was obvious to me. Bull Terrier was a total surprise.
Cooper’s personality traits are a lot more obvious to us now that we know what’s in him. He’s ball crazy, human protective, and the boss of his Greyhound brothers. This all makes sense to us now. This experience has been so worthwhile. Our son Elliot has definitely gained a best friend and they’re inseparable.
Dominque of MuttMix adds…
The Parson Russell Terrier is evident in his curly coat and colouring. It’s the parent breed of the Jack Russell Terrier but is known for its “scruffy” coat.