Rescue Special
Today we are visiting the United Arab Emirates, China and South Africa
Gunnar
Groendal township in Franschhoek, South Africa, is a place of grinding poverty, even for humans. Still, for a seven-week-old orphaned puppy, alone on the streets, survival requires an indomitable spirit and a stroke of good luck. It was reckoned that he had been on his own for around a week before the rescuers arrived, and for a tiny puppy that must have appeared to be an eternity. Salvation came in the guise of an organisation called Sidewalk Specials, but even hardened animal welfare volunteers were stunned at what they would meet.
This was a very sick creature, malnourished, suffering tick bite fever, a severe eye condition, anaemia, the worst worm and tick infestations his rescuers had ever seen, along with many infections. Despite his heartbreaking state when he was found, he offered to share his only possession with his rescuers, a piece of stale bread!! This extraordinary act of selflessness from a starving animal had a profound effect on many of his rescuers.
Road to recovery
At the shelter, he was given a bath and medication, and the long road to recovery began. It would take months for his frail body to mend, but under the guidance of a veterinary surgeon and with a proper nutritional diet, the pup thrived. He was named Gunnar, gained weight, and his personality came to the fore. He was placed in a foster home, but of course, it didn’t take long for Gunnar to be adopted. He was taken in by a lady named Freya, has gone from strength to strength, and is now a regular, playful dog who enjoys playing with his mates and going for walks on the beach. Talking of the beach, Gunnar’s generous spirit continues, as his favourite pastime is to dig for stones to present to his new human.
Lufy
Hypoglycaemia. This occurs the same way in dogs as it does in humans. It’s where blood sugar levels drop too low, which is life-threatening.
Hypoallergenic. Refers to a non or low shedding coat that reduces the occurrence of dander, which can trigger allergies in some people.
Lufy is a Bichon Frieze, and for those unfamiliar with the breed, they are roughly the size of a miniature poodle with a white hypoallergenic coat. She was bred in Korea by a despicable individual who was deliberately attempting to breed tiny versions of this recognised breed. A family purchased Lufy, but after a few months, she could barely walk, and with other health issues, the family decided they were unable to cope. By this time, they had moved to the United Arab Emirates and contacted Sahara Kennel Rescue. Fortunately, this organisation has experience dealing with animals with mobility problems and has made a to-measure, especially lightweight wheelchair, designed to put no more strain on Luffy’s body. This delightful canine showed nothing but affection to her human carers, displaying a loving disposition. So good so far; however, the difficulties were just starting. Lufys rescuers posted her plight online and were stunned to discover that they received over 1 million likes and shares and were inundated with offers to adopt this cute youngster.
Unfortunately, having no idea that their post would go viral, Sahara Kennel Rescue were presented with a problem, because Lufy has severe respiratory issues and snorts when breathing, travelling by plane was considered too dangerous. Another problem was that as she only weighed in at 1kilo (2.2 lbs), and due to her health issues, she could only eat small quantities at any one time to prevent hypoglycaemia. Sadly, these problems dictated that all those offers worldwide had to be turned down, and adoption would have to be limited to the UAE.
Facing practical issues
What rescue agencies know is that the vast majority of people who offer to rehome animals whose plight has been advertised respond emotionally. It’s well-meaning, but most have failed to consider the practical problems they face, so I was impressed to find that Sahara Kennel Rescue requires prospective adopters of dogs like Lufy to agree to a trial period to see if they can really cope. Bearing in mind that unless there are tremendous breakthroughs in the areas of paralysis and hypoglycaemia, Lufy will require specialist care for her entire life. It is therefore critical that her future carers are aware of what they are facing for many years. There are no days off; holidays are a distant dream, it really is 24/7.
I’m sure that you will be delighted to learn that, although it’s early days, Lufy appears to have found her forever home.
Gobi
Now, as I understand it, the marathon is 26 miles, etc. Now running over this distance and being timed is not my idea of fun. As for running an ultramarathon, I view this sort of enterprise as insanity, particularly one being raced in the Gobi Desert, where temperatures can reach 52 degrees (125.6°F); however, I guess we all get our enjoyment in different ways. One of these is Dion Leonard, a man who participates in these events and, in 2016, ran a 155-mile ultramarathon over a week. If my calculations are correct and a week translates as 7 days, then this ultra-marathon required the competitor to run just over 25 miles a day for 7 days in a row on sand!! He was joined partway through by a scruffy little dog, reckoned to be a Chihuahua cross, later to be named Gobi. His canine companion ran 77 miles of the course, although he needed Dion to assist him through the water barriers. As the days went by, Dion bonded with Gobi, sharing his limited water and food rations with his newly acquired friend. I must say 77 miles for such a tiny dog over sandy terrain within such a short space of time is remarkable.
With the race over, Dion decided to adopt Gobi, but several elements needed to fall into place. Needing funds, Dion and his wife started a crowdfunding page to raise £5,000 to finance the project, with the proviso that any extra funds would be donated to charities that care for stray dogs. Having put the quarantine requirement in place, which was needed before Gobi could be accepted into the UK, Dion flew back to make the necessary arrangements for Gobi’s eventual arrival, leaving Gobi with one of the race organisers.
The best laid plans
As we all know, the best-laid plans sometimes go astray, and Dion received the bad news that Gobi had escaped and was nowhere to be found. He didn’t hesitate; Dion flew back to China and embarked on his search in Urumqi, a city of 3 million people. He had promised Gobi that she would come to the UK. Some would say that it was only made to a dog, but Dion is a man of honour. A promise made is a promise that must be kept.
With the assistance of volunteers and posters, it took over five days. When found, Gobi had a gash on her forehead and was limping. Gobi was taken to Beijing and her hip was operated on, her four-month quarantine was served, and Gobi finally arrived in the UK. Since then, she has resided in Edinburgh, and Gobi has received numerous awards and invitations.
- September 2017 – Inspiring Hero Animal Award
- June 2020 – Shining World Marathon Award
- December 2020 – Dog of the Year Award
She has also met Prince Edward, Duke of Wessex and the President of Slovenia. HarperCollins also publish a book, and in 2021, it was announced that Sony Pictures and Tencent Films had purchased the film rights to a future movie from Fox.
Not bad for a scruffy stray dog!
NB The longest ultra-marathon is the Sri Chinmoy Marathon, which requires runners to run the equivalent of two marathons daily for 52 consecutive days, totalling 3100 miles.
“Second-hand animals make first class pets.”
Anon
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