community*
Meet the valley
DOGS A TRULY INSPIRING ORGANISATION HELPS NOT ONLY UNDERPRIVILEGED FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS – BUT A WHOLE COMMUNITY, WRITES KATRINE ANKER-NILSSEN
couldn’t seem to find any dogs and the community was very suspicious of us, but we kept at it and each time more and more dogs came to eat,” says Ant. “It was tough at first to get sponsors and volunteers, but once people saw the impact it had – we were able to get them onboard.” Carolyn Pierrot, born in Zambia but relocating to the Upper Highway area as a young child, went to school with Ant. “We have known each other for over 40 years, and I joined him and Danielle at Valley Dogs just a month after they initiated the charity.” The NPO has since then grown in leaps and bounds. “From just feeding a few dogs from one vehicle an hour a week, we now feed over 1 000 dogs, numerous cats, chickens and goats, use three vehicles doing three separate routes – which takes around five hours to complete every
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very Sunday morning a bunch of committed animal-loving individuals head down into the Inanda Valley to feed and care for over a thousand dogs. While their main aim is improving the health of the valley dogs and educating the owners on how to take care of and manage their pets, they are also making a huge impact by supporting and motivating the community’s two-legged members. Motorbike enthusiast Anthony AsherWood grew up in Hillcrest and has run his business here for 35 years. Spending a lot of time riding in the valley, he saw so many dogs that were starving and sick. “I decided to put something back into the community from where I got so much pleasure riding my bike,” he says. In 2015, together with Danielle Jorre, he started KZN Valley Dogs – today a registered NPO. “The first time we went to feed we
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How Can You Help?
• By volunteering your time on a Sunday. Be ready for muddy, paw-stained clothes and lots of love! • By donating dog, cat and chicken food, rice, dewormers, tick and flea treatments, etc. • By donating towards the never-ending vet bill.
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