The Life Retreat team has many different passions, but there’s one passion that we all share. Animals. That’s why we have such admiration for the work being done in the many animal clinics around South Africa. There’s a real need for help, and animal mistreatment is on a huge scale here. This article details one such veterinary clinic’s story of a puppy, James Bond!
Two years ago on Mandela Day, James arrived at the Mdzananda Animal Clinic. We named him James Bond for being such a strong little fighter. He was just 3 weeks old with a herpes virus causing him to be blind. He needed to be hand fed, kept warm and guided.
Needing special care he went to a foster mom who gave him all the love and attention he needed. After just two weeks with his foster mom his little eyes cleared up – he recovered fully from the virus and regained complete sight. The search for his forever home started and he was adopted by the Theron family.
Mom Lindi tells us about their life with James Bond the Pup, renamed Zorg:
“This fellow changed my life and we changed his. Two years ago we started looking for a friend for Milla, our Jack Russel. She was an energetic girl and could not be left alone without entertainment.
I found Marcelle from the Mdzananda Animal Clinic on Facebook . She sent me some photos of dogs that were looking for homes. When I received the photo of a little black ball of fur it wasn’t even 2 days before he came home with us. We picked him up on a Friday from his foster mom, Yvonne, in Atlantis.
He was so small and he was car sick all the way from Atlantis to Brackenfell.
Meeting his new sister Milla went well and they bonded immediately. From the moment he entered our home we realised that he was really special – I have never encountered a dog with such a loving, wonderful personality.
We don’t have children so our 2 fur children are our “everything”. They sleep inside with mom and dad and get spoiled with loads of toys and yummy good food.
This dog did not only change my life, but also the way I view animals. He is grateful for his life and to us for giving him a home – I can see it every time he looks at me.
He knows we helped him.
Every single day he makes me laugh – he has big clumsy feet and makes talking noises as if he is speaking to us. Every evening I ask him how his day was and he will carry on talking until he has told us all about it.
He loves playing ball (when Milla allows him to play with it) and Tammy, his cat sister, regularly gets spoilt with a big slobber kiss on the head.
From the experience with Zorg, I encourage whoever is considering adopting a pet to adopt a ‘rescue’ dog. There is something so special about them.
I want to thank Marcelle and Mdzananda for their work. I feel grateful to have met them and enjoyed seeing them again at the Mandela Day Kennel building. I would like to encourage everyone to support these guys with a monthly donation or even a can of food. They really do outstanding work.
Zorg also says thank you to Mdzananda and foster mom Yvonna for looking after him when he was so small and sick.
With love from the Theron household.”
What: Mdzananda Animal Clinic
Where: 21297 Govan Mbeki Road, Khayelitsha, Mandela Park, 7740
Phone: 021 367 2302
Open Hours: 8am – 4pm
What an inspiring story, from a really inspiring place. We will continue to work with the Mdzananda Animal Clinic, sharing their message and reaching a new audience.
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Beautiful. These stories always bring a smile to my face.
Thanks Edith. We love these stories too. Mdzananda does amazing things as a charitable clinic.