Dogtown SA is expanding the reach and scope of their amazing work by moving into a new property near Hartbeespoort, stretching their legs from their current 2-acre site into a new custom-built 50-acre home for misunderstood dogs.
Published 20 July 2015
More Space for the Animals
Founder Tracy McQuarrie and her team of volunteers are setting up the new facility from scratch, building a network of ‘octagons’ to house pooches which are being rehabilitated after tough starts to life, in the hope of rehousing them in the right places. Eventually, the facility will be home to a number of walking trails that will give Dogtown SA caregivers the opportunity to really exercise their charges – as well as providing a safe facility for visiting dogs and their owners to get out into nature. “Space is really important for our dogs,” says McQuarrie. “When they’re spread out in their new Octagons or on the walking trails around the property, there’s less chance of them upsetting each other – we want to keep them, happy, calm and maybe even a bit tired!”.
New Homes for the Caregivers
The new facility will also be home to a number of the caregivers, meaning that the dogs can get round-the-clock attention. Once all the Octagons are set up, all 130+ Dogtown SA dogs will be moved across to the new facility – but custom canine construction is expensive and Dogtown SA needs support. “Montego Pet Nutrition have supported us since the start and we’re eternally grateful to them,” says Tracy. “We only feed our dogs Montego – quality food plays a massive role in modifying their behaviour and we don’t skimp on this”.
A Request to the Public to Please Get Involved
To be able to complete the facility, McQuarrie and her team need help – and there are a variety of ways to assist, which are accessible via the Barking Mad (www.barkingmad.co.za) website. There are many ways to get involved:
- Sponsor A Pet
- Click To Feed
- Adopt A Pet
- Rehome A Pet
- Donate
- Sign up to train as a volunteer
State of the Art Website
The website itself is a networking facility which helps the public and shelters to responsibly rehome the animals in their care, across South Africa. Amongst a host of other canine-focussed features, the site provides a central point for shelters and the public to find homes for abandoned pets and reunite lost & found pets with their families.
Challenging other Corporates
Montego Pet Nutrition Marketing Manager Wilfred Cawood has issued a challenge to other responsible companies to help the Dogtown SA cause. “We’ve been supporting Tracy and her team’s work for seven years now, and we’ve seen the difference that they make in the lives of these misunderstood dogs,” he says. “Many of them would have led a life of suffering or even been put down if it wasn’t for Dogtown SA, and through changing the lives of thousands of dogs, they’ve made a difference to the lives of thousands of people too. Each of the Dogtown SA Octagons costs R160 000 to construct – we’ve sponsored one and we’d like to challenge other companies to step up and help Dogtown SA make the most of the amazing opportunity that this new property brings. Even if sponsoring an Octagon of their own isn’t feasible, work with your partners to share the costs, or even donate to the feeding scheme, which helps keep the dogs in the best possible shape”.
Visit www.barkingmad.co.za to find out how you can get involved and help the Dogtown SA team rehabilitate and rehome their amazing dogs.
About Montego Pet Nutrition
Devoted pet owner and local businessman from Graaff-Reinet in South Africa’s Great Karoo, Hannes Van Jaarsveld, founded Montego Pet Nutrition in 2000, launching his beloved brand with Montego’s signature product, Montego Classic. Previously the financial director of a livestock feed manufacturer, Hannes and his team ploughed every cent they had into ensuring that the products they produced were of unwavering, superior quality. Montego Classic Senior and Montego Classic Adult Cat was added to the range in 2003, and Montego Classic Kitten launched in 2011. Today, Montego supplies over 1,000 pet shops, vets, parlours, animal feed shops and co-ops nationwide and has become a locally known and trusted high-quality pet food throughout the country. For more information, visit www.montego.co.za.
Follow Montego on the Facebook page here.
For more information about the family-owned business view the Montego story video - click here
