Sample Story

We had been thinking about getting a dog for years but never felt ready. Then one Saturday morning we visited the Cape of Good Hope SPCA "just to look". Bella was sitting quietly at the back of her kennel while every other dog barked for attention. She had been there for four months — a mixed breed with a slightly crooked ear and the softest brown eyes.

The shelter volunteer told us she had been surrendered by an elderly owner who could no longer care for her. She was around three years old, already spayed and vaccinated, and had never had a single behavioural incident.

We brought her home that afternoon. The first night she slept at the foot of our bed and didn't make a sound. Within a week she had figured out the garden gate, learned which cupboard held her treats, and claimed the sunny spot on the couch as hers.

Four years later, Bella is the centre of our family. She walks with us every morning on the Sea Point promenade, she greets our children at the school gate, and she has never met a stranger. The vet says she is in perfect health.

Adopting Bella cost us R850. The joy she has brought us is beyond any price. If you are considering adoption, do it. You will not regret it.