Sample Story

Everyone told us we were mad. "Why adopt a 10-year-old dog? You will only have him for a few years." But that was exactly the point.

Duke had been at the Durban & Coast SPCA for seven months. He was a purebred Rhodesian Ridgeback — big, gentle, and completely overlooked because of his age. Families wanted puppies. Young couples wanted energetic dogs. Nobody wanted a senior with grey around his muzzle and a slight wheeze.

We are both retired. We do not need a dog that runs for hours. We need a companion who enjoys slow walks on the Umhlanga promenade, who naps in the afternoon sun, and who is content with a quiet evening on the couch. Duke is exactly that dog.

He came home with us and settled in immediately — no anxiety, no adjustment period. He already knew how to behave in a house. He already knew sit, stay, and down. He just needed someone to give him a chance.

The vet estimates Duke has two to four years left. We intend to make every one of them count. Senior pets deserve love too.