This story appeared as one of our Forever Home stories in our August/September 2013 issue of Cesars Way magazine. Read and enjoy and then see my next post for a latest video of this very special dog named Azzan. DD The Tale of Azzan – a dog rescue story… By Naomi Weir Miracles do happen! Stories of animal abuse seldom have a happy ending, but a group of us travelling through Namibia in December 2012 were privileged to be part of just such a story. Four days into our three-week trip to Namibia and 2,200km from Cape Town, we travelled through the small, isolated village of Ruacana on the Angolan border. We stopped overnight at the Hippo Pools Community campsite, 37km west of the village, on the banks of the Kunene River. In the blistering heat, we saw a black and white dog struggling to make his way across the thick sand and could see from the way his hocks were dropped almost to the ground that he had a terrible injury to the tendons on both his hind legs. He followed us to our campsite and seemed friendly, but we were unsure of how much pain he was in and how he would react to being touched. We gave him fresh water and some food and he spent the night lying in our camp. The next morning we had to leave for Epupa Falls and, as much as we wanted to, we did not try to take him as we didn’t know to whom he belonged and what the reaction of the locals would be if we attempted to take him. We also didn’t know where we could take him for help. The campsite itself had a number of dogs in various states of well-being and he clearly belonged to the camp as he would not have been able to roam very far from home. It was heart-breaking to leave him behind. Leaving Azzan En route we stopped off at the Kunene River Lodge where I reported him and asked about a vet as they had very healthy-looking Jack Russells running around. I also asked if there was anyone in the area we could contact, or if they could speak to their vet, but they did not seem to want to get involved. We travelled on for another two weeks, but the dog was never far from our minds. As soon as we returned to Cape Town I sent out an appeal to anyone I could find in Namibia who may have been in a position to help. I first received a response from Otjiwarongo SPCA, who told me they would inform the other committee members, but I heard nothing more after that. The following morning, Petra from Namibia Animal Awareness mailed me to say that she had put my post on their Facebook page and the response from the public was phenomenal. Although some people questioned why we would leave the dog behind, most people responded with messages of support, offers of help and to set up a fund for him. Petra was always very supportive of us and explained the situation and the lack of facilities in the area. Moreover, we had to respect the laws of the country; we could not just take someone’s dog. We also received feedback from a vet saying that he did not know of any trustworthy vets in the north. By the end of the day, the comments on Facebook were now about trying to find someone who could find the dog and drive him south, to be collected and taken to a vet in one of the bigger towns. A wonderful lady by the name of Esme van der Merwe kindly volunteered to help transport him. The sad truth We learnt that the dog’s tendons had been cut by a local woman because he stole food, and he was now surviving on tourists feeding him as he could no longer hunt. We hoped we could get help to him before his ears were cut off for not listening – which is also something the locals there do. Petra and Esme named him Azzan, a Hebrew name meaning “the strong one”. By Thursday, the 24th of January, Esme decided to make the 1,600km round trip from Windhoek to Ruacana herself that weekend, as we could not find anyone else in the north willing to help. Another volunteer, Kelvin, joined her for the long trip. A “Woef Donasie” was set up for the fuel costs and money was quickly raised. Miracles do happen Miraculously, they found Azzan but he was not in a good condition. Dehydrated and near starvation, he had been in hiding from the locals. As luck would have it, our whole group that visited Namibia were together that day and receiving regular updates from Petra about Esme and Kelvin’s progress. We were overjoyed when we heard that he had been located and rescued. The excitement of that moment will be with us all for a long time; perseverance had paid off and, yes, miracles do happen! Esme & Kelvin arrived at Otjiwarongo Veterinary Clinic at 21h30 that evening, where Dr Axel Hartmann was expecting them and immediately put Azzan on a drip and treated him for an infection. Esme wrote that when the vet’s assistant went to lift him up, Azzan was screaming and crying in fear. He had obviously been through hell. Every day must have been a struggle to find food and he had to drink water from the only source available to him – a crocodile-infested river. Esme told us later that when they found him, he was skin and bone and looked defeated, the way dogs get after a long period of abuse and neglect. He didn’t try to fight them when they put him in the car, as if he had resigned himself to his fate. During the whole trip from Ruacana to Otjiwarongo, he neither relieved himself nor drank water, and it was discovered that he had a terrible prostate infection and had stopped taking in water because the pain of urinating was so bad. Esme had to head back to Windhoek but left with the feeling of elation that a successful rescue brings, knowing that he was in good hands. Saving Azzan Dr Axel Hartmann is one of the most respected and caring vets, giving of himself to save animals. He is well known for his work with both the Cheetah Conservation Fund and Save the Rhino Trust, as well as his involvement in the rescue of dogs smuggled across the Angolan border. The costs associated with Azzan’s operation should have been astronomical, but with Dr Hartmann only charging the minimum and donating his time and expertise to assist, we were quickly able to raise what was needed for his operation and care. Dr Hartmann performed the operation to repair the damage on both hind legs on Friday, the 1st of February. By the following Monday, Azzan was able to stand up and could even lift his leg to relieve himself. One tendon had been cut off right above the heel bone, so it had to be reattached with a metal pin. The other was shredded so badly it had to be cut into vertical strips to reattach it and a screw inserted from the heel into the tibia. Azzan remained in the care of Dr Hartmann for another two months and slowly regained his strength. Although he suffered a few setbacks, the doctor never wavered in his dedication to find a permanent solution. Considering his workload, and the care and pre- and post-operative attention of the staff at the Otjiwarongo vet, it was nothing short of amazing. Heading South We were in regular contact with the clinic and it was agreed that he could be discharged at the beginning of April. Esme offered to collect him in Otjiwarongo and drive him down to Mariental, so on the 5th of April we set off on the 2,500km trip to bring him home. It was a tender farewell at the clinic when Dr Hartmann had to say goodbye to Azzan. They had clearly formed a strong bond in the two months that he was there. Azzan was adopted by our friend Liam, a huge animal lover in Cape Town. He has since blossomed into a confident, playful, happy dog and is now in the care of specialist surgeon, Dr Michael Gray. It’s amazing to see how an animal that has been through so much still has so much spirit! The pins and splints have since been removed and Dr Gray recommends lots of rest for Azzan for now, so no long walks just yet. We have also taken him to Dr Megan Kelly, who specialises in pain management and rehabilitation. She has made him a set of orthotics, which will provide firm support for his legs and allow his muscles and tendons to strengthen again. He’ll also be spending time on their underwater treadmill to help him regain muscle mass and strength. A wonderful life ahead Although he still has a long recovery road ahead of him, Azzan is a strong dog and a survivor. Our incredible journey with Azzan and the amazing support of strangers to his desperate situation has restored our faith in humanity. We are so grateful to everyone that got involved, especially Petra, Esme, Kelvin, and Dr Hartmann and his team. Because of them, Azzan has been given a second chance to a long, happy life, filled with love and security. For photos and updates on his progress, follow Azzan on Twitter at @AzzanRescue Photo : Liam and Azzan photographed by tamedandframed.co.za
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:27:07 +0000
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