Giving is Living's proposal to AKI's Africa-Based Animal Welfare Organization Grant Program was for building fences and unchaining 10 dogs (as part of partnerships with other rescue organizations that provide spay/neuter and monitoring) in townships outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Due to G is L's hard work finding low prices and donations for the supplies, with the grant from AKI, G is L unchained 17 dogs! The AKI Blog post of Dec. 2019 is about the first 7 dogs who benefited from the grant to G is L (5 fences for 6 dogs and 1 runner for 1 dog). This post is about dogs 8 through 17, now living off-chain thanks to Giving is Living.
AKI-Supported Unchainings
Four dogs on one property in Atlantis had been on chains since they were puppies. The had never experienced being off a chain before! The owner claimed the dogs were vicious and would fight if let off their chains. But Kerry from Wolweriver Outreach Work didn't take that as the final answer. She tried for 3 years to get the owner to agree to a fence, he kept rejecting her offers of help. It took 3 years to build the trust and develop this relationship, and he finally relented, he agreed to have a fence built and to remove the dogs from their chains. The AKI grant covered labor, some materials, and petrol, for a total of about US$62. (Dogs 8-11 on chains-1st picture below and unchained, 2nd picture).
Watch this video of the dogs' 1st 2 minutes of freedom. These dogs are joyful-not a vicious one among them!
These 2 dogs, 1 puppy, 1 adult, (unchaining #s 12 and 13) live on one property in Khayelithsa. The puppy had been on a chain since 2 weeks old! The AKI grant covered some materials, labor, and transport for approximately US$82. G is L built a beautiful fence for these 2 lucky dogs.
Watch the videos of the puppy and the adult dog experiencing freedom:
Emma is dog #14, unchained in Atlantis. Emma's new fence was built at a cost of less than US$60. The Giving is Living Project Manager happened to come across Emma on his way to another unchaining job. Emma's owner gladly accepted the offer and the fence was quickly put up (2 pictures below).
Boy was unchaining #15. Boy was very difficult to get close to. He spent 100% of his time inside his dog house, on his chain (picture below). According to Boy's owner, he very rarely came out. He exhibited all the signs of a dog who is depressed, living on a short chain, unable to behave as a dog should. Once again, it was Kerry from W.O.W, who patiently worked with Boy over several visits and was able to coax him out. And finally, she was able to pet him. Boy was put on a runner. The AKI grant covered labor for a total of US$30.
Unchaining 16 was delayed because G is L couldn't find reasonably priced poles. Everything was ready to go, but the project was put on hold for one month before they found someone willing to sell poles at cost, about US$62 for 30 poles. It was worth it to get doggie #16 off that chain (2 pictures below).
And the last unchaining.....Meisie, unchaining 17. Giving is Living installed a driveway gate, a small installation job for G is L, at a cost of US$125. After she was unchained, Meisie remained in the same spot unwilling to or unknowing how to walk around (picture below). Giving is Living has seen this behavior many times and they know it takes some dogs a little time to get used to their new found freedom. Good luck Meisie, we know you're going to love it!
Meisie's new gate:
We're grateful to AKI donors who provide the funding for all of our grants, to Giving is Living for giving these 17 dogs their freedom, to the dogs' owners, who agreed to let G is L into their lives, to suppliers who donate or sell supplies at cost, and for G is L's partners, who ensure these unchainings are sustainable by spaying/neutering and monitoring.