A straat hondjie that was dying of malnutrition has been given a new lease on life thanks to a couple who took him in.
Ten months ago when Rene Churchill, 43, and her husband, Clynt, of Rugby spotted Buddy, he was just skin and bones.
Rene says they had dropped off their 17-year-old son, John-Theo, at a friend’s home in Athlone, when they noticed the brakkie on the side of the road.
Rene, who owns seven cats, could not drive past the obviously
malnourished animal without stopping.
THEN: Buddy was thin, hungry and very weak. Picture supplied
Ironically, Buddy received his name in the first few moments of meeting them.
“We had just dropped off our son at a friend’s home in Athlone when we saw him on the side of the road,” explains Rene, who is an office manager.
“I told my husband to stop the car because everyone just drove past him and he was in a bad way, very thin and weak.
“He cowered when he saw us and we both went to him.
“We said ‘hi Buddy’, and that name stuck.”
The couple took the weak and hungry puppy home, where they immediately began feeding it.
NOW: Buddy, with owner Clynt Churchill, is part of a happy family
They also took Buddy to their local vet to see if he had any illnesses.
“He must have weighed only three kilograms at the time,” says Rene.
“The vet said he was malnourished and was just a puppy.”
Rene says against all their expectations, Buddy soon made friends with her seven cats Minx, Max, Tom, Pepper, Leo, Biscuit and Mazikeen.
LOVED: Rene says dog is healthy.
Now Buddy is part of their family and even sleeps in their bed.
“He is such a blessing to our family,” adds Rene.
“We watched him grow and gain weight in the days and weeks and months after we found him and now he looks very different and has transformed.
“Now he is healthy and loved,” she says.
“He is giving back the love he receives and is very protective of us.”
Rene says they’re not sure exactly how old Buddy is, but he might be a year old now and is a mixed breed.