Rustplaas Dog Shelter NPC

30/01/2026

Goeiemiddag. Hierdie is n nuwe hond wat by ons ingekom het. Sy naam is Handsome. Hy het op 22 Januarie hier gekom. Gedurende die nag van 26 Januarie het hy weggeraak hier van ons af. Ek d**k hy is in die omtrek. Baie sku hond. Medium grootte. Kleur is bruin met donkerder bruin kolle. Beide sy ore se punte is af. Weet nie of dit afgesny was nie. (Hy was baie wild en was gered deur sy huidige eienaar. 2Jaar in die bos gebly tot sy hom mak gekry het). Dit is n reun en ek skat hom ongeveer 3 jaar oud. Ek vra dat julle op die uitkyk sal wees vir hom en my dadelik sal kontak as julle hom gewaar asb - Louis 083 308 0729

27/01/2026

To help feed a doggy at Rustplaas, you can donate in the following ways:

EFT
Absa Business Account
Rustplaas Dog Shelter NPC
Acc Nr: 4121234817
Branch Code: 632005
Reference: Your name

SnapScan: https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/Jyfx7PPp

Yoco: https://pay.yoco.com/rustplaas

Food: We buy IDEAL Dog Food, available at TWK (this agrees best with their tummies - no tummy troubles)

For questions, contact Louis 083 308 0729

20/01/2026

"Rustplaas Dog Shelter:
RDS is nie teen euthanasia (genadedood) nie. Maar ons laat euthanise net wanneer dit absoluut nodig is. Bv. in gevalle van kanker, ernstige beserings en waar n hond ly wanneer hy/sy lewend gehou word.
RDS "wharehouse" ook nie honde nie, want ons hou nie honde in hokke nie. Dit is onmenslik.
RDS laat alle tewe wat inkom dadelik steriliseer, en help die publiek om hul diere te laat steriliseer met die Steri Shuttle.
RDS laat op hierdie nie honde aanneem nie omdat hulle uit traumatiesse omstandighede gered was en dit hulle weer sal traumatiseer as hulle weggaan. (En ons is lief vir elke hond hier 🤦🏼‍♂️🤗). Dit bring egter n ander uitdaging. Die honde wat RDS inneem en rahabilliteer bly by RDS vir die res van hul lewens. Dit het tot gevolg dat die aantal honde wat deur RDS versorg word, meer word. Dit het groot finansiële komplikasies tot gevolg. Die kostes om 90 honde kos te gee en te versorg is baie hoog.
Daarom wil ek weer n beroep doen op mense om RDS te ondersteun asb. Met hondekos of met finansiële donasies.
Ons is baie dankbaar vir die mense wat wel maandeliks donasies gee, en die wat van tyd tot tyd hondekos skenk, en vir die wat van tyd tot tyd n helpende hand uitsteek en RDS help met die betaling van veeartsrekenige. Dit het ons al menige kere uit n penarie gered. Baie dankie.
Sonder hulp sal ons noodgedwonge euthenasia moet begin oorweeg om kostes en uitgawes te verminder. Iets wat ons nie graag wil doen nie.
Ons sal dalk ook aannemings moet oorweeg, maar dit stel honde weer bloot aan moontlike mishandeling, verwaarlosing, en geen liefde. Ons sal egter moet kyk daarna.
Uit ondervinding het ons ook al geleer dat baie van die honde wat deur ons uit mishandeling, haglike omstandighede, en ander traumatiese omstandighede gered was, en hier weer liefde en omgee en vryheid ervaar het, nie aanpas by ander eienaars, omstandighedr en huise nie.
Met hulp en donasies in gedagte, wil ek noem, dat ons op een of ander manier n standhoudende manier van hulp moet verkry. Dit kom neer op gereelde vaste maandelikse hulp. Bv. n vaste maandelikse finansiële debiet order inbetaling in die RDS rekening, of gereelde maandelikse voorsiening van hondekos. Bv. n vaste reëling met TWK ens.
Baie dankie aan diegene wat dit reeds doen. Ons waardeer dit opreg. Enige voorstelle om RDS se honde te help is welkom. Baie dankie. Ek bid die seën van die Here oor elkeen van julle in die Naam van Jesus Christus Almagtig."

- Louis Fourie Snr (CEO / Director of Rustplaas Dog Shelter)

20/01/2026

Rescue Reality in South Africa – 2026

Let’s burn the fantasy to the ground.

We cannot adopt our way out of this crisis.
We cannot warehouse our way out of it.
And we cannot euthanize our way out of it.

Anyone still pretending otherwise is not dealing in rescue — they are dealing in denial.

Spay and neuter is not a suggestion. It is not an “add-on”. It is the foundation.
Without aggressive, relentless sterilisation, every rescue effort becomes a revolving door of suffering. You save one while ten more are born into neglect. That is not progress — it is maths.

Every organisation must have a euthanasia policy.
Not a whispered secret. Not a dirty word. A policy.
Because refusing to acknowledge euthanasia doesn’t save lives — it sentences animals to prolonged misery so humans can feel morally superior.

Warehousing animals is not rescue.
Keeping bodies alive while stripping dignity, stimulation, and hope is not compassion. It is slow emotional starvation. Calling it “sanctuary” doesn’t absolve it.

And while animals rot behind fences and in cages, countless others are left outside those gates to starve, suffer, and die. You don’t get to claim rescue while ignoring the ones you chose not to help.

Removing animals from horrific situations is meaningless if you leave the source untouched.
If you don’t educate.
If you don’t sterilise.
If you don’t hold people accountable.
The next animal simply takes their place — and the cycle tightens.

Sterilising and educating communities is non-negotiable.

Taking kittens and puppies while leaving fertile adults behind guarantees repeat litters. That is not rescue — it is production management. At that point, you are no different from a backyard breeder or a pet shop, just dressed in kinder language.

Adopting animals out without home checks, mandatory sterilisation, and follow-ups is not rescue.
It is retail with a conscience costume.
Mutton dressed up as lamb.

Good intentions without follow-through are worse than euthanasia.
They drag suffering out over months or years while allowing people to feel good about doing nothing that actually fixes the problem.

And let’s be clear — rescue does not end at adoption.
Refusing to take back animals when adopters face genuine crises is abandonment by policy. Life is messy. Trauma happens. Good people fall apart. Real rescue plans for reality instead of hiding behind slogans like “animals are for life” while washing its hands of responsibility.

This work is ugly.
It is heavy.
It is thankless.

And anyone selling rescue as soft, gentle, and endlessly heart-warming is lying — either to you, or to themselves.

Rescue is not about optics.
It is not about numbers.
It is not about ego.

It is about choosing the least cruel option in an impossibly cruel system — over and over again — for beings who never asked to be born into this hell.

© Joanne Wilson

15/12/2025

Please vaccinate your dogs before it's too late!

12/12/2025

Please take note of the Mkhondo State Vet Closing Hours. After Friday, 19th December the clinic will be closed, and reopens 2 January.

11/12/2025

It's important to frequently deworm your dog.
These parasitic infestations can cause a terrible death.

Transmission of intestinal worms (hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms) commonly occurs when your dog ingests contaminated soil or f***s containing eggs or immature worms (larvae) that have been passed from other infected animals in the environment.

Roundworm infections can develop when the ingested eggs hatch and the larvae migrate through the tissues of other organs, often a dog’s lungs and liver, before returning to the small intestine to grow to maturity. Whipworms typically grow to maturity in the upper part of the large intestine.

Getting Them From Their Mother
Pregnant and nursing dogs can transmit hookworm and roundworm larvae to their puppies during pregnancy if the larvae migrate across the placenta. These larvae can also migrate into the mammary glands and be passed to puppies during lactation. Hookworms, like roundworms, will eventually grow to maturity in your dog’s small intestine.

Ingesting Fleas While Grooming
Your dog could be infected with tapeworms while licking herself during grooming, or by chewing at her fur. Fleas transmit tapeworms by ingesting the tapeworm egg packets in the environment before jumping on your dog for a blood meal. Once the flea host has been swallowed and digested, the tapeworm larva is able to attach to the wall of your dog’s intestine and grow to adulthood.

04/12/2025

Dis lekker hier by Rustplaas 🐶

01/12/2025

Please get your dogs vaccinated

01/12/2025

Please share

22/11/2025

Rustplaas is a sanctuary for the stray, the injured, the abused.

While caring for our permanent residents, we also work tirelessly for our community:
✨ Steri Shuttle Service
✨ Pet Owner Education
✨ Reuniting Lost Pets
✨ Investigating Neglect

We are 100% volunteer-run. Every rand you give provides food, vet care, and safety for a dog in need.

But we need help to continue. Please consider a donation to help us keep providing lifelong love and second chances.
🐕🐩🦮🐕‍🦺

EFT - ABSA
Rustplaas Dog Shelter NPC
Acc: 4121234817
Branch: 632005
Ref: Your name

SnapScan: https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/Jyfx7PPp

Yoco: https://pay.yoco.com/rustplaas

26/10/2025

🚨 IMPORTANT PET SAFETY WARNING: The Dangers of Ivermectin in Cats & Dogs 🚨

At Valley Farm Animal Hospital, we are seeing an increasing number of complications from the inappropriate use of Ivermectin in pets, and we need pet guardians to be aware of the risks.

Ivermectin is a livestock medication sometimes used in veterinary medicine under strict professional guidance. However, when used incorrectly, bought online, dosed at home, or given based on advice from social media, this drug can be extremely dangerous.

❌ Why It’s Dangerous
- Toxicity risk – Even tiny overdoses can cause severe neurological signs
- Breed sensitivity – Herding breeds (e.g., Collies, Australian Shepherds, Shelties, Border Collies) may have a genetic mutation (MDR1) making them highly sensitive
- Drug interactions – It can react with other medications your pet may already be on
- Not all species metabolise it the same way – Cats are especially vulnerable

Signs of Ivermectin Toxicity
If you have ever given Ivermectin and notice ANY of these, seek urgent veterinary care:
• Dilated pupils
• Staggering / inability to walk
• Tremors or seizures
• Disorientation
• Vomiting
• Severe lethargy
• Blindness
• Coma

⚠️ Common Myths
- “It’s natural — it can’t hurt.”
- “It works for parasites in farm animals; it’s the same for pets.”
- “If other pet owners use it, it must be safe.”
These assumptions are dangerous.

What You Should Do Instead
✔ Always use parasite prevention prescribed by your veterinarian
✔ Never give livestock products to pets
✔ Never dose based on online advice
✔ Ask before combining medications
Safe alternatives exist, talk to us first!

Ivermectin can be life-threatening for cats and dogs when mis-used.
Please don’t risk your pet’s health with unregulated medication.

If you are unsure or have questions, we are here to help. ❤️🐾