Two young boys from a vegetable farm in the Philipi Horticultural area walked many kilometers to save the life of their beloved dog, affectionately called “Meisie”.
The boys who are brothers named Peter (14) and Gerry Cedras (8), walked to the Animal Welfare Society (AWS) clinic in Philipi to bring their very sick Meisie in for treatment.
Younger brother, Gerry, made the trip across rough and sole-piercing terrains with his naked feet, as the family is so destitute that they could not afford shoes for both sons.
His brother Peter had saved a R7, as part of a fund he was setting up to buy Gerry shoes, but both brothers decided that they would rather use the money to save the life of their precious dog.
After the pair arrived at Animal Welfare Services, they were given a full refund. The welfare service also gifted Gerry a pair of shoes from their Charity Shop as a token of appreciation for their combined effort to save Meisie.
These two local heroes need to be publicly lauded for literally going the extra mile for their beloved dog, who they call their best friend and see as a family member.
Meisie is a German Shepard cross and was suffering from severe tick-bite fever when she was admitted, which is fatal when left untreated. She is one years old, and would have lost her life if the brave pair did not bring her in for treatment.
When veterinarians examined her, her temperatures were worryingly high and her mucous membranes were pale. Her breathing was also accelerated.
Since she was admitted, Meisie has receive a blood transfusion and was placed on a drip to keep her well hydrated. She is also receiving a full course of medication to aid in her recovery.
Allan Perrins of AWS Philipi, said that when he arrived to the home of the Cedras family, he was absolutely amazed to see the concern on their faces when they enquired about Meisie’s wellbeing.
“The family recently lost all their belongings in a fire, and have absolutely nothing left except for a three-quarter bed and the clothes on their back,” Perrins said.
“Its amazing to find people so compassionate and selfless” he added.
Although it is too soon to know whether or not Meisie is responding well to treatment, Perrins said that her tail was wagging when he last check on her and that this is a good sign.
For now her condition can best be described as serious but stable.
The brothers noticed that she was unwell when she went off her food and recognized that this was a bad sign for their four-legged friend’s health. “They did not want her to suffer and deteriorate so cleverly decided to bring her to us for assessment and treatment at their earliest opportunity,” Perrins said.
“What really impressed me about these two minors is that despite the odds they made a plan and unselfishly put Meisie’s life and needs before anything else,” he added.
Picture: Supplied