PET Rescue Isipingo Saves Mutilated Dog and Continues Fight for Animal Welfare
PET Rescue Isipingo, a non-profit organization committed to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming neglected and abused animals, is once again in the spotlight for their tireless work—this time for saving a dog that endured unimaginable cruelty.
On August 19, founder Nirvana Ramlall received a distressing call from a concerned neighbor about a dog with a severely injured leg. Without hesitation, she dispatched her rescue partner Narain Naidoo to investigate. What they found was heartbreaking.
The owner willingly surrendered the dog, but not before being reported to the SPCA for gross negligence and cruelty. Veterinary reports revealed the shocking truth: the dog’s foot had been deliberately cut off for reasons still unknown. Left untreated for nearly three weeks, the injury had become so severe that her front left leg had rotted away, leaving only dry bone.
Ramlall named the dog Chicken and immediately rushed her to Montclair Animal Hospital, where Dr. Yesh Govender and his team began urgent treatment. “Her condition was critical, and her suffering was beyond words,” Ramlall recalled. “Her vet bills have already exceeded R12,000 and are still climbing.”
On August 27, Chicken underwent a full leg amputation. Despite the trauma, she showed remarkable resilience. “She will come home with me to begin her rehabilitation, where she’ll receive my love and undivided care. My hope is to one day find her a truly special forever family,” said Ramlall.
Today, Chicken is recovering well from surgery, her spirit unbroken. But her story is just one of many that highlight the ongoing crisis of animal neglect in the area.
For the past five years, Ramlall and her small team have confronted the harsh realities of animal welfare—rescuing abused, abandoned, and starving animals, often at great personal and financial cost. “The veterinary bills alone can run into the thousands every week,” she explained. “But we push through the heartbreak and the gore because every animal deserves love, dignity, and a second chance. Once they’re healthy, we find them good, permanent homes.”
Beyond rescue work, PET Rescue Isipingo actively engages in community education. Ramlall gives pet-care talks at schools and social gatherings across the province, aiming to prevent neglect through awareness. The team also operates feeding stations around Isipingo, where friendly stray dogs gather for at least one meal every two days.
To continue this life-saving work, PET Rescue Isipingo relies heavily on public support. Donations of any kind—funds for vet bills, pet food, medicines, and other essentials—help them sustain their mission and give animals like Chicken the future they deserve.