271 Corlett Drive has been an animal rescue sanctuary for the past five years, this sanctuary is known as Kitty & Puppy Haven. On the 25th January 2013 Kitty & Puppy Haven’s founder Sam Berger spent some time with Pearl Thusi and some friends to talk about what has been going on in the past few months, and how this sanctuary is in serious danger of being closed down. Sam gave Pearl and friends a tour of the impeccable sanctuary and started telling us the story about their recent challenges that they have faced over the past six weeks. The land that Kitty & Puppy Haven is on is family owned property which Sam had applied for rezoning consent prior to moving the haven to 271 Corlett Drive six years ago and received no word which was good news and so Kitty & Puppy Haven opened its doors. Five years after Kitty & Puppy Haven began they were summoned to high court as a result of a resident complaining about the sanctuary. The judge gave consent to open a community clinic and continue. K& P Haven did as the judge ordered and go into Alex where they educate the community with animal care, hygiene and supply them with food and medical care.
In September 2012 Sam was called back to high court and had another judge on the case wanting to close Kitty & Puppy Haven and gave Berger the first eviction dates that being all puppies and dogs to be ‘gone’ (whatever determined gone). Due to public pressure the Kitty & Puppy Haven were given a two week extension on their original dates taking the eviction date to the 28th of February 2013. Berger and her team were faced with two options, one being close down after thirteen years and after investing R2 million into infrastructure and call it a day or alternatively to find a new property and start again. Six weeks into the ruling positive changes have taken to light with support from the public and donations up to R900K and still need another R900K to give the animals the same quality of life.
Berger and her team have found a property in Midrand that meets the agricultural zoning requirements; they have made an offer and awaiting feedback. Berger and team are fighting for the clinic to remain open every Saturday as they do not want to leave Alexandra residents and animals in the lurch by closing the facility.
Berger and her team started telling Pearl and friends of the animals’ stories and one of the most recent shock stories were the barrel puppies that were dropped off by a man in two barrels, he called the security guard and drove off. There were two puppies in each barrel that reeked of urine and faeces, two out of the four puppies were put onto a drip and kept in the clinic for two days. They are both bouncing back to health and will be up for adoption shortly.
Berger continued telling horrific stories that send chills up your spine; there was a dog by the name of Rocket that one of the volunteers brought in earlier that day. The volunteer saw Rocket being stoned by three men in Pretoria and started shouting at the men to stop which they did and she grabbed Rocket and brought him to Kitty & Puppy Haven.Pearl is an animal lover and only wants to help these beautiful animals find a home and as well as help Sam Berger raise the additional R900k that she needs to build a new Kitty & Puppy Haven. Pearl is urging others to do the same.
