Animal Rescue Organisation

📣 See you this weekend!

📍 St Thomas Church Grounds
🕘 09h00 – 13h00

Pop by, say hello, and support a great cause. Bring your family and friends—we'd love to see you there! 🐾

43 sterilisations down, 107 to go! 🎉🐾

For the past few weeks, we’ve been hard at work on a special sterilisation drive funded by the Mayor’s Fund, and we’re thrilled to be part of this city-wide initiative alongside our fellow CAWF (Cape Animal Welfare Forum) members.

A huge thank you to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and the City of Cape Town for supporting animal welfare organisations and helping us create lasting change for animals across the city.

Thank you, Mayor, for being a friend to ARO and the animals of Cape Town. 💚

So far, we’ve completed 43 of our allocated 150 sterilisations, with many more to come. Every sterilisation helps prevent unwanted litters, reduces suffering, and gives more animals the chance of a healthier, happier future.

We’re excited to keep the momentum going and can’t wait to share an update next week on the impact this project is already having in our communities. Stay tuned! 🐕🐈

On Monday morning, an unusual patient arrived at our hospital—not on a lead, but in a baby pram.

Unable to put weight on his injured leg, this sweet boy had been carefully tucked into the pram by his owner, who was determined to get him the medical attention he so desperately needed. Every step of the journey was taken with love, making sure he was as comfortable as possible on his way to ARO.

Examination and X-rays confirmed a fractured leg. Through it all, his owner never left his side. She stayed with him during treatment and supported him through those difficult first days of recovery, making sure he felt safe, comfortable, and loved.

Stories like this remind us that behind every patient is someone who cares deeply for them. Despite the challenges they face, many of our clients will go to extraordinary lengths to get help for their pets.

Today, this brave boy is on the road to recovery, surrounded by a family who loves him very much. ❤️

Meet Machine 💙

This sweet and timid boy was brought to our hospital on Saturday morning after his owner noticed hair loss and redness on his face, chest and belly.

After doing a skin scrape, a quick procedure where we collect a small skin sample to examine under a microscope, we found that Machine has demodectic mange, caused by Demodex mites (which look a bit like tiny crocodiles under the microscope! 🔬🐊).

While he was with us, we treated his skin condition and also made sure he received all the essentials: he was neutered, dewormed, vaccinated, and given tick and flea treatment.

Machine was such a brave patient, and we're looking forward to seeing his skin heal and his confidence grow.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, sweet boy! 🐾💙

HOW LAUREN SUPPORTS ANIMALS BEYOND CASH DONATIONS🐈‍⬛❤🐶🐾

🐾How did you first become involved in donating items to ARO’s charity shops?

I first started donating to the ARO shops about 5 years ago, after learning about the free collection service at the second-hand goods market in Rondebosch.

🐾What made you decide to donate second-hand goods rather than dispose of them another way?

When I learned that the goods would be collected free of charge, at my convenience, it was a no-brainer! Not only would I easily be able to clear out unwanted goods, but the bonus was that I would be helping an amazing organization!

🐾What does donating to a charity shop mean to you personally?

On a personal level, I absolutely adore my three rescue kitties — they bring me so much love and joy, and I want all animals to have the chance to live happy, healthy lives. Supporting ARO in this way gives me a real sense of satisfaction. I also love the idea of thrifting and the saying that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Knowing my items will be reused and appreciated, rather than ending up in landfill, makes donating feel even more meaningful.

🐾What do you enjoy most about supporting ARO through item donations?

Donating to ARO’s charity shops brings me joy because I know that the goods will be sold for cash, and the funds realised will be used for the benefit of all the animals in the poorest communities who really rely on charitable assistance. So the thought that my donation of goods is hugely impactful makes me so very happy.

🐾What would you say to someone considering donating to ARO’s charity shops for the first time?

If you are thinking about donating to ARO and have not done so before, I can assure you that your granny’s old Tupperware sitting in the back of your cupboard might only sell for R20, but imagine all the twenty Rands; they all add up, and before you know it, you’ve got enough money to cover one sterilisation. Consider this: one female dog and her offspring can potentially lead to over 67000 puppies in just 6 years. Plus, collection is free and can be arranged at a time that suits you. Now that’s a win/win.

Caramel was brought to our clinic after injuring his back leg.

He was admitted to hospital to examine him and keep him comfortable on pain medication and cage rest. X-rays confirmed that he unfortunately had a broken back leg.

Surgery was performed to repair the leg, using a metal pin to stabilise the bone and give it the best chance to heal properly. After surgery, Caramel recieved pain medication, antibiotics and lots of cuddles during his post-operative recovery. We are thrilled with his progress so far and can't wait to see his continued progress in the weeks ahead.

Wishing you a smooth recovery, sweet, friendly Caramel!

Two-year-old spokesdog Epic celebrated his birthday on 12 May! 🎉🐾

The big storm may have delayed the party a little, but that didn’t stop Epic from making his birthday count for animals in need. Instead of gifts for himself, Epic asked his friends at Hill’s Pet Nutrition to donate food to his friends at ARO.

They did exactly that — with an incredible donation of over 500kg of pet food! ❤️ This will make a huge difference to the patients in our animal hospital, helping us feed sick, recovering and vulnerable animals with the nutrition they need.

Thank you to Hill’s for this generous gift, and happiest of birthdays to our favourite three-legged ambassador, Epic! 🐶🎂