Two little brothers, who made headlines after saving their neighbour’s sick dog with their last R7, have been named Junior Ambassadors for the Animal Welfare Society.
On Wednesday, Peter, 11, and Gerry Cedras, eight, also met Mayor Patricia de Lille, who hugged them tightly and commended them for their generosity.
“I am very happy this morning to meet Gerry and Peter, the two brave boys who walked more than 14km to take their little dog, Lady, to the vet because she was very ill,” said Aunty Pat.
“It is a very human story, I have four huskies. My vet is two streets away from my home, but you walked 14km. Dit wys julle twee is goeie seuns.”
What made their story even more remarkable is that the brothers lost their home in a fire a few days before their good deed.
Yet they used their last money and Gerry walked barefoot to the AWS to save Lady, who was suffering from tick fever.
The brothers, who live on the farm Groenvlei in Philippi, lost all their belongings after a candle toppled over.
Peter had intended to save the money to buy his brother a pair of shoes.
COMMEND: Peter and Gerry Cedras with Mayor Patricia de Lille at her office
After the boys’ story was published in the Daily Voice, they were showered with gifts, including food, bikes and clothing, from the public.
Allan Perrins, from the AWS, says he was recently invited to do a presentation at the Robertson Voorbereidingskool in the Boland, after staff read about the brothers and wanted to use their story as an example of showing love and compassion to pets.
“We presented this to Grades R to 3, who are between the ages of six and nine years old,” Perrins says.
“Almost all of the learners have pets at home, mainly cats and dogs.
“When quizzed about the heroic deed of the brothers, everyone felt they were indeed heroes who deserved all the good fortune that came their way.”
He says the brothers were made AWS ambassadors because “they have set the tone on how everyone should take care of their animals”.