A woman who thought she had lost her beloved pet nearly a year ago has been reunited with her dog after spotting her in traffic.
Olivia Links, 26, says her seven-year-old brakkie Sasha slipped out of her home in January and on Monday while driving down Eerste River Way, she spotted her long-lost dog close to the Blue Downs Shopping Centre.
“We were living with relatives in Silversands at the time she went missing and then shortly after moved to Eerste River,” explains Olivia.
“I suspect she was stolen while she was wandering in the road after she slipped out of the yard.
“We looked for her and we couldn’t find her anywhere.
“Every time people said they found stray dogs I would think it was mine. I had given up when I saw her walking alone.”
The pet owner tells the Daily Voice that she was sitting in traffic when she noticed the skinny and dirty hond.
“She was sniffing things, like she was looking for food, when I saw her.
“I couldn’t jump out of the car immediately.
“Instead I went to the circle and then turned around.
“I got out of the car, left the key in the ignition and went to her and called her name.
“She became scared and went to the other side of the road.
“I went back to the car and got the key, and I asked some boys who were walking by to get her and they probably thought I was crazy.”
Olivia says after several minutes of coaxing, Sasha finally recognised her.
“I sat down with my hands out and said: It’s mommy, it’s me. body.copy.three...: “She walked up to me and smelled my hands, I hugged her and took her to the car.”
Olivia says she’s had Sasha since she was just a month old and was so happy to find her that she took the day off work: “I took the day off and went to Philippi to the Animal Welfare Society Memorial Hospital to have her checked out.
“My husband and I are truly grateful for the brilliant service we have received from Animal Welfare.
“Sasha has tick fever, which she is being treated for, and she lost a lot of weight, she is just skin and bones.
“She wants to be with me at all times, she sleeps between me and my husband and when I wake up in the morning, she is on top of me.”
AWS spokesman Allan Perrins says Sasha was cleared to go home.
“Thankfully other than being underweight and infested with ticks, Sasha, who received treatment on the house, was treated for tick bite fever and was given the all clear to go home with medication.
“ We also made sure we microchipped Sasha before she left.”