19/06/2025
Why We Go Back, Week After Week ... BECAUSE Every Life Matters, Even in Forgotten Places
Outreach work is never easy, but it is necessary, and it is powerful. While we wish we could help every community in need, we made the decision to take the Riverlands Community under our wing and walk a journey with them. Since the morning of 19 August 2024, when the dam walls in Riverlands broke and turned lives upside down, this community has been part of our hearts.
What started in crisis became something much deeper: a commitment to stand beside people and their animals through loss, hardship, healing, and hope.
We’ve witnessed heartbreaking moments, floods that destroyed homes and claimed the lives of animals, a devastating distemper outbreak, and the quiet despair of mange-covered dogs they wanted to surrender out of desperation. But we’ve also seen beauty rise from those ashes. Like the joy on a pet owner's face when their beloved dog’s fur grows back and shines again. Like the wisdom in a parent’s eyes who now says, “I’ll wait to get another dog, only when it’s vaccinated,” because they remember the pain of losing one.
The Riverlands bakkie stop is no longer just a drop-off or check-in. It’s a place where proud pet owners introduce us to their new companions with dignity and hope. It’s where they tell us, “Please come back to sterilise them when they’re ready.”
Yes, there are still those who resist change, those who exploit their animals or see them only as a means to make money. But every community has them. We choose to focus on those who are changing, who want better and who welcome our help with open arms and grateful hearts.
Progress here is slow, but it is steady. It is meaningful. It is lasting. And every photo we take, every conversation we have and every week we return is a reminder to all of us of why we must keep going.
Soon, we’ll start posting the animals in Riverlands who are ready for sterilisation and need sponsorship. These are the stories of transformation. These are the lives you can help shape with a simple act of kindness.
Keep an eye on our page. Because together, one community at a time, we can build a future that honours every animal’s worth.
To our incredible supporters, THANK YOU you for standing with us as we walk alongside this once-forgotten community. Whether it’s a kind word that lifts our spirits on the hard days, or a sponsorship that changes the course of an animal’s life, you are part of every step we take. Your support helps us do the work, bring hope and remind the people and animals of Riverlands that they are not alone. We couldn’t do this without you.
The Lucky Lucy Team
