From a very young age, the South African dog we are going to see next lived chained up on the street. It was impossible for the animal to free itself from the heavy metal chain that was around its neck. Despite this, the dog tried everything to escape… it tried so many times that the chain got tangled up and ended up being half its original size.

But the dog’s ordeal was about to come to an end… In late April, Carol Conradie, a volunteer with  Tin Can Town , a local animal rescue group, was alerted to the chained animal. She was delivering supplies to dogs and people in Blikkiesdorp, Cape Town, when someone told her the animal’s story. Without hesitation, she rushed to its rescue!

Dog chained and abandoned by its owner

Some of the poorest people in South Africa live in Blikkiesdorp. Locals live in small shacks made of iron sheets, scrap wood and old tires. In addition, most of them lack basic amenities such as toilets and sinks.

When Conradie went to find the dog, she discovered that the dog’s owner had fled two months earlier when some gang members threatened to kill him. The owner had chained the dog, perhaps intending to return to her. But he never returned, and neighbors tried to care for her in the man’s absence. They pushed bowls of food and water through the narrow opening to where she was, but they could not get the dog off the chain. When Conradie looked through the opening, she saw the dog shivering in a corner.

“She was curled up as far away as she could,” Conradie said. “I tried to pet her head, and I put out food to see if we could coax her, but she wouldn’t come.” Conradie talked to the dog in a soft voice for several minutes, and then she was able to come closer.

Conradie named the dog Chantel, and found her to be very friendly and affectionate. “She just crawled right into my lap,” Conradie said. “She was putting her head inside my coat and trying to put her head under my arm.”

Chantel is released from her chains

Chantel’s friendly nature would make the rescue easier, but there was still the problem of the chain. The woman tried to saw through the metal with a hacksaw, but it didn’t work. However, one of the neighbors decided to go find a man who had an angle grinder that could cut through steel. While Conradie waited for the grinder, she petted Chantel and pulled on the chain around her neck. At that point, she finally figured out how to get it off. “I was able to push the padlock all the way to the top of her jaw, and the chain kind of just slid over one of her ears,” Conradie said. “After that, I was able to get it over her head.”

Chantel was so relieved to be freed. “She was so friendly and so happy to be out,” Conradie said. “She had her head snuggled against my neck and her tail was lashing my leg.” The woman and the other  Tin Can Town volunteers  took Chantel to the vet for a checkup, and had her spayed and vaccinated. Although it was a horrible experience for the animal to be chained up for so long, Chantel was in good health.

Animal is adopted

After being treated, the dog found a home. The neighbors who had fed her asked to adopt her. They already had other dogs that seemed well-fed and cared for, and they promised to care for Chantel in the same way. While some people questioned  Tin Can Town ’s decision  to give the dog to the neighbors, the staff explained that they always look for the best solutions for the animals and the people in the community.

“Please be assured that we will assess each animal’s situation on a case-by-case basis and if we suspect any cruelty, abuse or gross neglect in that home, we will take the animal back,” a spokesperson said. “If people care and just need help and education, then we will work with the owners to improve the animal’s living conditions.”

Fortunately, in Chantel’s case, her new owners knew exactly how to take care of her. Now, she is free and will be able to run and play with her new siblings. Her current owners were the neighbors who filed the complaint and gave her a new chance at life, so they will surely treat her well.