The devoted dog, dubbed Gugulethu’s Hachikō, for his loyal vigil outside SAPS Gugulethu, has found a home.
Image: SUPPLIED
The devoted dog, dubbed Gugulethu’s Hachikō, for his loyal vigil outside SAPS Gugulethu, has found a loving home.
Sergeant’s story began in mid-December when an elderly man arrived at the SAPS Gugulethu station seeking medical help, accompanied by his faithful dog. The man was taken to the hospital but tragically passed away, leaving his devoted companion behind to do the only thing he could do - wait.
The dog remained outside the station, waiting at the door his owner had entered, anticipating his return with every person who exited.
The dog’s presence moved the officers, particularly the station’s exhibit commander, Captain Veale, who named their canine friend in honour of his loyalty.
Serg quickly became part of the team, standing proudly beside officers at parade time and sleeping beneath the station’s parked vehicles at night.
But despite the officers efforts to care for him, the void left by his owner was too great. His appetite dwindled, his spirit dimmed, and Veale reached out to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA to assist.
Under the care of the SPCA, Sergeant was given a clean bill of health and was ready to start afresh.
“Today, Sergeant is no longer a dog without a home. He is Sergeant Wohlfarth, a beloved member of Norbert and Vera Wohlfarth’s family,” the SPCA said this week.
“The couple read his story, saw the sadness in his eyes, and they just knew. Now… Sergeant sleeps soundly on one of his 3 indoor beds (or the couch), knowing he is exactly where he belongs. His world is no longer a search for what he lost—it is a joy for what he has found,” the organisation said.
Just days after arriving at his new home, Sergeant Wohlfarth ran across the garden, in a wild blur of joy.
“He ran like a dog who finally understood: I am home. I am safe. I am loved again.”
For Veale, the news brings peace and she hopes to visit Sergeant Wohlfarth in April, celebrating both her birthday and his new beginning.
“He was part of our station, part of our hearts,” she said. “But this is what he needed - to be someone’s dog again, to have a family of his own.”
“Animals are capable of experiencing a range of emotions not unlike our own. (Sergeant’s) story demands that we pay attention, not just to him but to all animals who depend on us for care. How we treat them matters,” SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham added.
“Today, Sergeant is no longer a dog without a home. He is Sergeant Wohlfarth, a beloved member of Norbert and Vera Wohlfarth’s family,” the SPCA said this week.
Sergeant is no longer a dog without a home. He is Sergeant Wohlfarth, a beloved member of Norbert and Vera Wohlfarth’s family.
Image: SUPPLIED
“The couple read his story, saw the sadness in his eyes, and they just knew. Now… Sergeant sleeps soundly on one of his 3 indoor beds (or the couch), knowing he is exactly where he belongs. His world is no longer a search for what he lost—it is a joy for what he has found,” the organisation said.
Just days after arriving at his new home, Sergeant Wohlfarth ran across the garden, in a wild blur of joy.
“He ran like a dog who finally understood: I am home. I am safe. I am loved again.”
For Veale, the news brings peace and she hopes to visit Sergeant Wohlfarth in April, celebrating both her birthday and his new beginning.
“He was part of our station, part of our hearts,” she said. “But this is what he needed - to be someone’s dog again, to have a family of his own.”
“Animals are capable of experiencing a range of emotions not unlike our own. (Sergeant’s) story demands that we pay attention, not just to him but to all animals who depend on us for care. How we treat them matters,” SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham added.
Cape Times
Sergeant sleeps soundly on one of his 3 indoor beds (or the couch), knowing he is exactly where he belongs.
Image: SUPPLIED
Related Topics: