IN PICTURES | Jub-Jub the dog’s amazing transformation

After surrendering their suffering pet to Community Led Animal Welfare (Claw), the family was delighted to receive a call to come to fetch the unrecognisable pooch after it had been washed and groomed and was happily bouncing around.

Despite looking something like a mop, brown dog Jub-Jub is a long-haired mixed breed — “probably more French poodle than anything else”, according to animal welfare activist Cora Bailey of Johannesburg-based Claw.

When she was taken to Claw, Jub-Jub was a mass of matted and knotted fur. It was painful for her to walk, and lying down was uncomfortable because of the lumpy knots and bumps in her unbrushed coat. She had been taken for basic veterinary care in the past and there was no abuse.

According to Bailey, the recent closure of the Roodepoort SPCA animal hospital has resulted in more people turning to animal welfare organisations for help to take care of their pets, or to surrender their animals because they are no longer able to keep them.

“Jub-Jub is overall a very happy, well-fed dog. Unfortunately the coat got out of hand very quickly and the owner did not have the means to sort it out and appealed for help with his dog,” explained a Claw volunteer.

Bailey said because increasing numbers of people are struggling to make ends meet, her organisation found it better to keep pets with good owners and assist with care rather than to rehome or remove the animal “because it’s just a stark reality that there are more doggies than there are homes”.

So Claw called on City Pets in Wilro Park, Roodepoort.

“Julie and her team did an amazing job on Jub-Jub,” Bailey said, adding that even staff were surprised at the transformed pet that emerged from the mass of removed fur.

She said the family was called, and they were shocked and overjoyed when they were reunited with their happy dog.

“It was big smiles all round with the transformation from thick, matted hair to the soft shiny coat. We loved this effort to make a sweet doggy look so great again. All’s well that ends well,” Bailey said.

She said the family had been educated on the way forward to make sure Jub-Jub’s coat doesn’t get matted again, and she will be groomed every six weeks to assist the owner.

Bailey has appealed to all pet owners to regularly groom their animals because it is tick season and animals are dying of biliary caused by tick bites.

“People must not use Jeyes fluid on their animals. It’s terrible. There are all kinds of products available from powders to shampoos, ranging from inexpensive to top-of-the-range stuff. People must please take care and do grooming,” she said.

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