- Community Development ·
Rescue, Rehab and Re-home African Street Dogs
Funding sterilisation programs to tackle street animal crisis while providing emergency rescue, rehab and rehoming to others in need
- South Africa
- hello@actionchange.org
Project Summary
Project Challenge
Project Solution
Impact
Reports
Project Summary
We work to stop cruelty, spread kindness, and lessen animal suffering.
Our goal is to abolish animal cruelty in South Africa and foster compassion. To uphold and respect the protections afforded to animals.
We get hundreds of calls each year from people attacking dogs with acid to others grooming dogs to fight. The situation we face is real and it is expensive but we never leave a god alone. Our team are out rescuing these puppies as well as providing a weekly service in a township where we provide vaccinations and help manage breeding through our neutering program. We fund this project 100% through donations, you are the people saving these puppies!
Project Challenge
Too Many Dogs with out a Home! It is not their fault but we still see more and more people breeding dogs and making them homeless when they can’t afford them or they don’t do what they want. It is a full time job rescuing these animals providing emergency care and re-homing them but we can’t do this without the support of our donors and supporters
With the streets overrun by stray dogs or dogs owned by families that can’t afford to look after them we have an urgent need to tackle the reproduction of animals while providing support to those left in need on the streets of South African townships.
Project Solution
This project will work to fund emergency management, re-home rescued puppies and work on an outreach program to help sterilisation of all dogs that are on the streets or poorly cared for in a response to help decrease the amount of puppies being born on the streets.
Impact
Tackling the number of the dogs on the streets will help eliminate this issue long term
Reports
Project Report | Feb 27, 2026
200 Puppies and 3 Staff
By Richelle Graham |Â Rescue Manager
Dear Friends and Supporters,
As we look back over the last three months, we are struck by the sheer resilience of the 200+ dogs currently in our care and the immense dedication of our tiny team of three.
While our mission is to save lives, the reality of running a rescue haven of this size is a daily exercise in logistics, love, and very tough decision-making. We wanted to share an update on the progress we are making and the hurdles we are working to overcome.
Field Update: The Battle Against Tick Bite FeverOur team recently returned from an intensive outreach mission in the local townships. We found dozens of dogs in desperate condition, their bodies overwhelmed by ticks. This isn’t just a matter of discomfort; these parasites carry Tick Bite Fever, a silent killer that can wipe out a population if left unchecked.
Our team spent days going door-to-door, hand-treating 20 dogs, soothing their raw skin, and removing thousands of ticks one by one. It was a heart-wrenching sight, but seeing the dogs stand quietly, almost in gratitude, reminds us why we do this.
Unfortunately, the threat followed us back to the haven. One of our most gentle rescues, Cocoa, is currently in the fight of her life after a single infected tick slipped through our defenses. She has been rushed to emergency care, and we are doing everything in our power to see her through this.
The Challenges of the “Haven”With 200 dogs and only three staff members, one on rescue and outreach, one managing the shelter, and one focusing on re-homing and admin, so we are stretched thin. Our rescue manager continues to handle midnight emergency calls, ensuring the “rescue phone” never goes unanswered.
However, the financial reality of this level of care is significant. To give you a picture of what it takes to keep this mission moving:
Monthly Food Bill: £650
Monthly Medication: £200
Salaries and Rent: £1,200
Existing Vet Debt: We currently owe £20,000 across three local vets who have kindly supported us during emergencies.
To ensure we remain sustainable, we are focusing on two major goals this year:
Aggressive Re-homing:Â We are pushing our adoption and fostering programs harder than ever. Getting our numbers down at the farm is the only way to relieve the pressure on our staff and our budget.
Corporate Outreach:Â We are persistently reaching out to local shops and pet stores to help sponsor our food costs. While we are still waiting for that first “yes,” we aren’t giving up as we hope someone picks up and replies to us.
As a last resort, we are considering a cap on new rescues to match our fundraising levels until our vet debt is managed. This is a decision we hope we never have to make, but it is one we must consider to ensure the 200 dogs already in our care never go hungry.
Looking AheadNext week, we are organising a Mass Dipping Day to protect over 200 dogs in the community. To make this happen, we are working to secure 25L of “Dazzle Dip” (which costs £115 per 5Litre ) and we are closely monitoring Cocoa’s vet bills, which we expect to reach £300–£350 (R5,000–R6,000).
Your past support has brought us this far, and we are so proud of what we have achieved together. We will continue to fight for the “Cocoas” of our community, ensuring that every dog has a chance at a life free from pain.
With gratitude and hope,
__________________________________________________________
Dec 1, 2025
Puppy Love: Splashing Around
By Richelle the Butterfly |Â Animal Rescue Lead
Splashing Around Keeping Cool
Dear Supporters,
We wanted to share a little update with our amazing supporters and donors!
Summer has finally arrived in Cape Town and our rescued dogs are loving every moment in the sun. After a tricky few weeks when our water pump broke, we are thrilled to report that with your help we managed to get a new pump up and running within just a few days. Water is flowing again, bowls are full, kennels are clean, and best of all, the pups are having the time of their lives cooling off in the paddling pool. Above is a photo of one very happy dog enjoying a splash!
Your support truly gave us hope at a moment when we needed it most. Because of you, we were able to restore water and keep our dogs safe and happy. You helped fill bowls, wag tails, and bring joy back to their days for November. We still have lots of bills at the vet’s but we survived a time when we thought it was over and that is because of you!
Summer is always a busy time for our program with higher temperatures and extra care needed for the dogs, and thanks to your generosity we are ready to keep them comfortable, healthy, and loved. Last weekend we was called to a home where a family packed up and left the family home and left their dog tied up in the yard, he came back to our haven and we’re called him peanut, he is healthy and we hope to find him his safe and foever home soon, he has now brought us up to 112 animals in our care so our re-homing team are going to have their work cut out! We do slow down adoptions over the festive season as a dog is for just foir christmas.
We couldn’t do this without you. Every donation, every share, and every word of encouragement helps us keep tails wagging and paws happy. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this journey and for giving these dogs a safe, happy place to call home. I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy upcoming thanksgiving and a little friendly reminder that on Giving Tuesday donations are matched so its a great opportunity for us to get those bowls full again and maybe even pay of some of those amazing vets ;)
Thanks from us all and lots of tail wags,
Richelle
___________________________________________________________
Nov 10, 2025
A Special Report: Meet Jessie and Luna
By Richelle the Butterfly |Â Rescue Program Leader
Jessie and Luna
Dear Suppawters,
There’s no other way to say it the last few months have tested us like never before. Rising costs, dwindling donations, and broken partnerships have pushed our rescue program to the edge. For six long months, our team refused to give up. They worked unpaid, night after night, saving lives one by one.
When we reached out recently with an urgent plea email at the end of October to help us pay our vets and feed our animals, your kindness came flooding in. You gave us hope again. We’ve received over £1,000 in donations, and while we still have a long road ahead, your support reminded us that we are not alone and has kept our dog bowls full.
Thanks to you, this month, we’re hosting three community events to introduce our dogs to potential foster and adoptive families a crucial step toward building a sustainable future for our haven.
I wanted to share this extra special report with you as this story is 100% because of you and why stories like Jessie and Luna Violet’s exist.
Meet Jessie & Luna Violet (photo above) These two beautiful souls are proof of what love and rescue can do. Once found on the brink of death, starving, terrified, and completely broken and Jessie and Luna Violet had every reason to give up on life.But today? Their tails never stop wagging. Their hearts are full. Their eyes sparkle with joy and trust again.
This transformation didn’t happen by chance. It happened because of you and your donations, your belief, your compassion.
You turned fear into freedom. You turned pain into play. You gave them their second chance and we thank you so much!!
Life at our safe HavenToday, our sanctuary is home to 108 rescued animals, including around 60 puppies, 38 cats, a rescued pig, 4 ducks, 3 goats, and a sheep.
They may not all be traditional rescues, but each one came to us in desperate need from hungry, hurt, or abandoned. Every single life here matters. Every one of them now knows love, comfort, and the safety of a full belly.
We’ve made vital progress too:
Installed solar power and switched to filtered borehole water, reducing costs and improving sustainability.
Secured a rent-to-buy agreement for our premises, creating long-term stability.
Designed a 12-month adoption and sterilization plan to refocus our impact.
Your support is helping us survive these tough months and rebuild stronger than ever.
Every bag of food, every vet bill paid, every tail that keeps wagging is all because of you. We still face challenges, but your compassion is keeping our doors open and our hearts hopeful. Together, we’re proving that kindness can outshine hardship.
Thank you for seeing value in the ones others gave up on. With endless gratitude and wagging tails
___________________________________________
Lennon is Home
By Richelle the Butterfly |Â Rescue Program Leader – September 2025
Lennon our Baby Survived!
Hello Supporters!
Just one week ago, we reached out to our amazing community for help with one of our beloved rescues, Lennon. We were overwhelmed with gratitude when four kind-hearted people responded and donated during a time when we urgently needed support to keep him alive.
After being rescued unexpectedly, our sweet boy Lennon suddenly collapsed at the Haven. We truly didn’t know if he was going to make it. It was one of the most terrifying moments we’ve faced — rushing him to the emergency vet, praying with every heartbeat that we weren’t losing him.
But today, we get to share the most beautiful news:
Lennon has been discharged from the hospital!
He’s walking again.
He’s wagging his tail.
He’s smiling with those soulful eyes.
He’s Lennon again.
After a full week of intensive care, IV drips, tests, and constant monitoring, our miracle boy has defied the odds and is coming back to us. There are no signs of liver damage or failure despite his enlarged liver and other worrying symptoms. Lennon has proved, once again, that he deserves to live.
Right now, we care for over 100 rescued dogs like Lennon — but the bills are mounting fast. Sadly, we have been forced to suspend our outreach efforts and focus on safely re-homing as many dogs as possible, as we simply can’t afford to feed and care for all 100 at our farm.
We are so relieved. So full of gratitude. So amazed by Lennon’s strength. And we couldn’t have done it without your suppawt, love, prayers, and donations.
However, Lennon’s vet bill alone came to just over $3,000. Each month, we still scrape together around $1,500 to cover specialized dog food and medication for all our dogs. We currently carry $6,000 in outstanding debt with our local vets, and our farm rent is two months overdue.
The rising costs, non-stop emergency call-outs, and daily rescue requests — 10 to 15 calls a day — mean that, for now, we’re stretched beyond our limits. We’re working closely with a volunteer mentor to get our website and social media channels live, promoting adoption and fostering options, which we hope will help reduce costs and raise much-needed funds.
Life around the world is becoming more challenging every day. We understand that many people aren’t in a position to give right now, but we are committed to adapting our priorities to stay afloat. Without you — and our faithful monthly donors — we wouldn’t have survived this long.
The future may be uncertain, but we are not giving up. We are ready to face the challenge ahead. So, watch this space!
Thank you again for being part of our program and our extended family and from Lennon, myself and everyone at our rescue haven – thank you again!!!
We work to stop cruelty, spread kindness, and lessen animal suffering.
Our goal is to abolish animal cruelty in South Africa and foster compassion. To uphold and respect the protections afforded to animals.
We get hundreds of calls each year from people attacking dogs with acid to others grooming dogs to fight. The situation we face is real and it is expensive but we never leave a god alone. Our team are out rescuing these puppies as well as providing a weekly service in a township where we provide vaccinations and help manage breeding through our neutering program. We fund this project 100% through donations, you are the people saving these puppies!
Too Many Dogs with out a Home! It is not their fault but we still see more and more people breeding dogs and making them homeless when they can’t afford them or they don’t do what they want. It is a full time job rescuing these animals providing emergency care and re-homing them but we can’t do this without the support of our donors and supporters
With the streets overrun by stray dogs or dogs owned by families that can’t afford to look after them we have an urgent need to tackle the reproduction of animals while providing support to those left in need on the streets of South African townships.
This project will work to fund emergency management, re-home rescued puppies and work on an outreach program to help sterilisation of all dogs that are on the streets or poorly cared for in a response to help decrease the amount of puppies being born on the streets.
Tackling the number of the dogs on the streets will help eliminate this issue long term
Project Report | Feb 27, 2026
200 Puppies and 3 Staff
By Richelle Graham |Â Rescue Manager
Dear Friends and Supporters,
As we look back over the last three months, we are struck by the sheer resilience of the 200+ dogs currently in our care and the immense dedication of our tiny team of three.
While our mission is to save lives, the reality of running a rescue haven of this size is a daily exercise in logistics, love, and very tough decision-making. We wanted to share an update on the progress we are making and the hurdles we are working to overcome.
Field Update: The Battle Against Tick Bite FeverOur team recently returned from an intensive outreach mission in the local townships. We found dozens of dogs in desperate condition, their bodies overwhelmed by ticks. This isn’t just a matter of discomfort; these parasites carry Tick Bite Fever, a silent killer that can wipe out a population if left unchecked.
Our team spent days going door-to-door, hand-treating 20 dogs, soothing their raw skin, and removing thousands of ticks one by one. It was a heart-wrenching sight, but seeing the dogs stand quietly, almost in gratitude, reminds us why we do this.
Unfortunately, the threat followed us back to the haven. One of our most gentle rescues, Cocoa, is currently in the fight of her life after a single infected tick slipped through our defenses. She has been rushed to emergency care, and we are doing everything in our power to see her through this.
The Challenges of the “Haven”With 200 dogs and only three staff members, one on rescue and outreach, one managing the shelter, and one focusing on re-homing and admin, so we are stretched thin. Our rescue manager continues to handle midnight emergency calls, ensuring the “rescue phone” never goes unanswered.
However, the financial reality of this level of care is significant. To give you a picture of what it takes to keep this mission moving:
Monthly Food Bill: £650
Monthly Medication: £200
Salaries and Rent: £1,200
Existing Vet Debt: We currently owe £20,000 across three local vets who have kindly supported us during emergencies.
To ensure we remain sustainable, we are focusing on two major goals this year:
Aggressive Re-homing:Â We are pushing our adoption and fostering programs harder than ever. Getting our numbers down at the farm is the only way to relieve the pressure on our staff and our budget.
Corporate Outreach:Â We are persistently reaching out to local shops and pet stores to help sponsor our food costs. While we are still waiting for that first “yes,” we aren’t giving up as we hope someone picks up and replies to us.
As a last resort, we are considering a cap on new rescues to match our fundraising levels until our vet debt is managed. This is a decision we hope we never have to make, but it is one we must consider to ensure the 200 dogs already in our care never go hungry.
Looking AheadNext week, we are organising a Mass Dipping Day to protect over 200 dogs in the community. To make this happen, we are working to secure 25L of “Dazzle Dip” (which costs £115 per 5Litre ) and we are closely monitoring Cocoa’s vet bills, which we expect to reach £300–£350 (R5,000–R6,000).
Your past support has brought us this far, and we are so proud of what we have achieved together. We will continue to fight for the “Cocoas” of our community, ensuring that every dog has a chance at a life free from pain.
With gratitude and hope,
__________________________________________________________
Dec 1, 2025
Puppy Love: Splashing Around
By Richelle the Butterfly |Â Animal Rescue Lead
Splashing Around Keeping Cool
Dear Supporters,
We wanted to share a little update with our amazing supporters and donors!
Summer has finally arrived in Cape Town and our rescued dogs are loving every moment in the sun. After a tricky few weeks when our water pump broke, we are thrilled to report that with your help we managed to get a new pump up and running within just a few days. Water is flowing again, bowls are full, kennels are clean, and best of all, the pups are having the time of their lives cooling off in the paddling pool. Above is a photo of one very happy dog enjoying a splash!
Your support truly gave us hope at a moment when we needed it most. Because of you, we were able to restore water and keep our dogs safe and happy. You helped fill bowls, wag tails, and bring joy back to their days for November. We still have lots of bills at the vet’s but we survived a time when we thought it was over and that is because of you!
Summer is always a busy time for our program with higher temperatures and extra care needed for the dogs, and thanks to your generosity we are ready to keep them comfortable, healthy, and loved. Last weekend we was called to a home where a family packed up and left the family home and left their dog tied up in the yard, he came back to our haven and we’re called him peanut, he is healthy and we hope to find him his safe and foever home soon, he has now brought us up to 112 animals in our care so our re-homing team are going to have their work cut out! We do slow down adoptions over the festive season as a dog is for just foir christmas.
We couldn’t do this without you. Every donation, every share, and every word of encouragement helps us keep tails wagging and paws happy. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this journey and for giving these dogs a safe, happy place to call home. I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy upcoming thanksgiving and a little friendly reminder that on Giving Tuesday donations are matched so its a great opportunity for us to get those bowls full again and maybe even pay of some of those amazing vets ;)
Thanks from us all and lots of tail wags,
Richelle
___________________________________________________________
Nov 10, 2025
A Special Report: Meet Jessie and Luna
By Richelle the Butterfly |Â Rescue Program Leader
Jessie and Luna
Dear Suppawters,
There’s no other way to say it the last few months have tested us like never before. Rising costs, dwindling donations, and broken partnerships have pushed our rescue program to the edge. For six long months, our team refused to give up. They worked unpaid, night after night, saving lives one by one.
When we reached out recently with an urgent plea email at the end of October to help us pay our vets and feed our animals, your kindness came flooding in. You gave us hope again. We’ve received over £1,000 in donations, and while we still have a long road ahead, your support reminded us that we are not alone and has kept our dog bowls full.
Thanks to you, this month, we’re hosting three community events to introduce our dogs to potential foster and adoptive families a crucial step toward building a sustainable future for our haven.
I wanted to share this extra special report with you as this story is 100% because of you and why stories like Jessie and Luna Violet’s exist.
Meet Jessie & Luna Violet (photo above) These two beautiful souls are proof of what love and rescue can do. Once found on the brink of death, starving, terrified, and completely broken and Jessie and Luna Violet had every reason to give up on life.But today? Their tails never stop wagging. Their hearts are full. Their eyes sparkle with joy and trust again.
This transformation didn’t happen by chance. It happened because of you and your donations, your belief, your compassion.
You turned fear into freedom. You turned pain into play. You gave them their second chance and we thank you so much!!
Life at our safe HavenToday, our sanctuary is home to 108 rescued animals, including around 60 puppies, 38 cats, a rescued pig, 4 ducks, 3 goats, and a sheep.
They may not all be traditional rescues, but each one came to us in desperate need from hungry, hurt, or abandoned. Every single life here matters. Every one of them now knows love, comfort, and the safety of a full belly.
We’ve made vital progress too:
Installed solar power and switched to filtered borehole water, reducing costs and improving sustainability.
Secured a rent-to-buy agreement for our premises, creating long-term stability.
Designed a 12-month adoption and sterilization plan to refocus our impact.
Your support is helping us survive these tough months and rebuild stronger than ever.
Every bag of food, every vet bill paid, every tail that keeps wagging is all because of you. We still face challenges, but your compassion is keeping our doors open and our hearts hopeful. Together, we’re proving that kindness can outshine hardship.
Thank you for seeing value in the ones others gave up on. With endless gratitude and wagging tails
___________________________________________
Lennon is Home
By Richelle the Butterfly |Â Rescue Program Leader – September 2025
Lennon our Baby Survived!
Hello Supporters!
Just one week ago, we reached out to our amazing community for help with one of our beloved rescues, Lennon. We were overwhelmed with gratitude when four kind-hearted people responded and donated during a time when we urgently needed support to keep him alive.
After being rescued unexpectedly, our sweet boy Lennon suddenly collapsed at the Haven. We truly didn’t know if he was going to make it. It was one of the most terrifying moments we’ve faced — rushing him to the emergency vet, praying with every heartbeat that we weren’t losing him.
But today, we get to share the most beautiful news:
Lennon has been discharged from the hospital!
He’s walking again.
He’s wagging his tail.
He’s smiling with those soulful eyes.
He’s Lennon again.
After a full week of intensive care, IV drips, tests, and constant monitoring, our miracle boy has defied the odds and is coming back to us. There are no signs of liver damage or failure despite his enlarged liver and other worrying symptoms. Lennon has proved, once again, that he deserves to live.
Right now, we care for over 100 rescued dogs like Lennon — but the bills are mounting fast. Sadly, we have been forced to suspend our outreach efforts and focus on safely re-homing as many dogs as possible, as we simply can’t afford to feed and care for all 100 at our farm.
We are so relieved. So full of gratitude. So amazed by Lennon’s strength. And we couldn’t have done it without your suppawt, love, prayers, and donations.
However, Lennon’s vet bill alone came to just over $3,000. Each month, we still scrape together around $1,500 to cover specialized dog food and medication for all our dogs. We currently carry $6,000 in outstanding debt with our local vets, and our farm rent is two months overdue.
The rising costs, non-stop emergency call-outs, and daily rescue requests — 10 to 15 calls a day — mean that, for now, we’re stretched beyond our limits. We’re working closely with a volunteer mentor to get our website and social media channels live, promoting adoption and fostering options, which we hope will help reduce costs and raise much-needed funds.
Life around the world is becoming more challenging every day. We understand that many people aren’t in a position to give right now, but we are committed to adapting our priorities to stay afloat. Without you — and our faithful monthly donors — we wouldn’t have survived this long.
The future may be uncertain, but we are not giving up. We are ready to face the challenge ahead. So, watch this space!
Thank you again for being part of our program and our extended family and from Lennon, myself and everyone at our rescue haven – thank you again!!!
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- Community Development ·