WPC Friend: The Gentle Giant - Dis Ekke
Posted by HesterLeyNel on 2017-06-02 30 Comments
The Boerboel (which translates as Farmer’s Dog) is a large, Molosser-type breed from South Africa bred as working farm dogs and for the purpose of guarding the homestead. (Wikipedia). These dogs are well-known for being fiercely protective of their home and their families, and trespassers give them a wide berth.
Bazil was acquired with just this purpose in mind, but he was so much more than just a guard-dog; he was a member of the family and a loving, tender companion to Oliver, our old cat, and our other pets.
Bazil as a playful puppy at age six months
Bazil in his prime
When we adopted Ponsie, we were a little bit worried about introducing her to our 60kg Boerboel, but Bazil immediately welcomed the little kitten into the family and appointed himself as her personal protector and bodyguard. He followed her everywhere, patiently waiting under the trees which she insisted upon climbing.
Not long after the above photo was taken, Bazil and a few other dogs on the street block were poisoned with Aldicarb (colloquially called Two Step) for which there was no known antidote at the time. The perpetrators were planning a burglary at the house across the road from us, but their plans were foiled when we heard the dogs barking. Bazil was the only dog who survived the poisoning, but the aftereffects thereof were severely detrimental to his health. However, this did not deter him from his guard duty and as long as he stayed with us, we slept peacefully at night.
Shortly after this episode, we adopted Tina, an Alsatian (German Shepherd) of uncertain breed, and the two dogs became Best Friends Forever.
The photo below is of Bazil and Oliver sunning themselves on the lawn.
When Bazil was a mere seven years old, his health has already deteriorated to such an extent that the vet advised euthanization. We were heartbroken, but we knew he was in pain and his joints were stiff (an aftereffect of the Aldicarb) and he was able to move with great difficulty only.
All this happened a long time ago, but we still remember his gentle and loving ways.
Auwh… shame on these so called people!!
Hy was voorwaar ‘n lieflike dier, en dit is so boos dat hy as ‘n relatiewe jonghond uitgesit moes word agv hierdie monters.
Boos ja, dis die regte woord.
Ag dis ‘n pragtige verhaal! Die bliksems het nou weer orals in ons dorp toegeslaan met vergiftigde vleis.Hulle sit selfs ystervylsels en stukke glas in…blykbaar nie noodwendig vir roof nie,maar soos die polisie sê “malicious intent ” !
Ek weet nie watse monsters ons samelewing so besoedel nie!
Dit breek jou hart om jou dier so te sien ly. Ons het na daardie episode nog ‘n stel palisades binne die buitenste kring laat aanbring sodat die honde buite kon sien, maar te ver om vir hulle vleis te gooi. Maar vir Bazil was dit te laat.
So mooi geskryf, Hester. En hartseer. Ek moes sommer dadelik my ou kieter roep sodat sy op my skoot kan kom sit. Sommer net, want mens het hulle nodig.
🙂 Hierdie een van my (Ponsie wat saam met Bazil op die foto is), laat haar nie sommer optel en troetel nie. Oliver was die liefdevolle een wat agtien jaar lank op ons skote geslaap het. Ek raak nog steeds so effens histeries as een van myne (ek het nog ‘n klein hondjie) siek word.
Wat ‘n pragtige, lieftallige hondseunskind! So hartseer om te hoor hoe wreed sy gesondheid geknak en sy lewe verkort is as resultaat!
Daar is baie gehuil in ons straat daardie nag. Drie huise se honde is uitgewis en Bazil het dae in die hospitaal spandeer. Die mensdom is siek.
Sulke koelbloedige wreedheid teenoor onskuldige, weerlose skepsels gaan eenvoudig my verstand te bowe! 😰
Ag my hart breek… Ek het besluit nooit weer nie. Dis te swaar as hulle oud is.
Dankie 😀 Hulle was spesiaal. Ek het nog die katjie (Ponsie) nou 12 jaar oud en Genis 11 jaar. Hulle gaan ook my laaste wees.
Ek gaan maar die een verby laat gaan Ek kry net niks buite die boks hier nie…
Hierdie was nogal ‘n verbasende onderwerp – baie persoonlik.
A lovely dog 🙂 I know what losing a pet and friend feels like, how anyone can poison an anmimal is beyond me 🙁
Shame I cannot spell animal properly, tablets for you! 🙁
Hi Andrew, I’m happy to see you here again. Thank you for dropping by.
Arme Bazil. Sommige diere ( en mense) kruip baie diep in jou hart in.
Hulle doen. Dankie vir die inloer, Seegogga.
Dis die swaarste ding om ‘n troeteldier te laat uitsit, al troos jy jouself ook hoe.
Dis waar. Ek het daardie besluit al ‘n paar keer gemaak en dit breek my hart elke keer.
This is a lovely tribute to your gentle friend. I am so sorry about the cruel poisoning that he and the other dogs suffered. Heartbreaking.
Ons seuntjie is op 11 maande vergiftig en het n helse lydig gehad voirdat ons n week later hom moes laat uitsit. Dit was verskriklik ek en my man het so geween. Ek verstaan nie sulke blatante wreedheid nie.
Mooi geskryf Hester. My Karolus le styf teen my.
So jammer. Dis pure boosheid.
Ai soooo mooi!
What a terrible thing, I’m sorry for your loss and for the suffering your dog had to live with.