Dogs don’t judge. They offer unconstrained affection and unquestioning loyalty. So why are they so frequently mistreated?

Left behind and abused, discarded by careless or capricious humans. But the beauty of our society is that for every destructive action there is someone willing to step in and pick up the pieces.

Kleinmond Animal Welfare Society (KAWS) is a non-profit organisation that provides food, sterilisation and treatment for neglected and abandoned animals.

With a team of veterinarians and caretakers, the organisation is devoted to creating a quality life for domestic animals that have been mistreated.

Founded in 2004 by Yvonne Pretorius, who was in her 70s at the time, the centre was created to address the overpopulation of malnourished and abandoned animals in the community.

Nurturing the animals has become a group effort; KAWS relies on donations and volunteers from around the area to keep running.

These animals are a reminder of the value each life holds. The work being done by the volunteers at KAWS is an example to all of us, and proof that love and nurturing can rebuild even the most broken among us.