12/11/2024
The truth about Solo
For those who don't know me or Klein Sandfontein Boerboels and Kennels. No-one understands the bond of the love of an animal and its owner more than I do. For 32 years I have had the responsibility of looking after all kinds of animals, my own as well as 1000's of pets of my clients and friends.
Klein Sandfontein Boerboels and Kennels has an impeccable reputation both locally and abroad.
It is most disappointing and unfair of the owner of Solo to misrepresent the circumstances around Solo escaping and going missing and to defame me in the way she has. I do understand her loss however it is time for me to clarify the lies and slander that Ms Anette Cartwright has been posting all over social media about myself and my staff.
When Solo arrived at Klein Sandfontein with his other two mates a bitch and male German Shepard, it was never disclosed that there were major dominance issues with Solo and the other male. At no time did his owner disclose that on many occasions Solo was dominated by the other male.
Neither was a request made by the owner to separate them while at my kennels. There was ample room. It was never disclosed that the dogs had never been taken for walks or had any form of training whatsoever.
It was these circumstances that led to him going missing.
When the dogs were taken out by the handler, the dominant male attacked Solo and the collar slipped over his head, and Solo escaped and went missing.
According to Ms Cartwright and her posts, we took no responsibility or offered to help find him.
This couldn't be further from the truth. He was indeed spotted after a lengthy search. There was no way that he responded to his name, as he had no recall. After many hours a decision was taken to let him come back to his mates. The enclosure was kept open, and a dog will always return to join his pack.
He did not return and for days and coming weeks after that we organised search parties, drones were deployed, professional dog trackers, psychics, a microlite, radio, newspapers and the police were notified. My family and friends volunteered, we did a 20km radius walk speaking and notifying farmers, labourers and anyone living in the Overberg area.
It is devastating to lose an animal and sadly Solo was never found. It's a tragedy and although there were sightings, no one was ever able to catch him as he wouldn’t respond.
Ms Cartwright has spared no expense to find Solo… She hired the famous Mike Bolhuis to investigate me. We were now fully co-operating with her PI including interviews with witnesses and all the while we were still trying to find the whereabouts of Solo. He could find no fault with me, my facility nor my staff.
Her “friends” have accused me of being a “puppy mill”. I am a registered breeder with SABBS (South African Boerboel Breeders Society) and was awarded the Standard Bank Breeder of the Year award in 2020. The Canine unit from Grabouw have also been here to investigate and could also find no wrongdoing.
In 32 years of running a pet boarding facility, we have never had this happen.
I can't change the events, and I can't undo the damage that Ms Cartright has caused to my reputation and my business, however I cannot reiterate how important it is to be transparent about your dog's habits and problems.
Miracles do happen though and this time, my biggest wish and prayer is that Ms Cartwright and Solo be united again.
