Arboretum Veterinary Clinic

02/06/2026

In 2023, we lost Naledi and her unborn baby to the illegal wildlife trade. Today, justice was finally served.

In June 2023, a sub-adult female Temminck’s pangolin named Naledi was admitted to Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital after being confiscated during a SAPS operation linked to the illegal wildlife trade. She arrived in one of the worst conditions we have ever seen in a pangolin.

Naledi was severely dehydrated, starving, emaciated, and already in kidney failure. Her body condition score was 1/5. During her examination we discovered something even more devastating - Naledi was pregnant.

Her unborn baby was already compromised from prolonged starvation and stress.

Despite intensive treatment, fluid therapy, monitoring, and around-the-clock care, Naledi succumbed to her condition just 5 days later. We did not only lose Naledi. We lost her unborn baby too. An entire future generation, gone forever because of greed and the illegal wildlife trade.

But today, there was justice.

Today, in the North West Molopo Regional Court, Naledi’s poacher was sentenced to 8 years direct imprisonment in what is being described as a precedent-setting case for the North West Province. In addition, his vehicle - valued at approximately R800 000 - was forfeited to the State.

This sentence sends a powerful message:
Wildlife crime is not a harmless offence. It causes immense suffering, destruction, and loss.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the North West Province Nature Conservation officials for their dedication to this case, and a very special thank you to State Advocate Bennie Kalakgosi for his tireless efforts - not only in Naledi’s case, but in the many wildlife crime cases he oversees. These convictions do not happen without passionate people fighting behind the scenes for animals that cannot speak for themselves.

Cases like Naledi’s are emotionally devastating for our team, but today reminds us why this work matters. Every rescue, every affidavit, every court appearance, every late night fighting for these animals matters.

If you would like to support our work treating, rehabilitating, and fighting for South Africa’s wildlife victims, please consider donating to Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital.
https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html

These animals need a voice.
And they need people willing to stand beside them.



Thank you Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital for sharing this good news with us!
We salute you!

31/05/2026

We don’t always have bad endings. In the last weeks, Wayne rushed into the driveway that I thought he would be taking some palisades out. On his shoulder a 6 months old vervet boy-tjie. Wayne called him Jonah. What made this rescue so amazing that Jonah was knocked by a truck close to Tangawizi motors on the John Ross and Wayne brought the entire traffic to a standstill just to pick up this baby off the tarmac. On arrival he had a huge shiner on the eye which closed as the minutes passed. Totally disoriented. Running in cirlces. At that stage I was not 100% who was more of a patient, Wayne or Jonah.

X rays were taken and no noticeable injuries. So he was kept confined. Treated. Got TLC and lots of time

Yesterday was the big day when his Guardian Angel released him back in the bush next to the John Ross where he was knocked. Yes sadly - it can happen again that he can be knocked. But this is the route his troop has been running for decades and decades - long before tarr, roads and cars, and for him to be reunited with his troop, we had to put him there were he was found.

The feeling of releasing an animal back to the wild is priceless and no money in the world can pay for that heartwarming feeling. Of course it is “stank vir dank” as they never thank you for it either, but we know it and deep in the heart we can say: “well done”

Thank you Wayne ❤️ for doing this courageous job by bringing traffic to a standstill on the John Ross - just to safe one life! Yes! We can all do it. No time is more important than to safe a life. As phoning and sending a message “monkey run over at 📍 this location” does not help! By the time someone gets there to help, monkey is either flat or has disappeared in the bush! ‼️We can all stop‼️We can all be 5 minutes late for work! We can all do it! We all have traffic! And we can all be the Guardian Angel!

We gave Wayne and his brother Wesley the honour to release Jonah again and the joy was contagious.

Thank you!

(Video is unedited).

31/05/2026

Words fail me.
Richards Bay
Maroelamoot – today, 28 May 2026 at 15:30.
To the coward who shot this male vervet monkey today:
You did not just “shoot a monkey.” You tortured a living being to death.
Your bullet perforated his windpipe, causing air to fill his chest cavity until his lung collapsed. He died slowly, gasping, suffocating, fighting desperately for every breath while his body shut down in agony. Imagine the terror and pain of not being able to breathe, of choking to death while fully conscious.
And as if that was not enough cruelty for one day, you also shot him in the legs, leaving him unable to escape. Terrified, injured and dying, he dragged himself across a woman’s carport searching for safety while you stood there with your rifle.
The homeowner was left traumatised by the horrifying sight. She thought there was an intruder on her roof, only to discover this broken, suffering monkey boy crawling for his life.
You live either next door or across from this property. And hear this clearly: I will not rest until you are exposed and held accountable. A R10 000 reward still stands for information leading to the identification of this monster. And this is clearly not your first victim — we have collected several shot monkeys from your street before.
Your neighbours are watching now.�People are talking.�And sooner or later, someone will speak.
You are not a hunter.�You are not brave.�You are a disgrace to humanity and a danger to every living creature around you.
The day will come when you answer for every single act of cruelty.

31/05/2026

5 signs in our pets we often underestimate, but shouldn’t!

Sometimes we notice something different in our pets and think, “It’s probably nothing.” Or maybe we’ve been seeing it for a while and started to think it’s normal.

But in many cases, these small signs can be warning signals that something isn’t quite right. If we ignore them for too long, our best friend’s health could be affected. That’s why we always recommend booking an appointment with your trusted vet clinic if you notice any change in your pet.

Here are 5 signs you should pay more attention to:

🔴 Bad breath
It’s not normal. It may point to periodontal disease, or even digestive or kidney-related issues.
🔴 Scratching or licking more than usual
This could be linked to allergies, parasites, or even emotional stress.
🔴 Drinking more water than normal
Increased water intake can be a sign of kidney disease, diabetes, and more.
🔴 Changes in weight
Whether they lose or gain weight without any change in diet, it’s worth checking.
🔴 Diarrhoea
If their stools don’t look or feel normal and it keeps happening, don’t ignore it.

Remember: once-off symptoms may not be serious, but if they persist or keep coming back, it’s time to check with your vet.

Thank you Virbac for this article

31/05/2026

21/05/2026

Nobody can dispute that we are truly going the extra mile for every tiny life we save! 🐹❤️

Little friend Mr De Beer had a bit of a disagreement with his fellow hamster companion and ended up with a nasty bite wound on his little tummy. To stop him from nibbling and fiddling with the injury, we made him his very own miniature Elizabethan collar! 🥹

How long this tiny cone of shame will stay on is another story altogether… but we have to try absolutely everything to help our precious little patient heal safely.

I honestly think this effort deserves at least 5 extra miles! 😅

A huge thank you to our amazing Cindy for creating this adorable miniature cone specially for Mr De Beer. Tiny patient… giant love. ❤️🐹