Local comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout has made a name for himself for not only captivating his audiences with his humour but also the hearts of dog lovers through his heartfelt posts about his beloved rescues on social media.
What’s the one thing you wish you knew before adopting a dog?
Not to overlook adult dogs. We wanted to adopt a puppy because we wanted to raise a dog from a puppy together as a couple. But, my second dog Finn, was already a year and a half when we got him. I noticed that when you get a little bit of an older dog, it brings just as much love and fulfilment as a puppy does. Next time I adopt, I would certainly be more keen on adopting a bit of an older dog. If you’re adopting from Dogtown, where I adopted my two dogs, you know that you are getting a dog that, to a certain degree, is already trained. It saves you a lot of effort.
You often add the adventures of your two dogs Otis and Finn into your comedy videos. Why do you think so many people relate to that content?
You are a big fan of what shelters like Dogtown are doing. Why do you think they play such a pivotal role in society?
I think the reason that places like Dogtown play such a pivotal role in society is that it would be chaos without them. There would just be dogs everywhere and so many amazing dogs would have just ended up dying. Both Otis and Finn were rescued because someone spotted them on the street and phoned Dogtown to rescue them. If Dogtown has fetched them even a day later, who knows what could have happened to them. Otis, for example, was a tiny puppy when Dogtown found him and his mother was nowhere to be seen. Who knows what his chances of survival would have been? Now, he’s in our house and our lives basically revolve around him. We would be so sad if his life was unnecessarily cut short. Shelters like Dogtown also play a pivotal role in preventing more street dogs. The organisation also conducts sterilisation campaigns where they sterilise hundreds of dogs – which I am also a very big supporter of.
Do you have any advice for those who are thinking about embarking on the adoption process?
One of the biggest assumptions around adoption, which I think is largely untrue, is ‘You just never know what you might get’. While this may be true when adopting a puppy who hasn’t grown into their personality yet, it is another reason I advocate for adopting older dogs. I want people to consider a adopting a dog from one or two years old as well – or even older! I also suggest that those who are considering adoption to visit shelters like Dogtown and spend an hour there. Tell them your situation and let them show you the dogs they are housing. Dogtown is really good at that. They understand that different people have different needs when it comes to adopting a dog and can advise on which dog would be suitable for your home and which wouldn’t be. So, take your time and check them out. If you are thinking of adopting, trust me – visit Dogtown because there will be a dog for you there.