Professional photography by Blue Lace Photography
Photo credit: Blyde Smit
Levinia’s rock opera began in October 2021…
Levinia chooses her band
Musician Illimar Neitz and his wife, Irma Smuts, were in the Karoo village of Nieu-Bethesda with fellow musician JC Myburgh for a gig at the local pub when, during a post-session celebration, a black-and-white dog popped her head in the door to check out the score. She was invited in and immediately felt at home amongst the song and dance and general merriment. It was clear that she was hungry, not just for food but for the limelight too, and decided that this group of fabulous people was just the audience she craved.
Illimar and Irma, long-time dog rescuers and all-round animal allies, decided then and there that they’d love to adopt her, if her owner could be found and be persuaded to let them give her the good life. Unfortunately, the owner couldn’t be located before they left for home, and the black-and-white dog had also disappeared. But they were determined.
They left the task of tracking down both her and her owner with local bookshop owner and team member of Camdeboo Sterilization Initiative (an organisation in Graaff-Reinet and Nieu-Bethesda that sterilises dogs and cats from poorer rural areas and local townships) Victoria Nance.
But the curious black-and-white dog remained elusive. Despite trawling the town with her photograph and engaging the locals in an intensive search, the friendly pooch was nowhere to be found.
Levinia lost
Fast forward to February, and Illimar, Irma and JC were back in town for another gig. They rented the same house, in the hopes that she’d drop in again for a jam and they could finally find her owner and take her home with them – but she didn’t rock up.
At this time, Victoria was signing up local farm workers’ dogs for a mass sterilisation campaign run by Ebervet Community Veterinary Care that was to be held in the village in March and, on a nearby farm, she came across a black-and-white dog at the staff houses…
The owner told her that the dog was a menace – breaking into the local farmhouse kitchen for food – and that, if Victoria didn’t take her away, he’d do away with her somehow. Sensing an opportunity, Victoria took photographs and sent them to the band, hoping that, because the original pooch had vanished into thin air, perhaps they’d consider a dog that looked very similar and who was in dire straits.
Levinia found
A few minutes after sending the photo to Irma, a message came back: “Dude! That’s our dog!”. The band hurtled to the farm to positively identify her as doubts had begun to creep in as she’d lost a lot of weight and had eight puppies attached to her now.
Sure enough, the black-and-white dog had been found. The reunion was ecstatic!
Levinia’s last hurdle is overcome
The journey was still not over, though, as her puppies were young and needed to be weaned and homed before she could start her happily-ever-after. They decided to call her after the name of their band, Levinia. And she was to become their beloved mascot.
Levinia was spayed, the puppies homed, and Illimar and Irma made yet another long journey to Nieu-Bethesda in May to fetch the dog that decided to join their band all those months ago.
Levinia rocks on
Levinia is now jamming in Pretoria, rocking out with the cool kids and her dog-sibling backline, Zero, Nyx, Echo and Asia. From a life without song, Levinia is now surrounded by glitter balls, blues riffs and, of course, a Whole Lotta Love. And new parents who never ever gave up on finding the most important member of their band.
From Levinia’s parents...
Levinia seamlessly slid into home life like a bolt of lightning, a barrel of laughs and a bundle of joy. Guess “exploded in” would be a better term! She unleashes her Border Collie side at least once a day: darting from corner to corner in the yard, clearing obstacles in magnificent leaps and bounds – all this to the consternation of Zero, her German Shepherd brother.
Levinia is an extremely loving and affectionate girl – she’s never met a human being here that she hasn’t immediately adored.
She’s really taken to the comforts of sleeping in a king-sized bed: she loves a good lie-in and snuggling the nearest warm body (we have no idea how she survived those Karoo winters outdoors). Breakfast and dinner are her favourite times of the day, with snack time coming in a close second. We may or may not have discovered her on the kitchen table once or twice – we’ll admit to nothing! And keep working on some etiquette… it’s been an absolute joy to welcome Levinia into our pack, and we’ll continue to spoil her rotten!
To donate to Camdeboo Sterilization Initiative (Nieu-Bethesda):
CSI Special Projects
Capitec Savings
Account 1611515724
