GIVING IS LIVING CAPE TOWN – helping South Africa’s Silent Sufferers

14th Jul, 2025

Written by Adele Torrington CA(SA) – (Manager & Treasurer)

In a poverty-stricken township of South Africa, a dog stands chained to a rusting pole. His name is Bruno. His fur is patchy from mange. His ribs press against his skin like sharp bones under a threadbare coat. There’s no food bowl. No water. No shelter from the blistering sun or the icy night.

He’s not aggressive, just defeated. Tethered by a heavy chain and a heavier silence, Bruno has learned to suffer quietly.

But today, someone kneels beside him. The chain is unclipped. A soft blanket is unrolled. A kennel is gently set down. His first safe place. A bowl of food appears. And for the first time in a long time, Bruno wags his tail.

This is the work of Giving is Living.

Every day, we step into communities where animals like Bruno are invisible, starving, chained, freezing, forgotten. We bring shelter. We bring food. We bring relief. But most of all, we bring dignity. Because every animal matters, and every act of compassion changes everything.

We see dogs like Bruno every day.

At Giving is Living, we don’t walk past. We kneel down. We unclip the chain. We offer shelter, food, love, kindness, hope… A second chance. Our mission is heartbreakingly simple: to be there for the animals that no one else sees.

The Invisible Crisis

Across South Africa’s impoverished townships, animals live lives of silent suffering; tethered, starving, unsterilised, exposed to brutal heat and biting cold. Puppies are born into hunger. Mothers are too weak to nurse. Dogs die from preventable diseases because their guardians, though they care deeply, lack the means.

These animals are not unloved. They’re under-resourced.

And the difference between suffering and survival is often just one act of compassion.

Giving is Living: Our Name Says It All

We started with a single kennel and a heart full of determination. Today, Giving is Living has:

Delivered 1600+ weatherproof kennels, giving dogs shelter and dignity
Unchained over 100 dogs, giving them the freedom they crave
Distributed over 1000kg of food monthly to hungry pets
Funded 1500+ sterilisations, breaking the cycle of neglect
Responded to numerous transport emergencies, to vet hospitals after hours
Raised R300,000+ for other animal organisations through fundraising

Why We’re Different

We don’t just rescue – we build. We partner with communities. We uplift other organisations. We treat every life with the respect it deserves. We help dogs, cats and horses. We provide transport and support.

When you support us, your impact multiplies.

Your donation doesn’t just change one dog’s story; it strengthens a movement. A network of kindness. A force of justice in forgotten corners of the world.

This Is Not Charity; It’s Justice

Animals feel pain. They feel joy. They feel abandonment, and they feel love.

At Giving is Living, we believe that if you know, you act. And now, you know.

You can help unchain a dog. Feed a starving puppy. Bring comfort to a dying animal. And most importantly, you can remind them that someone out there still sees them. Still cares.

We’ve reached the edge of what we can do alone. But together, we’re unstoppable.

The Difference Your Donation Makes

R300 buys a kennel and blanket to protect a dog like Bella from heat and cold
R600 funds a sterilisation, preventing a lifetime of suffering
R800 feeds a starving dog for an entire month
R1000 builds a fence to unchain a dog and keep them safe
R500 installs a “runner system” for dogs where fencing isn’t possible