Hope’s journey to healing gets a helping hand from Hot Cares and Silverstar

When rescuers first found Hope lying on the side of the road in Randfontein, they believed he had already passed away.

But when they picked him up, they realised the small dog was still holding onto life.

Hope was rushed to a vet with horrific wounds and a long road to recovery ahead of him. Despite everything he had endured, his will to live never faded. After a week of intensive care, he needed a safe place to continue healing — and that’s when Penny Rielly stepped forward.

Penny’s compassion for animals didn’t begin with Hope. Growing up, her family home was already a place where animals in need were given a second chance. Her father, a pilot based at Lanseria, once made the extraordinary decision to rescue a lion that could not walk on its back legs.

The experience led the family to start a rescue initiative on a farm in the Cradle of Humankind area, where they cared for lions and other animals that needed protection.

Penny’s father once cared for a lion that could not walk on its back legs – inspiring her to help animals.

That upbringing shaped Penny’s outlook on life. She says her father taught them that animals — no matter how big or small — cannot speak for themselves, and that it is our responsibility to show them kindness, patience, and love.

Penny, who lives in Sundowner and supports the rescue organisation that found Hope, offered to foster him while he recovered. What started as a temporary act of kindness quickly turned into something much deeper.

Hope required ongoing treatment, including surgery to clean and treat his wounds, regular dressing changes, and constant monitoring. The medical care has been intensive, but Penny has made sure he receives the love, comfort, and stability he needs while healing.

The bond between them has become extraordinary. Penny says Hope rarely leaves her side — even waiting patiently on the bathroom mat while she showers.

It’s the kind of connection that rescue volunteers know well: what begins as fostering sometimes becomes what people affectionately call a “foster fail.” In reality, it’s simply love finding its place.

Hope’s surgery has been successful and he is now recovering at home, but the veterinary bills and ongoing care costs remain significant.

That’s where Hot Cares and Silverstar stepped in.

Listen how it played out on HOT 1027 Breakfast below:

Through the Silverstar Pay It Forward initiative, Silverstar has committed up to R25 000 to cover Hope’s veterinary bills, his upcoming neutering, and the medication and nutritional support he will need during recovery.

For a dog who was once left for dead, Hope’s future is now filled with something very different — safety, compassion, and the promise of a happy life.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what a second chance looks like.

Back