A Cub is a friend to all animals too

My name is Sabastian and I love Cubs. I started Cubs as a Chum at 1st Muizenberg Sea Scouts in 2017 and am almost a Silver Wolf. I am working on my Outdoor Challenge Badge.

My brother, Ethan, is a Scout. I enjoy going to their fun days, like Kontiki, where I can watch him sail and take part in fun competitions.

My favourite game is to play Stalk the Lantern with the Scouts. The Scouts help us get to the lantern without getting spotted with a spot light.

I love earning interest badges. I have so much fun with my Mom

learning how to make new things. I now have 22 Interest Badges and have my Water Champ Badge. I have learnt to carry a first aid kit around with me. I made a promise the other day to use less plastic. Now when I go to the shops I say no to plastic bags.

Cubs has taught me the Cub promise, to always do my Best, so for Mandela Day I made pancakes for TEARS. My teacher at Kirstenhof Primary School, Mrs Coyne, is a volunteer at TEARS. They were having a Cake Sale. Mrs Coyne took us around and we played with the puppies.

I would like to help TEARS and to find homes for the dogs that are there. Any one can volunteer their time. Playing with the Ppuppies is so much fun.

I asked my Teacher to tell us all about TEARS, so if anyone wants to volunteer some of their time or adopt a dog they know where to go 😊

From Monday to Friday I am a Grade 2 teacher at Kirstenhof Primary. In my spare time, I am a volunteer at TEARS, an animal shelter in Sunnydale.

I am passionate about the work that they do and I hope to inspire my pupils to also be aware of the needs of dogs and cats, especially those in the underprivileged areas. The TEARS mantra is Rescue, Rehabilitate, Rehome and they go the extra mile to ensure that the dogs that they rescue are given every opportunity to put their best paw forward and become a wonderful pet to a loving family. Dogs are taught their manners, socialised with people and other dogs and given the necessary care, including physio and spa treatments, to ensure that they become the best dog that they can be.

I assist as much as possible with walking the dogs, working at adoption days and raising funds. In May I raised R9 500 for the Pay-for-a-Spay campaign which sterilises dogs and cats in lesser privileged areas. I did this by running the FNB Cape Town 12. The sponsorship I received ensured that 27 pets could be sterilised.

Mandela Day and weekend are very busy times. Many volunteers assist

by improving the facilities, planting gardens, painting, building new kennels and so much more. Treats were sold to raise funds and Sabastian Rouse came through for the afternoon, bringing a huge dish of pancakes that he had made to sell for funds. He got to tour the kennels and spend time socialising with the puppies. While this seems as if it was just fun, it is vital that the puppies interact with children in order to learn the appropriate behaviour.

In November I will be taking part in my third Sleepathon. This means that I will be sponsored to spend the night in a kennel with one of the shelter dogs. Last year I raised R25 000 and this year I am pairing up with my colleague Lauren Shaw and we are aiming to raise R40 000. This will be a huge challenge so we will be calling on everyone we know to help us. Our classes will be involved as much as possible, following our progress and encouraging people to support us. Nobody can nag and whine quite as well as a Grade 2 or 3 child and we plan to take advantage of this! You can help by following this link: https://www.givengain.com/activist/193289/projects/17729/

My aim is to make my pupils aware of the needs of animals and to show them that every little bit you do can make a difference. Sabastian’s pancakes raised enough money to feed a dog for five days. They need to see that no matter how small they are they have the power to make a difference. – Mrs Michelle Coyne

One of the best things about Jonty is his smile! This happy, friendly guy caught a lift to TEARS Animal Rescue after being found as a stray at a local train station - who knows where he was on his way to! His history is a bit of a mystery, so we have no idea how he ended up with three legs - personally, Jonty has no idea what all the fuss is about; who needs four legs anyway? He manages perfectly well the way he is. Life is one big adventure for Jonty, and he can’t wait to share it with someone special. He gets on well with other canines, but it’s two-legged companions that Jonty loves the most. If you’re looking for a loyal, loving soul mate, then look no further - Jonty is waiting for you!

Editor's (Mom's) note: The last year and a half have been an amazing experience as newbies

to Scouts. The amount of time volunteered by the Cub Leaders investing in our children, creating future leaders is priceless. Sabastian has grown even further into a selfless boy willing to help anyone in need. Whether its with a meal, helping with Animal Organisations, or Fundraising for Scouts. So thank you to each and every one of you, Lisa Storey, Angela Lee-Wright, Martin Odd and Alys Willson-Heaton.