Dogs always come first for Marlene Neumann

“What is God spelt backwards?”

This is the question arts photographer Marlene Neumann, 57, asks when educating pet owners through her Buckaroo Project.

“Animals are sentient beings. People need to become conscious of helping animals as a priority.

“When speaking to pet owners I ask them, do you believe in God? What is God spelt backwards? Dog. If God made everything then we must take care of dogs.”

The Buckaroo Project was established in 2015 with surplus funds from her volunteer work at the East London SPCA.

“This is my passion. I took a year off work and managed to raise R1.2m for a complete revamp of the SPCA in 18 months.

“I couldn’t just let the leftover money go into a black hole, so I started sterilising dogs.”

Since its inception, the Buckaroo Project, which operates out of her home and studio in Vincent, has sterilised more than 1,800 dogs from across the east coast in Jongilanga, Kwelerha, Glen Eden and Mdantsane, Newlands, Ducats, Chintsa East, Brakfontein and Collondale.

“Each dog goes home with a kennel, dog food, a food bowl and a blanket, and has been fully vaccinated and dewormed.

“We have education packs to help teach owners about proper care.”

Buckaroos employs five staff members, or “Buckaroo champions” who assist with the weekly sterilisation programme.

“We sterilise 60 dogs a month, three times a week.

“Each dog is tattooed with a number in the ear when under aesthetic, and GPS’ED, so we know where they live.

“We dip about 300 dogs every week for ticks and fleas.”

Funds for the operation are from direct donations or through a partnership with the Dog’s Trust in England, but food supplies are still a challenge.

“We are desperate for dog food. We have a new area, Kwelerha, with 450 dogs who need to be sterilised.

“We take a holistic approach. “Many dogs are malnourished, or have biliary or broken bones.

“We have to treat them first and make sure they are at a certain weight before they can be sterilised.”

Neumann said the work took an emotional toll.

“This is emotionally taxing. Sometimes you feel incredibly helpless.

“If you see one dog on the side of the street your heart is wrenched from your chest. Imagine seeing 60 a month.”

But still, she said this was her passion and spiritual path.

“People ask me how I do it? My goal is always to rise above the negativity, and to see how we can do more; to ask ourselves: what can I do to fix it?”

The Buckaroo Project was a 2021 Local Hero nominee, but Neumann said she always appreciated the awareness of her dedication to the welfare of township dogs.

“It feels good to have the dog project recognised. It shows that dogs still matter.

“Dogs are such wonderful creatures, they love unconditionally, and they forgive you. The dogs always come first.”

Donations of tinned dog food or pellets can be dropped off at 8 Kent Road, Vincent, or contact Marlene Neumann at 083-3213391.