A heartwarming story of a dog reuniting with its owner in Malawi has once again given hope to the St Francis Animal Rescue team. The organization continues to assist animals left without owners after their families were forced to leave East Cape due to alleged xenophobic violence.
The rescue organization recently confirmed that a dog named Rex was successfully reunited with its owner. This pair was separated when the owner, a foreign national, was forced to leave South Africa in search of safety. Rex remained under care until they could meet again.
The organization is currently focusing its efforts on another touching story—helping an African dog named Firmen return to his owner, Stephen Black Lion Singini, in Malawi. Susan Ray Fox, founder and chairperson of St Francis Animal Rescue, shared that the organization first met Singini six years ago. At that time, he brought Firmen, who was a puppy, to one of the organization's clinics for vaccination, deworming, and flea and tick treatment.
Singini worked in South Africa to support his wife and three children in Malawi. Since there were no close relatives nearby, Firmen became his loyal companion. For years, the rescue organization cared for Firmen, providing him with vaccinations, a collar, a leash, and blankets. Volunteers often saw the pair together, with Firmen riding alongside Singini in his pickup truck.
The situation changed when alleged xenophobic threats in the Si Vista area forced many residents of Malawi and Zimbabwe to leave the locality. Fox reported that Singini sent the organization a heartfelt message, stating that he would rather die than leave Firmen behind. Knowing the strong bond between them, the rescue organization committed to finding a way to reunite the pair.
Fox emphasized: 'While we are concerned about the injustice and cruelty of these attacks on innocent people, our main focus is on the dogs and cats belonging to people forced to flee from Si Vista.'
To facilitate the reunion, St Francis Animal Rescue partnered with the pet transport company Move A Pet, based in Gqeberha, to fly Firmen to Lilongwe. Additional support was provided by the Lilongwe Society for the Prevention and Care of Animals (LSPCA), which assists with arrival arrangements, import procedures, and logistics for the final ten-hour journey to Karonga, where Singini's family lives.
Firmen has already received all necessary vaccinations, has been microchipped, and has undergone a full veterinary health assessment. He is currently undergoing a mandatory 30-day quarantine before travel while the import permit is processed and a special transport crate is prepared.
Fox thanked supporters from across South Africa, whose donations are intended to cover the costs of Firmen's flight, import permit, transportation, and Singini's subsequent trip home. She added that any remaining funds after Firmen's reunion will be directed to helping other animals left by families who were forced to flee in a hurry.
If everything goes according to plan, Firmen's journey to Malawi will be another story of hope, demonstrating how compassion and community support can help reunite families, both human and animal, even across international borders.
