dog

On Friday 9 December, Cape Town resident and mountain runner, Hugh Hacking, took one of those calls that every dog owner dreads. He stepped out of a meeting to receive the news from his wife, Jess, that their 1 year old Ridgeback pup, Rusty, was missing in the Newlands Forest area. What transpired was an epic example of community support, canine loyalty and a story with all the potential to become a Hallmark movie.

Trails are to be shared, and trail runners should welcome the presence of the full trail community in all our wild and wonderful spaces, unless permits suggest otherwise. But, with shared space comes shared responsibility. A few weeks ago, local road and trail running champ, Siviwe Nkombi, was attacked during the first few kilometres of a race, on a beach where dogs are permitted to run without a leash. This incident has sparked some debate in the trail community, calling on dog owners to be more responsible.