Howard Warrington has completed his 198th swim from Robben Island to Blouberg, and it was a challenging one, even for this experienced endurance athlete.
“There is no such thing as an easy Robben Island to Blouberg crossing,” says Howard. “Even after doing it 197 times before, today’s swim was a slog from start to finish.”
Despite the physical and mental strain, Howard chooses to endure these gruelling conditions. He swims through cold waters, battling strong currents and wave after wave, knowing that his discomfort will end when he reaches the shore in 2-3 hours.
By contrast, Howard says “Sick and injured animals don’t choose their suffering and they have no way to make it stop”.
Sometimes, pet owners can’t either, no matter how much they want to.
When Boelie was brought to our Animal Hospital by Inspector Jeffrey Mfini, she needed urgent help for a badly injured paw and a very recently broken heart. She’d seen her owner through two heart surgeries and now it was her turn for tender loving care. Only Boelie’s owner was in the kind of position no pet-loving owner ever wants to be in. With her health failing and the realisation that she was struggling to provide Boelie with the care she deserved, she asked our Inspector to take her to hospital and then find her a new home, where Boelie would receive the love and attention she deserved. She couldn’t give us any money; and how could we ask her to? She’d already given up Boelie, and judging by her circumstances, she had nothing else to give. Boelie could be treated and although her paw now looks a little different, she’s ready to start her life anew.
This is why Howard’s swimming to raise funds for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s Animal Hospital. He’s providing life-saving medical care to animals in desperate need. He’s using his chosen endurance to end animal suffering.
