Ryan "Choppy" Pike, a 29-year-old model from Hout Bay, Cape Town, is on a mission to make a difference in the lives of animals in need. 

Through the launch of crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, Ryan hopes to benefit the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha, an animal advocacy organisation that he has recently connected with.

The challenge

On 16 February 2023, Choppy, who is an animal lover at heart, will be pushing his limits to the extreme by running the Tankwa Crossing, a 207 km Ultra Marathon from Calvinia to Ceres, to raise funds for the Mdzananda Animal Clinic.

The race, which takes place during one of the hottest months of the year with temperatures reaching a scorching 50 degrees Celsius, is a gruelling single stage race with a cut off time of 50 hours. Choppy will have to face the harsh conditions, pushing his body to the limit, all for the love and care of animals in need.

"I grew up with many different cats and dogs around in the house and they’ve always been a huge part of my life. I feel like animals are capable of turning a house into a home, they’re furry best friends who are always excited to see you," says Choppy. "That's why I can't stand the thought of animals suffering and not receiving the care they need. That's why I am doing this, for them. For the animals that can't speak for themselves, I want to be their voice." - says Ryan

The campaign, which has already raised over R45,000 towards his fundraising target of R100,000, will benefit the Mdzananda Animal Clinic, which is currently running over the carrying capacity of their facilities. 

Funds raised will contribute towards a new inverter to protect the organisation’s digital x-ray machine from potential damage due to load shedding and power cuts South Africa is currently facing.

"I’m sure every South African can relate to the frustrations of having to deal with load shedding, which is bad enough. However, fear of losing a pivotal piece of equipment used to help the animals in your care tends to elevate the stress levels by a couple of notches. Hence the push to raise funds and  buy the clinic some insurance in the form of a new inverter” - says Ryan

Choppy has been blown away by the tremendous amount of support he’s received since the launch of his campaign.  

"Thank you so much to all those who have shown support through messages, follows or opening their wallets for the cause. It’s crazy how motivating it is for me to see a community starting to build and people so ready to help where help is needed. Together we can make a real difference in the lives of these animals." - says Ryan

Choppy's selfless efforts in running this gruelling race in the scorching heat to raise funds for the animals in need, are truly admirable. He is truly going above and beyond to make a difference, and his passion and dedication are truly inspiring. 

Support this campaign via BackaBuddy: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/mdzanada-animal-clinic-5439671472612968790

Alternatively, donate via Snapscan: https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/Mdzananda_Animal_Clinic

Follow Choppy’s Instagram for updates: https://www.instagram.com/distance4dogs/