Shaygam Newman, an animal caretaker in Capetown, South Africa, devotes his life to helping animals; they are near and dear to his heart and are like family to him, since he didn’t have any real family growing up.

From a young age, Newman care for any animals he had met. He was even thrown out of his house because of the animals.

He started taking in dogs when he was just ten years old. Today, at 23 years old, he cares for 21 rescue animals, and also feeds strays.

But dogs aren’t the only ones who benefit from his rescue program. Newman invites young kids from the community to stay off the streets and instead help care for the dogs with him. Many of the kids take the dogs on long walks. By doing this, Newman’s goal is to keep the kids out of trouble.

Learn more about Newman’s rescue efforts in the video below: