Carlota – a very vocal campaigner in Spain

Whilst researching the Internet for information about galgos in Spain, I came across the website of this amazing lady. She’s British, married to a Spaniard, with 3 children and adopted animals, all living in a bi-lingual home.

Here’s her story, in her words.

Well what can I say, my name is Charlotte, I write and publish as Carlota, I’m 34 married to Dioni a Spanish man, and I have 3 children, Sofia 5 Sebastian 12 and Neizan 2. We live in a bilingual home, and we have 2 dogs, one a galgo adolescant, one an 8 year old little dog, and 2 cats a bengal and a burmilla. All adopted.

I have always been animal orientated and as a child very aware of the dangers animals faced at the hands of man. At 11 I can remember my Dad always telling me “Charlotte, anything important should be written on paper!” So, thats where I began.

I would think nothing about writing to the Pope, Greenpeace, Governments..several times at that young age sending letters to Spain re.the bull “killings” as I call them, (there is no fight,) the fiestas they have here at the expense of a poor animal, always looking for help for the needy animals. feeling their pain, and fighting their cause from an early age.

We moved to Spain some 8 years ago and when we came down to Malaga from Ciudad Real, I heard briefly in passing about the Galgo plight. I at that time I had no idea and thought I was being told of a “one off case” – thinking it so cruel, that it could not be common practice as it would not be allowed. Time moved on, and the fate was placed in front of me once again, reminding me to take up the plight of the galgo, because it was just that, and it was to my rude awakening a “common practice, which is allowed!”

I believe the galgos found me, I was meant to work their plight, and had I missed my calling it would only have come back round yet again. One day in Spring, I was playing on the computer looking at breeds of dogs, always hankering after a Great Dane. Having lost our old English 5 years ago, I was just driven to look, even though we felt we still could not offer a dog a home.

The ASANDA.org form came on my screen and I had no idea what it was. I read a bit and wondered where it came from, knowing I had not typed in the web page. Odd I thought, then I caught a glimpse of the hare photo on the corner, curiosity got me and I had to click it, up came the plight of the galgos and I was hooked. I clicked the web pages, one of those being Cristinas Galgos sin Fronteras in Madrid. I was sickened and knew that day when someone told me about this, it was not just the one, it was thousands and thousands. I decided to write about it .. thinking if I didn’t know then others must not, boy was I wrong!!

From that day I kept up with the associations adoptions, but not quite ready to adopt, then I just couldn’t choose, there were so many in need. After 3 months on, Ambo Ambasadog (my galgo baby) came to me.. from DDEVIDA assoc. He was born at that same time, destiny if ever it was written. He was born to be with me, and here he is as I write, this on the sofa .. asleep. Where every galgo should be.

Writing has always come naturally to me, and I decided to begin my own research and reach out to the associations .. see what I could do. I had breaks with the newspapers in Spain, locally and Alicante, they now publish my letters on a regular basis. Thanks to INLAND TRADER I was able to reach many more people. In came the emails and offers of help. Adoptions, donations, signing of petitions etc. I was driven, I could not stop.

Now I have contacts with many people in Spain related to the abandonment of galgos and the sad torture they endure. I decided then to do something positive, so I arranged a “fiesta de galgos” in November with Ivan at the Donkey refuge In Fuente de Piedra. There must have been about 50 people there, the press came, people with dogs, galgos, other breeds, and people without dogs. The Assoc. DDEVIDA from Sevilla came and had a stand, and also Fermin from Scooby. People as far a field as Alicate came, in support of having read my letters and support the galgos. We walked the farm, had lunch in the town with the galgos and donkeys had an agility and was a great day held by all. (photos on my web & press coverage)

I work closely with PETA and helped them put the alert together.. and now my next project is to try to organise a protest – again I would like it to be a little different, bigger, however this takes a big team of people to help organise this… I am trying reach out to others to hopefully achieve this.

I feel the associations work tirelessly 365 days a year with no fame for what they do, my aim is to try to help them with adoptions, financial help, let them know we are here to help them, we share their desire to help the galgos of Spain and will continue to do so. It is my aim to help them, driven forward towards getting a law passed to allow the galgos to lead a better life as “household pets!”

I seek publications wherever possible, and when I see a galgo on the front of a dog food package, I will know then the galgo is rising up and being accepted as a family pet, like the Labrador you see now on their packaging. I talk to as many people as possible about the galgos, if nothing else passing the word on. I look for TV coverage, more and more publications about the galgos in Spain.

My aim – my goal – well one day I would like my own kennels, something a little different, somewhere I would think home from home, and alongside I would like my own galgo sanctuary. Above all else, I hope to see an end to the hunting with galgos and the plight of the galgo. Above all else, I wish to see galgos walking the streets with their owners, proud and loved!

So a converted young mother of 3, who was raised a farm girl, loved horses all my life and became a riding instructor. Competed, worked with great people, schooled many a horse and groomed for a member of the junior British team. Loved my horses with a passion, and they have been all I’ve known all my life.

Until now. From the equine world I have been converted into a galgo friend, driven by the desire to help them, protect them, help the associations in any way I can, working with truly caring and wonderful people, and find a way to offer the galgos a better life. In this world this is how I now spend my days… and one day we will achieve this goal, all of us together.

“Man’s best friend, being let down by man! May you my galgo friends rise back up in society and become the household pet, you so deserve to be!”

In dedication to all the galgo rescuers, associations, to all who work tirelessly for the galgos of Spain, and above all the galgos themselves.

Carlota and Ambo Ambasadog

Website: 112carlotagalgos.blogspot.com