Maria Daines, the singer/songwriter who performs concerts to raise funds for animal charities, told me her Mum is knitting socks for galgos! So I asked her for the story. Here’s what Maria wrote.
‘An artist from UK has found a novel way to help Galgos keep warm this winter. Mary Coe from Cambridgeshire sent some knitted socks to her friend Jeanet in The Netherlands thinking Jeanet could wear them in the snow.
Jeanet who assists rescue groups to save and rehome Galgos from many parts of Europe, wrote back to say the Galgos were very warm and cosy in the socks and also sent photographs.
Mary was amazed and glad to know the socks were so useful. Jeanet explained that the Galgo wearing Mary’s socks had been trying to remove bandages on her feet after an operation and the socks not only kept the dog’s feet warm but also prevented the her from removing the bandages.
Since then Mary’s daughter Maria Daines has visited SOS Galgos in Barcelona and whilst there she tried the socks on Anna’s dogs, William and Lisa, to check the size was correct for general use.
They socks did indeed fit very well and you can see William and Lisa proudly modelling their warm woolly footwear in these pictures! Anna at SOS Galgos has recently used two pairs of the socks on one Galgo who was adopted to a new home in Finland.
Here is the knitting pattern from Mary for those who want to try knitting some socks for Galgos and Greyhounds who need that little bit of extra warmth on their feet this winter.
Knitting Pattern for socks for Galgos
Any double knit wool will do. Needles size 4 and a 1/2 mm is best. Cast on 50 stitches and knit to approximately 5 inches, then cast off.
Fold over and stitch round the edge leaving one end open. Turn sock inside out and thread thin elastic 1/2 inch from top edge.
Mary is also busily painting pictures of Galgos, Greyhounds and other dogs to help rescue groups to raise funds.
Recently one of her paintings sold for $250 to aid an American rescue group and Ulrike from Far From Fear in Germany wrote to Mary to tell her that her art had raised 200 Euros to pay for an operation for a Galgo named Luz.
Mary says she will continue to do all she can to help and you can view her work on her myspace here http://www.myspace.com/marysartforanimals