I had some bad news this week, yet another French galgo rescue association has been formed! Do you know how many French galgo rescue associations there are – at the last count today 22…22! And they very rarely work together. How efficient is that?! Ok, so I’m commenting as a Brit living in France, but at least the British greyhound rescue associations and actions groups co-ordinate and work together.
I’ve researched how many galgo rescue associations there are in Europe to date:
Holland 2
Belgium 5
Italy 1
Germany 1
Switzerland 2
France 22 need I say more?
2
USA – 2, but to be fair, they also have greyhound rescue associations, and I know for a fact that they all work together on many campaigns.
I’m not including the UK because the associations there are mainly for greyhounds, victims of the racing industry.
No doubt I’m going to upset a few people now, but I just feel so angry and frustrated at what I consider a waste of effort.
My research has shown that France has associations dotted around the country. Ok, you may say that is a good thing, they’re not all concentrated in one area. But these are separate associations, with separate committees, separate volunteers, separate rescues, separate fundraising – such fundraising as they do, which doesn’t appear to be much. Fundraising in France mainly consists of lotos (bingo) and I haven’t come across one of those being held to raise funds for a French galgo rescue association. Tell me if you know different.
To my organised mind, it would be far more efficient to have, say, 4 associations maximum, with regional branches. They would have far more clout in publicising the plight of the galgos, and keeping track of what happens to the galgos who are adopted in France.
Instead of which, there are all these committees all struggling to find volunteers to cover all the work involved in running an association, organising rescues, fostering, rehoming, never mind the expenses of petrol and motorway tolls every time there is a rescue, and there can be 2 or 3 each month!
And more news relating to the above. The latest new galgo rescue association has its first member, who are they? They are people who have adopted 2 galgos in the last 9 months through a different association. To me that is betrayal, trahison in French.
And the third bad news this week on this subject is yet another volunteer, who has adopted 3 dogs all from one French galgo rescue association, who is now no longer going to help them……………………..because they feel ‘slighted’!
I fail to see how it can be the best way to help the galgos and podencos.
You will find a far from complete list of French galgo rescue associations here.
Comments
4 responses to “22 separate galgo rescue associations in France – ridiculous!”
I agree with you. It makes no sense to have so many associations when the resources are limited. It would be much more efficient to have a few associations that work in different areas. That would be a better way to support galgos and podencos.
I bet most of these associations don’t do much for the dogs and are mostly groups of well-intentioned people that do nothing. Sad situation.
TypePadBonjour
Thank you for your comment. I’ve had some private email responses to my ‘rant’ too, from presidents of rescue associations, and they agree with what I have said too. Why cannot the little associations see the truth in what we say – much more efficient and much more impact if they were fewer and worked together more.
In fairness to the people I know in the French associations, they do work very hard, are very very committed and spend copious amounts of their own time and money in organising rescues of galgos and podencos from Spain to rehome them in France – but it makes me wonder how many more of these beautiful dogs will find homes in France – the country already has a serious problem with it’s own dogs being abandoned every summer when their owners go on holiday. The refuges here are overflowing – but at least most of the dogs do not have the horrendous maltreatment inflicted upon them which the sadistic galguerros inflict upon their innocent dogs.
Keep reading, and spread the word.
I have the great pleasure to confirm to you what i said to you the last time.
I took the initiative to invite 5 French associations to meet around a table to try to launch a federation of rescue associations of Spanish Greyhounds; we are going to meet us at the beginning of March in Bordeaux. My main slogan is to UNITE TO ACT and I clearly intend to make everything so that the other associations join us.
Warm regards,
Néo
TypePadHi
Thank you for reading Galgo News and for your excellent support for me in what I said about too many little associations who would have so MUCH MORE impact if they joined together sometimes to co-ordinate their attacks on Spain to try and get them to accept responsibility for the galgo problem and rectify it.
I really hope your initiative bears fruit and I look forward to being kept in touch with how you progress, and supporting you. Please make sure you keep me up to date with everything, and if I can help you in any way, naturally I will be happy to do so. Let’s hope your initiative is successful and you can get even more of the associations into your federation and working together
Bonne Chance.
B