Mary, a young podenca rescued in Alhaurin, Spain, desperately needing help

A picture of sheer unadulterated terror in the eyes of this little dog! Charl del Rio found her at a petrol station, lost, terrified, hungry. She managed to catch her, called her Mary as she is like a little lamb, and now tells the story.

‘I went to visit the galgo Charlie after his castration, and on the way home I stopped at the petrol station in Alhaurin, where I found this little lost soul, a baby podenco which looks like a little fox, COVERED in pinchy thorns… it was late, I got to the petrol station and thought ill put petrol in the car. I stopped walking and she came up behind me. At a distance I thought she was older than she was, but I then could see she was just a baby.

I asked the petrol man if she was anyone’s, he said ‘no she had been there behind whoever was about, following them trying to gain attention. I went in and got some nice crisps, the first thing I found before she disappeared, and started to throw them gently. The petrol station man asked me what I was doing? I told him ‘has it not occurred to you to try to catch her’, and he said their boss would go mad, but no-one could get near her. Anyway she wasn’t interested in crisps.

It was getting dark and I didnt want to lose sight of her so I ran back in and bought mortadela cheese,… with a strong smell. .. I could see the 2 guys kinda laughing and wondered ‘are they laughing at me’???? Anyway, I went outside again and it appeared the guy wanted to tell everyone, so everyone started to whistle and try to catch her, but nothing. She just kept wandering.

I followed her and threw her a piece of cheese and she took it, and then a lady came over and said ‘I have 7 dogs and cats and the neighbours hate me, and want to call the police’. I said ‘no worry, Ill take her’. Anyway, the little dog kinda gave up, put her tiny little self into a corner and I caught her. She came home, she was so sleepy. I picked off the pinchy things round her tummy one by one, and there are what feels like hundreds all matted up.I left her to sleep in the utility room with food and water. Bless her, she already knows submission and cowering.

Today I have bathed her, wormed her etc now I am taking her to the vet to see if she has a microchip, probably not. Then she will need vaccinations, blood tests and sterilization. I can’t keep her at home, so she will have to go into the kennels with Dana, a very very thin galga I rescued in Malaga earlier in the year’

112 Carlota Galgos association urgently needs funds to pay for the kennel costs of 6 euros per dog per day (they will negotiate a cheaper rate in the autumn after the summer holidays when they are very busy!) and pay the vet fees.

Donate by Paypal to comdelrio@hotmail.com reference Mary