It always distresses me to read about galgos sent to other countries for homing, who then escape and are lost! At any one time, there are several lost in France alone. And in the last 2 weeks there has been one lost in the US and one in Canada. Luckily both were eventually caught a few days later, without injury, but the stories could have been very different.
Over the years none of my own galgos have escaped, none of my foster galgos or podencos, none of the galgos and podencos who have stayed here overnight.
So why do others go missing? My own feelings are that it is due to several reasons.
In France there are too many galgos brought out that it is now getting difficult to find homes – so maybe some associations don’t take enough care with homechecks.
Another reason could be that anyone can start a galgo/podenco homing association. They don’t even have to prove they have experience of the breed! Galgos and podencos need a totally enclosed garden/courtyard with a wall/fence/hedge at least 2m high – they are escape artists and can jump.
Both associations referred to in my first paragraph are ‘young’ associations. So far as the US is concerned, they have an enormous greyhound racing industry. These dogs are kept confined in kennels, training yards and greyhound tracks. Quite different from the lifestyle of their Spanish ‘cousins’ who are generally kept in very poor conditions and abandoned when no longer required. They become very streetwise, learning to keep away from humans who often abuse them.
So is this difference something which is discussed in depth with potential fosterers and adoptants? It certainly should be.
I keep my outside doors locked – the front door opens onto a lane into the village, the patio doors open onto the open front garden and our meadows. It would be quite easy for my galgos to jump up at a door, catch the handle and open the door to escape.
Are potential fosterers and adoptants told to keep their outside doors/gates locked? It certainly should be emphasised.
And what about walking a galgo or podenco off leash? There’s a chapter on that subject in my Podenco book. For myself, as we are surrounded by meadows full of wildlife, our galgos and podencos are NEVER walked off leash. They are a pack of 5 hunting dogs and would behave as such. There are many galgos and podencos who are ‘failed’ hunters but even so, if they have been traumatised through maltreatment, they can react to a sudden loud noise and run off.
Is this explained to potential fosterers and adoptants? It certainly should be.
Educating the ‘young’ galgo and podenco rehoming associations on the above, to ensure they also educate potential fosterers and adoptants before they get a galgo or podenco, is vitally important.
My belief is that the above is not given enough attention, and this is why there are these stories about galgos escaping.
Comments
7 responses to “Lost galgos – educate the rehomers and adoptants”
I know that Odile Brochot from Lévriers sans frontières tries to hammer that point home several times a year in her blog. That association tries really hard to prevent galgos running off. But some adoptants are hullheaded and figure that they know dogs better than anyone and they think they know their galgo well and that he “will never escape”… LSF sells a really good harness with 3 points (see their Website’s store at http://www.levriers-sans-frontieres.com/pages/la-boutique/harnais-haute-securite.html). People can be very stubborn. In most cases, it’s probably the adoptant’s fault and/or negligence.
well said and very important to follow instructions above for one and all
I think you can also blame incorrectly adjusted martingale collars. So many people just don’t have them tight enough. And if they have a spooky dog, they should acquire a spook harness as soon as possible (this is the one often recommended in North America http://majesticcollars.com/harness.htm ).
I have a galgo and from the start he been wearing it when going out simply because of been a keen hunter its a must with him I know accidents can happen it did to me some weeks back I decided to take my girls out the front way instead of back the way I normally go my galgo just had his walk by himself as always that’s a must he come out of no where down my ally after the cats had to quickly get my girls in and take chase down the ally he wasn’t there but over the other side of the wall on the bike track I could hear the rustling of the bushes bk down the ally I went 5 30 in the morn on to my street onto the lane and spotted him coming from the other side of road with cats running like hell in front of him on to the cycle track so I got close to him he moved I stood still and let him focus on the cats in bush then I made my move and caught him lead on home we went my first initial thought was I have lost him but I quickly thought and got my head in gear I will sy he moved so fast like lightning to move from one area to another in such a short time I know this got no bearing on the collars situation but just to let everyone know how close it come for me even though I was guiding the door as I was going out it proves one thing if they get the slightest chance they will take it and for the collars I swear by my greyhound ones I feel safe enough with them fitted correctly
We at Hound Sanctuary are adamant about all of this and much more with our fosters and adopters, and all of the many rules and expectations are part of our adoption contract. We have had a few potential adopters refuse to sign the contract, so we move on to those who are willing and able to be responsible for these babies. Other things we ask them to avoid are low windows, open windows, non-tempered glass, access to decks (which have low deck rails and thus pose significant dangers), door handles rather than round knobs, certain baby gates (which can be strangulation hazards), looped collars left on when not on walks (catch and strangle hazards), etc. etc. There are SO many necessary cautions.
I totally agree with the above you have wrote rain couldn’t of described the dangers better myself my husband said to me if rey had his martingale collar on he wouldn’t of escaped that morn but he was wrong rey moved like lightning and on the subject of these collars I too don’t allow them on at all now just been put away simple reason I was sick of rescuing them from catching their paws in them when they have an itch their paws was getting caught so I decided off and for other reasons mentioned the glass is good point aswell I know of one greyhound sadly died so a chase ran straight into door leading to garden cut real bad went through it had to be put to sleep poor soul owner devastated learnt lesson hard way what could happen to any of us but we need to learn by our own mistakes and others I have low windows in livibg room so I keep curtains closed cause of cats roaming in street my galgo goes insane my curtains are whit have to be to let some light in I have a safty gate only to close whaen feeding my dalmation can get dominant with food so he is separated when feeding I have always had the greyhound collar for rey knowing his hunting instinct befor adoption its a must and I will not let any one else walk him I walk him on his own simply because its the way it as to be for him
the grey I mentioned above going through glass door was not put to sleep she died on way to vet poor girl and she wasn’t even a chaser just goes to show anything can happen in an instant so so sad about this girl family was cut up about this