Podenco Friends takes podencos but they will not turn their back if a situation arises for galgos from a local galguero. Here Bev Farmer comments on these 5 they took in.
‘The five galgos handed over from the galgueo have quickly adapted to a new routine and apart from Halcon who is still a little nervy they are all comfortable with people. Although they didn’t live a life of luxury from where they came from, credit due to their owner for handing over these dogs in reasonable condition, apart from Cameron who needed surgery to remove a couple of lumps. These 5 galgos are very fortunate they will never know the fear of been handed into a perrera or at risk on the road getting badly injured.
For these five lucky ones, there are thousands more whose fate will be very different. Daily reports coming from rescues of galgos found severely injured from road traffic accidents, just left to die or needing life saving surgery at significant cost, not to mention a long recovery period.
It’s a fact of life Podenco and Galgos are bred every year in their thousands and when no longer wanted if they don’t make the grade, they find themselves in a dangerous situation. The rescues who are under tremendous pressure have to find a way of picking up the pieces. It’s not the answer to the problem but would help if more of the hunters would agree to handing over their unwanted dogs, at least avoiding the dogs getting badly injured and so reducing the financial burden to rescues.
Sometimes you feel you are making progress but then the constant flow of reports of abandoned and injured Podencos and Galgos come through and the numbers are overwhelming. Here in Spain there are no national organisations that are funded in the millions like you will see in other countries, it really is a struggle for those who choose to help. Who knows what the future will be…. will stronger legislation ever come into affect to protect these dogs? But for now we celebrate that these five now have a future.’
Contact Bev at Podenco Friends if you wish to apply to adopt one