Chained to starve to death – safe with Galgos Rescue Almeria

High up on a mountain, far away from everything and everyone, stood a ruin that could only be reached on foot. And there, from a distance, we caught a brief glimpse of him… a Galgo who had been abandoned and left to fend for himself.

How is this even possible? How can anyone abandon a living, feeling soul in such a place, under such appalling conditions? A dog who depends on humans, yet was condemned by those very same humans to a life on a chain.

He had something that resembled food, and there was a bowl of filthy water. But that was all. He was chained up with a chain barely one metre long. One metre of freedom. One metre in which to move, lie down and live… That was all he was allowed.  There was hardly any shelter. No safe place to retreat to, no real protection from the rain, no warm, dry spot to rest. Almost nothing.  As we approached, we saw a restless, distrustful dog. He barked to express his fear. And who could blame him? What is a dog supposed to make of a world where humans imprison him, take away his freedom and then simply abandon him?

His fear was not aggression. It was the only way he could still try to protect himself.

We did everything we could to free him from this horrific situation as calmly and safely as possible. To protect both him and ourselves during the rescue, he wore a special muzzle designed specifically for Galgos.

Getting him down the mountain was a real challenge. Stones and rocks everywhere, a difficult and uneven path, and a Galgo who had no idea whether he could trust us. Step by step, we guided him down, away from the place where he had been held captive for so long.

When we reached our van, we discovered that he was covered in fleas and ticks. Before he even climbed aboard, we gave him an initial treatment with a spray.

Then we noticed something else that left us with so many questions… He has no tail. What happened to him? How did he lose it? We don’t want to speculate. Our vet will need to examine him to determine exactly what happened.

Once we arrived at the rescue center we checked him for a microchip. But there was nothing there either. No chip, no clues, no answers to the questions of who he is or why he was abandoned on that mountain.

For now, we are giving him what he needs most: peace, safety and time.

We don’t yet know the story hidden behind those eyes. We don’t know how much he has endured or how long he was left waiting there.

But one thing we know for sure: he is no longer alone. He is no longer forgotten. From now on, we will do everything in our power to give him

the future he deserves.

This is why we keep rescuing. Because every life matters. Even the life of a dog who seems to have been unwanted by everyone.

Follow us for updates on his recovery.

Please share his story. Because behind every rescue is a life in need of help. And no animal deserves to be abandoned like this.

GRA – Galgos Rescue Almeria

Because every life matters. Because giving up is not an option.