Galgo News

Category: Advice

  • Advice for dogs frightened of fireworks

    I HATE FIREWORKS!!

    In the UK there is an ancient ‘tradition’ of fireworks on 5th November, from when Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the parliament building in London. As the decades have gone by, there are more nights of fireworks in the 5th November falls in the week. So this year, 2024, we have fireworks on 31st October, Halloween. Then fireworks the following Saturday and Sunday, as well at 5.11.

    Our dogs are terrified of fireworks. In fact, most of our dogs in over 70 years of dog ownership have been terrified of fireworks. Tablets from the vet, sprays around the home, none of them work effectively, the dogs’ hearing is too sensitive. I’ve seen a calming collar in the local Pets at Home store which I’m going to try this year, but I’m not holding my breath!

    Here is some advice from the Dogs Trust if your dog is terrified of fireworks.

  • Investigation into the high rise of vet fees in UK and USA

    Pet owners in both the UK and US have felt the impact of the high rise in vet charges over the past several years and it’s not the vets who are benefiting from the increase. Having said that, are they benefiting from selling out their practices to speculative companies who have nothing to do with animals and thereby benefiting in that respect? Basically, to me, it all boils down to human greed, and pet owners and animals are suffering as a consequence.

    Below are links to 2 articles which are looking at the problem.

    UK

    USA

  • CACWGAS – calling keen campers in the UK – camping with your galgos and podencos

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    We have caravanned for decades but not been able to take our Spanish hounds with us as we always had too many – usually 4 or 5. Now reluctantly back in the UK from France and down to 2 hounds, last year we took our podencos caravanning with us. Wondering how to contain them on a huge campsite, I found a wonderful facebook group which members gave me lots of suggestions and help.

    The group has a website which is full of information plus during the year Dave Landey, the admin, organises 4 big meets where all sighthound passionatas can join together and share companionship and fun with their dogs.

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  • Life saving dogs

    Life saving dogs 400 9 2024
    Although not a post about galgos, I wanted to share the thoughts with you. As dog lovers, I am sure you will identify with it.

    ‘This is addressed to those who don’t want to rent apartments to people with dogs and also to those who won’t rent houses to them:
    I can’t take my dog to the beach for a walk because it bothers you on your vacation. You also won’t let me rent a house if I have a dog, and I can’t bring my dog on public transport either.

    However, I can take my dog through the rubble to find you after an earthquake, into the forest after you got lost in the mountains without a map or GPS, under the snow because you went off-piste despite the prohibition, into the water because you swam despite the red flag, and anywhere else you might need because, in the end, it’s just a dog… but it will find you.

    Dedicated to all those who don’t love dogs

    Add these to the list –

    If I’m blind you rely on me to lead you; if I have a medical condition you rely on me to alert you; if I am part paralyzed you rely on me to pick up your phone, get the washing out of the machine, open the door…

  • Protectora Scooby – summer newsletter – CMA UK look at extortionate vet costs

    Scooby logo 400
    From Fermin

    ‘We participated in an on-line meeting of the UK All All-party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group about foreign dog
    adoptions a few years ago. For us one of the vets hit the nail on the head in the discussion. She rightly said adopters adopt with the best intention. They want a pet dog, not a project. And this makes total sense. It is a challenge in a refuge environment to discern completely accurately how shelter behaviour translates into a home but that is our aim: To present families with adoptable companions, rewarding for them and the dog, with appropriate rescue back-up.

    Talking to our network, it seems that costs have a role to play. We don’t actually fully cover our costs when asking for an adoption fee to support our work. If we reflected the actual expense, we would home very few dogs and cats. We try to keep the costs to a minimum.

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  • Gabapentin for Dogs – what you should know

    Read the full article on this weblink.

  • Protectora Scooby – summer newsletter – Declining Adoptions, Rescues & Donations

    SOS Galgos 400 6 2024
    From Fermin.

    ‘We collaborate with 10 – 15 partners internationally who help us fromtime to time to home our rescued dogs and cats in their countries. This is much needed because it is impossible for us to home dogs and cats in significant number in Spain. Shelters like ours cannot operate without international adoptions.

    We, like our adoption artners and fellow shelters around the globe, are witnessing a decline in home offers. We have noticed this trend over the years since 2019/20 and attributed it to the many pets homed during the COVID period. But it is a continuing trajectory and we suspect there may be more to it than a simple glut. It is now so acute that we cannot rescue as many dogs and cats as in prior years or indeed those now in adversity because our refuge is at capacity. It is simple if we don’t move dogs and cats to families, we will not have accommodation space for those in need of rescue.

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  • Protectora Scooby – summer newsletter – costs of running the shelter

    Scooby shelter from above 400
    From Fermin – Scooby Shelter Running Costs: Veterinary

    We have a number of running costs to keep the Scooby shelter perational and thought it would be worth focussing on different
    internal cost groups to demonstrate how much we rely on your donations and how we spend the money you give us. In this
    newsletter we highlight our veterinary costs.

    We are fortunate to have our onsite clinic and our own vets. Our vets are salaried and we can present them with most of the medical conditions we come across as well as all of our spays and castrations. Sometimes we have to refer veterinary work to specialists or off-site vets but generally we rely on the skill of our Scooby vets.

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  • Protectora Scooby – summer newsletter – A Bad Law

    Scooby logo 400
    A Bad Law

    We continue to operate our rescue in the context of the very bad legislative amendment enacted in 2023. A new and very ambitious update to the animal welfare law in Spain was passed in January 2022. The law itself includes training for dog owners, penalties for animal cruelty, prohibition of puppy farming and sales of pets in pet shops. All of this is totally laudable and
    necessary. However, the PSOE Party (Spanish Socialist Workers), the senior partner in the coalition government, subsequently proposed an amendment to the law to exclude hunting, working and guarding dogs. The amendment was approved in 2023. Commentators say the PSOE initiated the amendment fearing reactions from rural voters.

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  • Lure coursing in the UK

    Lure coursing galgos 400a
    Is this something you would do with your galgo? So long as the dog runs in a straight line? Greyhounds get injured when lure coursing on a curved greyhound track. Is it ok so long as there is no betting? What do you think?

    Mostly sighthounds from deerhounds to whippets take part, and sometimes border collies!

    Lure coursing discussion

    This website explains how an event is run, under strict Kennel Club rules, and no betting allowed. Sighthound Sport UK

    Lure coursing track in the USA.

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