Category: Campaign
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Animal Fostering – can you help?
Animal foster carers are worth their weight in gold to rescues and shelters. Many of us would like to help (we fostered many galgos and podencos at our French farm) but for various reasons are unable to. I would love to but we are both heading for 80 years old, with creaky joints! We downsized from our French farm after my last horse died, to a small bungalow with a small garden. We adopted 2 podencos and although as I sit typing this at the kitchen table, I see there is absolutely no room for a third dog bed! Plus vet bills in the UK are astronomical – another victim of Rip Off Britain and investment speculators – hedge funds and pet insurance companies buying vet practices. On small pensions we simply can’t afford another dog or pet insurance.Here’s an article about fostering. Although it’s on the RSPCA website, it applies to all animal rescue associations and shelters. There is a shelter local to most people, please consider helping if you can. Some of the rescues will help with feed/vet bills.
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Things to remember when rehoming a rescue dog
Some people expect too much too soon when they home an adopted dog. It takes time, patience and understanding – especially as most Spanish hunting dogs have suffered maltreatment in their previous lives. Many galgos are adopted abroad, which means the following allowances have to be made as it could be weeks or months before the dog really settles –1. the dog may have been a street dog surviving for weeks or months
2. it may not have experienced any kind humans
3. it may not know how to live in an enclosed space such as a house
4. it may not have been walked on a lead
5. it could very well be used to living with other dogs
6. it could have left behind friends, a particular mate
7. it’s had a long journey in vans and planes
8. it’s a strange country with different weather and language.Below is the story of a poor little dog – not a galgo – who was the victim of just such misunderstanding.
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Badajoz, Spain – hellhole for hunting dogs – hunters getting rid of their galgos
Female galgos in a village in Badajoz, hunters don’t want them now!Need an association to take them to safety urgently.
WhatsApp contact (Spain 0034) 633248977
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URGENT – please action and share before14th March
From Protectora Scooby
ANIMAL LOVERS, PLEASE CONTRIBUTE European Commission: WELFARE AND TRACE OF DOGS AND CATS (new rules)
Deadline for submitting commentsDeadline: March 14, 2024 (midnight, Brussels time)
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The Commission wants to know what you think. This adopted act is open to comment for 8 week(s). The European Commission will summarise all comments received and forward them to the European Parliament and the Council to fuel the legislative debate. Comments received will be posted on this website and therefore should be consistent with the rules.To be able to contribute, you’ll need to register or log in through your social media account. https://ec.europa.eu/…/14061-Bienestar-y-trazabilidad
NB I’ve asked Scooby what we should put in the boxes for organisation, number of employees and registration number – as individuals the form won’t accept n/a in the registation number box.
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Lenticular Sclerosis in dogs
A couple of years ago we adopted an older Spanish podenco who was blind. His eyes are cloudy blue, but we believe he can see shadows. He amazes us with how he finds his way around life, using his ears and nose. e’s even learned to walk up the ramp into the back of the car. Our suspicion is that his blindness is the result of an eye infection untreated – we know how bad the Spanish hunters are at looking after their dogs, especially if it involves vet fees.This weblnk takes you to an interesting article about blindness in dogs.
And I would say to any readers – if your dog starts losing its sight, it is nothing to be concerned about, the dog will cope amazingly well. And use a Blind Dog harness, it’s a great conversation starter and a good way to tell people about galgos!
Lenticular Sclerosis in Dogs
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No a la Caza: Unveiling the plight of Galgos in Spain
From Bev Farmer of Podenco Friends:On February 4 in 48 cities across Spain and various European locations, passionate individuals took to the streets to protest against the overlooked victims of hunting—Galgo, Podencos and other working breeds. Despite the recent enactment of new animal welfare legislation in Spain.
These laws primarily focus on personal pets, leaving Galgos, Podencos, and similar breeds classified as “animals de renta” or animals of use to people, devoid of the protection afforded to companion animals.
The Sporting Heritage of Galgos:
Coinciding with this outcry for animal welfare is the culmination of the LXXXVI Campeonato De Espana de Galgos en Campo, a prestigious competition that has been a cornerstone of Spanish culture for 86 years.The championship, hosted in the Valladolid town of Nava del Rey, determines the best greyhound in Spain and, by extension, the world, in the open field. The victor will be awarded the coveted Copa S.M – El Rey, highlighting the significance of the sport.
Historical Roots of Galgo Racing:
To appreciate the gravity of the competition, one must delve into its historical roots. The sport of Galgo racing gave rise to numerous associations de Agricultores y Ganaderos in 1910, scattered across various regions in Spain.The first official governing body for Galgo racing was the “Club Deportivo Español,” which operated from 1929 to 1932. In 1939, the Spanish Galgo Federation was established, overseeing and organizing Galgo racing in its diverse modalities.
The Dark Side of Galgo Racing:
Despite the grandeur of the championship and the history surrounding Galgo racing, a pressing issue remains largely overshadowed— the fate of Galgos that don’t make the grade.The breeding of these dogs is driven by the pursuit of elusive champions, with successful competitors being treated well and holding significant monetary value. However, the majority of these animals face a bleak future once their competition days are over. All in the pursuit of owning a champion and lifting a trophy in celebration comes at the expense of thousands of Galgos suffering.
The Aftermath:
As the competition season concludes, numerous Galgos find themselves abandoned, injured, or sick. Overflowing Perreras (dog pounds), injured and dead Galgos on the streets, and the tireless efforts of rescues paint a grim picture.Conclusion:
“No a la Caza” serves as a poignant call to action, urging society to acknowledge and address the often-neglected consequences of the sport of Galgos. Beyond the glitz and glamour of the championship lies a harsh reality for the majority of these noble dogs, along with the Podencos and other working breeds. -
World Galgo day
February 1st is World Galgo Day – Dia Del GalgoThe date was chosen because it marks the end of the hunting season in Spain when many galgos reach the end of their ‘useful’ hunting life and are condemned to abandonment or death.
The excessive and uncontrolled breeding of the galgos for hunting or coursing hare, followed by mass abandonment at the end of the hunting season results in a massive population of starving and sick galgos, placing extreme pressure on the rescue shelters in Spain.
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No a la Caza
Back in 2007 I adopted my first galga from La Bienvenida shelter in Cuidad Real.Sadly 17 years on the situation for the galgos has not changed, apart from the galgueros don’t hang their dogs now.
A protest is taking place in Spain – No a la Caza
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Free Spanish hounds march
The first of February marks the end of the Spanish hunting season. Dogs that ‘didn’t make the cut’ are brutally discarded.On the first weekend of February, animal lovers gather across Spain and in other European cities, to protest about the treatment of the dogs and call for a ban on the hunt with dogs.
There is a peaceful protest taking place in London UK: 03/02/2024