Category: Regional news

This dog will die in 21 days. Why should it? What is its crime? It was born a galgo in Spain! Some bastard galguerro took it to the Mairena perrera, paid perhaps a few euros, and left it there, to be starved for 21 days before killing it. And there are dozens of them arriving every day, and it is not yet near the end of the hunting season!

I have some more figures for getting a dog out of Mairena killing station. 45 euros per dog. They then go to a kennel where the vet microchips and vaccinates them and prepares their passport. Then there is the bloodtest for Leishmania etc., plus tick and flea treatment.

(more…)

On my rescue trip with L’Europe des Levriers to Cordoba in June 2009, we visited a shelter from which we collected some dogs to bring back for adoption in France. The shelter was run by an amazing Dutch lady, Cobie. She has a lot of knowledge of the perreras in the area, and you can read more about them on this link

It is always great to read about the work of other galgo rescue associations in Europe. She has commented on the article about the killing stations and it is great to learn from her that Galgotrans are heading off for Mairena to rescue some of these poor galgos. I’ll watch out for the story about the trip and keep you informed.

Good Luck Cobie and Galgotrans!

For those of you who have not yet visited Spain and any refuges, but probably watch YouTube videos (which I don’t – computer literacy and all that!) please watch the videos on this page on Greyhounds in Need UK. It will give you an idea of what the amazing volunteers who work in the shelters cope with every day. Please lend your support to the associations who do so much for the galgos and other abandoned dogs of Spain.

There are emails circulating around at the moment about all the galgos arriving at the Mairena killing staton, in southern Spain near Seville. I have not been sure what a killing station is exactly – except the obvious – it’s a place where they kill dogs! Is it the same as a perrera?

Mo Swatek, President of Pro-Galgo, has so much experience of the plight of the galgo in Spain, and this is her explanation of how a killing station operates.

‘A perrera is a killing station but either run by a private person who offers its services to the cities and villages or by a business, often the companies who remove the rubbish/trash also manage the perreras.

(more…)

Pro-Galgo have some wonderful rehoming stories to tell, including that of Max, the little puppy covered in red varnish. All credit to Pro Galgo who did such a fantastic job of rescuing this little puppy, cleaning him up and rehoming him.

Also galgos who have been happily rehomed with Spanish families. Which is great news. That there are Spanish families who do not believe that galgos are vermin, that they appreciate these fantastic loving, loyal dogs. You can read some of their stories here.

(more…)

The Pedro Munoz refuge at Ciudad Real, 200km south of Madrid, has requested everyone’s urgent help to trace 4 dogs which were taken from the refuge by Mme Becker of the association ‘4 Pattes Oubliees’.

This is not the first time that I have heard negative stories about this refuge.

The 4 dogs which need to be traced were taken by Mme Becker a few months ago; the refuge was told adoptions had been arranged. Pedro Munoz have sent numerous emails requesting information about the adoptants, with no response. The refuge only has one address of an adoptant, and when they checked with the person, they were told the bitch was not there.

(more…)

I’ve got this smiling podenco in my library of photos and, for once and stupidly, I have not put it’s name and which shelter/association it is with.

I’ve also done the same for these galgos, such beautiful pleading eyes. It is one of half a dozen photos sent to me of galgos in a shelter.

Can anyone help me?

Kenia. You may remember her. The poor galga, found abandoned with 3 puppies, suffering from the most horrendous mammary cancer tumour which had burst. The El Refugio Escuela took her in, found her a foster home,treated her for ehrlichia to get it under sufficient control that she is now ready for the first operation on her cancer tumour. If you can help fund the expensive veterinary fees to pay for Kenia’s treatment, please contact the refuge direct, details on their website.

And Kenia’s babies are looking for their forever families.

You all know my passion is galgos and podencos but, occasionally, something comes into my inbox which sickens me so much to the heart. I simply cannot understand the mentality of bloodthirsty sadistic Spaniards…….many of them are the opposite, I am with them wholeheartedly, with what they have to cope with. But this story just sickens one to the heart. And Extramadura is one of the worst regions of Spain for the galgos too.

I am posting here the press release from The Donkey Sanctuary. It is about a female donkey which, on 31st October, was tortured so horrendously by teenagers in a village called Torreorgaz in Extramadura, that she died in the most painful agony. The Donkey Sanctuary and it’s Spanish counterpart are hoping to take these sadistic torturers to court. If you wish to support them in this, read on.

(more…)

La Mairena. Heard of it? It’s on the Costa del Sol. Apparently beautiful white sandy beaches, tree lined avenues, and a municipal dog pound where the hunters are already taking their galgos to be euthanaised. You won’t find that fact mentioned in the estate agent and tourist office brochures!

7 galgos – look at the pictures, beautiful dogs – just taken to be killed. 6 females and 1 male. And why now – the hunting season only began in September. Admittedly, I suppose one could argue that it is better that they be taken there and euthanaised, rather than hung from a tree, dropped down a deep well, burned alive, dumped on a motorway. If there are any shelters which have room to take these dogs, and prepare them for adoption abroad, please contact samper7@hotmail.com urgently.

(more…)