Category: Regional news

Fabienne Tremble of Passion Levriers recently visited the Canary Islands. Life for the podencos – Ibizan Hound – is not a happy one.

‘The Islands “Afortunadas”, as one calls them in Spain, means the blessed islands. Indeed they are, with their beauty, their climate, the luxuriant flora where the hibiscus is a shrub larger than the pink bay-trees of my garden and for the love of life of its inhabitants.

On the other hand for fauna it is a different matter. The marvellous podenco Canario, originating in these islands, always lives like the slave of man.

Hardly had I gotten out of the plane, the first thing that I saw while we awaited the rented car, was a light van parked in full sun with a pack of podencos who awaited their master patiently.

Dirty, legs full of dried mud, sad eyes, covered in ticks, they were suffocating in the heat 35ºC.

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During my research into hunting in Spain, and galguerros, I came across this website. What nice people they are – promoting hunting game in Spain!

And what about the galgos? Not to mention the game which they shoot but don’t kill! What would I like to do to these people?!!

http://www.huntingincatalonia.com/aboutus/

Those of us living outside Spain cannot begin to imagine the fear experienced by people fostering and adopting these beautiful dogs and keeping them in Spain. Galgos are considered vermin and anyone keeping one as a pet and walking it in the street risks being followed home, and possibly the dog stolen.

The background details of this poor galgo are now known. The dog has not been mistreated, it has been victim of a fire caused by a molotov cocktail thrown against the house of the dog’s owner. Several more galgos got hurt in this brutal attack, some of them were saved by the owners, some ran in panic away. One of them was this poor galga, The police confirm the story.

What goes through the mind of the person who perpetrates this vile murderous act? When will they be caught and dealt with?

Thinking of going on holiday to Spain – want some warmth for the winter? Well, this poor galgo got more warmth than he deserved – courtesy of inhuman Spaniards!

This is a message from a volunteer in Spain.

Dear friends,

I send you a terrible news. Yesterday in the evening we gathered in the suburbs of Albacete this poor galgo, after the call of a few women who were walking along the zone.

As you can see in the photos, he was burned alive with petrol….., he took burns as a great part of the body and especially for the head, his mouth and eyes were burned, besides other zones of the body. His suffering was enormous and our veterinarians decided upon euthanasia, since it was the more humane thing that it was possible to do for him, the poor dog already was agonizing between terrible pains ……

We all in the refuge remain very impressed and with an enormous feeling of impotence and of anger towards another atrocity more than it commits with one of the most docile dogs of the world.

The photos are very strong.

Sad regards

Balbino Cerro
Presidente APAP Arca de Noé (Albacete – Spain)
www.ibichos.com

Link to the pictures http://www.greyhoundmuses.com click on Latest from Spain in the left-hand column (please be aware the images are particularly distressing).

16 galgos were rescued from Spain to France last weekend, 20/21 September, by the team from L’Europe des Levriers.

Some galgos were included which did not have permanent homes to go to in France, precipitated by the threat of being stolen by gypsies.

This was the case of little Negrita, who was in the same refuge as Gemilla (above) and Diana, the latter 2 stolen by gypsies. This was also the case for Joselin and Leonidas, in a refuge at Cadiz, from which 3 galgos were stolen.

Lorca was also included in this rescue, the poor galga whose shoulder was fractured by a bullet from a gun carried by her galguerro.

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Maria tells her story about her weekend in Belgium celebrating 20 years of Scooby Medina.

“We recently returned from a gig with a difference in Vlamertinge, Belgium. where we played an acoustic set or Scooby, a leading association dealing with the rescue of Galgos (Spanish Greyhounds) and the largest shelter in Spain for homeless animals,” Maria said.

Maria and Paul were accompanied by Mary Alice Pollard ‘Cornwall’s Voice For Animals’ who photographed the event celebrating Scooby’s 20th Anniversary. Visitors and supporting organisations attended from the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands and America, raising 5000 Euros on the day, to help feed the animals in Scooby’s care.’

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Recent celebrations organised for Scooby Medina’s 20th anniversary saw the music of Maria Daines and Paul Killington performed for the world.  Edwin of Scooby tells the story of a weekend for galgos:

“The weekend of August 31, 2008, a date that won’t be easily forgotten in the history of Scooby. Our first international event, held in Vlamertinge, Belgium, was a central meeting point for the members of Scooby, our partner organizations and our supporters.

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This is the tale of an incredible operation between Greyhoundsrescue Holland, Mieke, a volunteer, a unit of Spanish police, and an injured galgo. It’s also a tale of the search for a stolen galgo, entering the bleak, vicious world of the gypsies.

It’s a tale of bravery, compassion, co-operation, understanding across borders, and an example of what can be achieved when the Spanish police actually work with the volunteers rather than ignoring them.

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Date – 4th October 2008
Time – 10am
Venue – Salle des Aydes, 57 rue Louis Chevalier, Saran, near Orleans
Occasion – 2nd Annual General Meeting of L’Europe des Levriers

After all general business has been dealt with, there will be a picnic, followed by a walk in the forest of Orleans.

For more information contact Murielle Douheret on 06 09 21 75 12 or visit the website L’Europe des Levriers

Galgos are being stolen. Three in the Cadiz area, one in Cordoba. And this is just the beginning.

This is a report from Saskia Rinia van Nauta of the San Anton Refuge.

The first burglary has materialised: the galgos Chupeta, Fantastica and Fence have been stolen in the heat of the night. With enormous violence doors have been broken, and thieves have entered into the shelter. The hunters themselves also suffer under the theft of their dogs.

Prevention of theft seems to be impossible. The totally ruthless perpetrators act by incredible force, this is a most dangerous situation.

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