No news on Galgo News for the rest of this week, folks. I’m off to Spain today, my car is loaded almost to the roof with donations of bedding,beds and food for the refuge, and on Thursday I collect my new galga. I’ll introduce her when I get back.
I now have Karmel’s ashes which I will scatter in the meadows where she loved to walk.
Fingers crossed for an uneventul trip!,
For the latest news on the rescue of the Guam Greyhounds, click here.
The plight of the Guam Greyhounds goes on, with greyhound rescue associations desperately trying to deal with the problem of the mass abandonment of these beautiful dogs after closure of the Guam Greyhound Racetrack.
For an update on the current situation, check out www.guamgreyhounds.org and ABC News
Through my passion for greyhounds/galgos and subsequent involvement in publicising the plight of the galgos in Spain, I have been introduced to the Podenco, a smaller dog used in Spain and the Spanish Islands for hunting rabbit. Whilst they are not abandoned each year in such huge numbers as the galgos, the life of a podenco runs parallel in many ways.
Through Galgo News I have met Lynne Fisher and Jackie Kennedy, who live on Lanzarote and are very involved with the SARA animal shelter and raising awareness of the problems faced by the podencos there. What you will read here also applies to the life of a podenco on mainland Spain too.
In the past year, I have been lucky enough to foster and rehome 2 delightful podencas, and have also adopted one of my own. Like the greyhound/galgo, they make wonderful pets.
What is a podenco?
It is easy to forget that, apart from the mass of mainland Spain, there are also groups of islands in the Mediterranean and Atlantic which are also under Spanish rule, and whose animals also suffer maltreatment at the hands of the native Spanish.
I previously highlighted a problem on Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, where many people to on holiday to take advantage of the winter sun. But behind the scenes, life for the islands animals is, on the whole, horrific. However, there are a few brave souls who work to improve conditions and speak up for those who have no one else to speak on their behalf.
Lynne Fisher, from the Sara Animal Shelter on Lanzarote, has sent me the latest news.
Castille La Mancha is a bad region if you are a galgo. And even worse if you are abandoned. News in from Galgos sin Fronteras of two abandoned galgos which were eventually saved.
At the beginning of February, two galgos encamped near a house in the middle of nowhere. They were there several days – why were they left this long? Would it have happened if it had been a man? No! So why did it happen to 2 dogs?!
One of them did not move, all that time. The other one fled, as soon as there was any noise.
At last a volunteer came to see what she could do.
08/09
The veterinary hospital in Nantes telephoned me this morning to explain that Karmel‘s condition deteriorated overnight, she had been put on oxygen and morphine, and it was uncertain if she would survive the day. The hospital has now telephoned to say that she had a heart attack and died. The main diagnosis is chronic ehrlichiosis, although she tested negative for this before she left Spain in July 2007. She was also suffering from pemphigus foliaceous. I will write more on the subject in a few days.
L’Europe des Levriers carried out their largest rescue of dogs from Spain to France last weekend – 39 dogs in all, including 3 galgo puppies and a little podenca bitch and her 2 puppies.
I posted appeals on a couple of Francophile forums and was overwhelmed with the generosity of people There were monetary donations,with which I purchased sacks of dog food and wormers for the refuges, plus dog beds and beddings, animal medicines, collars and leads. There wasn’t room for everything on this trip, so I’ve kept some in storage for the next rescue, probably later this month.
5/02 Update on Karmel, my galga
As her breathing difficulties did not improve with antibiotic treatment, it was arranged that I take her to the Centre Hospitalier Veterinaire Alantia at Nantes (2 1/2 hours’ drive from my home) last Tuesday 3rd Feb. We spent 4 hours there, Karmel had an endocsomy, x-rays, blood sample taken for copious tests and analyses. The vets were perplexed. It was decided to keep her at the hospital for observation, until the results of the blood test are received, possibly tomorrow 6th. The hospital vet and my own vet had an extensive discussion last night, and I was updated today but, until I know more, suffice to say I miss her terribly around the house, not sleeping at night worrying about her…………………..you dog lovers know what I mean.
Introducing Paca, a 2 year old galga, starving and badly injured.
It is believed she was dragged behind a car, and this photo shows only one side of her injured body.
If anyone has the time to care for this deserving galga, please contact L’Europe des Levriers.
