Category: Regional news

Great news from Massachusets and it’s not about Obama! This just came in from one of the campaigners to close the state’s 2 dog tracks. Erica Mueller reports.

‘Massachusetts voters approved the ballot initiative to phase out greyhound racing at the state’s 2 dog tracks by January 2010. I was very active on the Steering Committee for the first attempt, in 2000, at which time we lost by 2% of the vote.

This time, the Greyhounds won by a 12% margin. Certain other states have laws prohibiting the establishment of dog racing

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Interesting page on Greyhounds In Need highlighting excerpts from some of the letters the association has received from refuges.

I think here we have a unique collection of letters and information from the hearts of some of the animal welfare workers from all over Spain with a conscience and an awareness of the needs of animals in their country, and who give up their time and energies for caring for and also sharing the pain and misery of the hapless animals of their land.

The Voice of Spain

More lucky galgos, whose veterinary care in Albacete has been funded by GIN, have started their new lives in Italy thanks to Elisa, Chiara and all at GACI.

Check the pix on Greyhounds in Need

The following message from Badajoz,Spain,came into my mailbox this morning, and I share it with you.

‘Shame on this one called country Spain. Damn the hunters who hide behind the word robbery, they rob this one country of 50,000 galgos, dying every year in this country. Anyone who can do this is not Spanish, the hunters and the gypsies, destroying the lives of these beautiful dogs. Hunting has only just begun, and yet here we find 15 hung galgos.

Rise up, everyone, for a law against such barbarism, end hunting with galgos, and bull-fighting – jail to everyone who perpetuates these crimes. The Seprona must investigate, and take action.

Damn you,both the hunters and the government which supports.’

Talavera,Badajoz)

Coral was rescued along with her three children (Aladin, Selena and Afrodita) from a marginal neighbourhood in Chiclana. She was tied to a street light on a highway with her three little ones at her side, the four of them in continuous danger.

They were rescued by volunteers from the Kimba Refuge. Coral has been rehomed in France through Le Bulletin Des Levriers, but one son and two daughters are still with Kimba. We hope they will soon be able to leave the country that is the disgrace of Europe in its treatment of animals.

Contact Refugio Kimba direct on the above link, if you want to adopt one of Coral’s babies.

It never ceases to amaze me just how much maltreatment can be meted out on dogs, and yet they survive. And, once rescued from the horrors of their daily life, they can still offer love to the hand which saves them.

This is the story of Welo, an podenco, or Ibizan Hound. Virginie Labat, a volunteer with Passion Levriers, tells his story.

About the middle of August 2008 I received an email from Spain about Welo, a 14 year old Andaluz podenco. He was dying in the perrera (dogpound) of Los Barrios, Algeciras. He had been abandoned by his owner because of his age, too old to be wanted any more.

Los Barrios is one of the hundreds of perreras in Spain, they feed the dogs when they remember; and no vaccinations, no vets, nothing, they just leave them to die!

Welo is a very old podenco, no rescue association was interested in him, too weak, too ugly, too ill …

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Through Amigos de Los Galgos we want to launch this call for help from our friend Rosa of Badajoz, who is an intermediary of ours in the rescue and rehoming of galgos. Maria Luisa, the president of Las Nieves, one of the largest refuges in Spain has also spoken to us on this subject.

Rosa works tirelessly for the dogs in the dogpound at Olivenza, which is the only one serving the rural area around Badajoz. She works non-stop to save as many dogs as possible, with little financial help, and often the animals are found injured and in pour condition.

The horrors about which she talks are infinite and it is for this reason that her call for help is made.

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In the current economic crisis, charities are likely to suffer extensively, as people jettison their pets, and stop donating. G.R.I.N in the USA have been affected by the increased cost in fuel, checking dogs, and excess luggage charges.
They have appealed for help.
Read more here

If you are in Girona on 2nd November, then support the parade of dogs, either by watching, joining in, donating or adopting.

Venue – Passag del Mar de Sant Feliu de Guixols
Organised by Galgos112 and Assn. Sant Antoni Abat

Registration 10.00am
10.30 Exhibition of dogs used by the Girona Civil Guard Canine Unitfor searching out drugs and explosives
11.30 Start of Parade
12.45 Parade of galgos up for adoption, and already adopted
13.15 Prize-giving

Galgos del Norte is a recently formed group of very experiences hound savers in Spain, ex-members of SOS Galgos, who rescue galgos, foster and arrange adoptions, and work closely with Pro-Galgo.

Mo Swatek, President of Pro-Galgo, says, ‘We recently brought 39 dogs out of Spain, three of whom were rehomed near Paris.

The dogs came from different shelters, like Tudela, Sevilla, Badajoz, Guadalajara and Pro-Galgo, Galgos112, and Galgos del Norte, all joined forces and transport together with RUTA8, a group of rescue ladies in Badajoz, founded by Mariangeles and Txaro.

They bought a super van and make now monthly 2 transports for different shelters in Spain, and our galgos and podencos also travel with them. It costs 80 euros per dog in transport costs, which comes out of the adoption fee.

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