A long time ago, back in the 1960/70s, way before Spain went mad building huge concrete monstrosities alongside the beach road to places like Benalmadena, Torremolinos, Tossa del Mar, Estepona, my mother used to winter there rather than survive in the damp atmostphere of Northwest England. I always imagined these places as separate holiday towns along the Spanish coast.
I was staggered to find that now they are all part of Malaga – province of Malaga to be exact.
Some galgos are lucky enough – if you can call it lucky to survive several years at the hands of a galguero – to reach 7 or even 10 years of age. They desperately need to live out the rest of their lives in the comfort of a loving home, and here are three.
Elsa and Maika are particularly sad stories and an example of the hypocrisy of the Spanish authorities. Siblings, rescued at 3 yrs by a lady and taken into her home, 7 years later they find themselves in a shelter. With so many abandoned dogs living on the streets of Spain, it’s hard not to want to help them, and this is the situation in which Elsa and Maika’s Mom found herself.
Maribel Jerez does a marvellous job of circulating appeals on behalf of dogs on death row in Spain’s perreras, chiefly in Jerez and Gesser in Cadiz. One recent one which circulated was a photo of a sad galga, no one came forward to take her, so Charl of 112carlotagalgos stepped in to save her. The perrera has now decided to spay dogs before they can leave, so Ginny, as she has been named, was spayed. It was only when she was collected from the perrera that it became obvious that Ginny was not in the best of health. Here’s her story.
Regular readers will have followed the stories of podenca Ana and galgo Rey, rescued and given into the care of 112carlotagalgos. Their stories cover many months and include amazing work by Paco the association vet, the volunteers involved in their rehabilitation and a foster family. Read their incredible stories of survival with happy endings here. And if you can offer a home to one of their galgos or podencos or donate to their vet fees etc. read here.
Please everyone, your help is still needed to stop galgo racing in Malaga. 112carlotagalgos and Galgos en Familia are pulling out all the stops. Here’s an update from Charl del Rio.
‘As we know galgos are used as “renta” dogs not pets! Therefore this gets passed off as Cultura Agriculture department. No-one wants to take responsibility to answer. Due to the welfare of the Spanish galgo and the fact that no other carrera de galgo has been held at the hipodromo in Malaga or any other in this area, they are duty bound to give information regards who placed the race there and if there will be permissions to give further races. They need flooding with emails.’
Appalling news from Malaga – the greyhound racetrack reopened on Saturday, 16th June 2012!! A couple of weeks ago Charl of 112carlotagalgos spotted a poster about it in a vet clinic, and couldn’t believe her eyes. Her association and Galgos en Familia already have more than enough abandoned galgos to cope with, without breeders, owners and trainers being encouraged to contribute to the over-population.
You can read about it here, and you will find a link to copy and paste a letter to emailto print off a letter to send to those responsible in Mijas. To send by post, print off a copy of the letter and send to this address.
AYUNTAMIENTO DE MIJAS – TENENCIA DE ALCALDIA DE LA CALA AYUNTAMIENTOS: INFORMACION Y SERVICIOS, Ctra. Cádiz, KM 200 , 29649 , CALAHONDA-CHAPARRAL , MIJAS COSTA (MALAGA)
THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED!
112carlotagalgos is a very small family association which concentrates on rescuing and rehabilitating traumatised, sick and injured galgos and podencos. Some months ago we told the story of Rey, abandoned, surviving on virtually nothing, he’d finally collapsed and almost given up the struggle. Some months on, he is doing ok, but a new problem has arisen. Rey needs help! He needs you, we need you! Here’s his story…
Rey came to 112 Carlota Galgos several months ago, found giving up, life had let him down. He lay in the dust with life draining from him,.. down and out. He was seen and rescued. He stayed with his rescuer in Sevilla for a month and along with Polyana joined us at 112 carlota galgos for us to recouperate them and socialise them into family life.
Rey .. seems he has everything against him, he is a black galgo in Spain, he is older and he is a natural hunter. He cannot be scolded for something which has been bred into him, he lived and kept himself alive by hunting. He is a hunter, he will hunt, and yet he will walk by your side like the gentlest galgo you know.
It’s a busy time at the moment at 112carlotagalgos in Malaga. Two of their rescued and rehabilitated galgos Bruno and Halo have now headed off to Belgium and forever homes, Polyana and Gandalf are settling into their new homes in the UK, and podenca Angela Angelica heads off to the USA tomorrow (28th May) and her forever family. But 3-legged beauty Ana is still waiting – surely there is a place in someone’s heart for this stunning podenca.
The latest two new arrivals are podenco Apolo and galga Marci and you can read their stories on this link. If you can donate towards their vet fees, Paypal comdelrio@hotmail.com
This is a photo of Jasper in Jerez killing station. He was rescued along with 2 other galgos and a puppy by 112carlotagalgos,over a year ago He is happily rehomed in the Czech republic with a young veterinary student. Below you can see what a stunning boy he is now. (The brindle galga is Risa, also rescued from Jerez in December 2010, fostered by me and rehomed in Brittany, northern France, where she enjoys runs on the beach.
This is the story of galgo Rey (King of kings), abandoned on the streets of Seville starving, thin and weak, he lay down one day and gave up on life; his galguero no longer valued Rey’s life. For at 7+ years he has surely given his best to his master. Bred from, run and hunted, he was probably the prime galgo of the group and caught the most hares. To get to his age is a credit to his survival.
He’s got two disadvantages – he’s all black and he’s male. What is it about black galgos, that people turn away; when their coat recovers in good condition, they are stunning!
