My first greyhound had such a superb temperament that she became a PAT dog…Pets As Therapy…in the UK and regularly visited an old folks’ home to spend time with the residents, especially those who had been dog owners but couldn’t have a dog in the home.
Here is a lovely story about a Spanish Galga who is doing a similar job – but this time in New Mexico in a prison.
There are over 70 dogs at Pepis Refuge, Pedrera, Seville, including galgos and podencos. This year alone 2 heavily pregnant galga bitches were dumped there, producing 19 pure galgo puppies; two more young galgos were thrown over the perimeter fence, luckily neither was injured; and this month a hunter brought his galgo as he no longer wanted him. Add to this the podencos who have been there since puppies, awaiting adoption, one recently dumped at the gates in a box. And now old girl Anka, a lifetime spent breeding puppies, kicked in the eye, dumped, and needing vet care. All these dogs need vaccinations, sterilising, chipping and more. PLUS it costs 700 euros/month to feed all these dogs.
So I’m appealing to you on behalf of the hounds at Pepis Dog Refuge to help them by purchasing some tickets in this tombola. First prize is a copy of Martin Usborne’s superb book ‘Where Hunting Dogs Rest’, donated by and personally signed by Martin.
The horror for the dogs goes on. Having reported two separate stories of galgo pups being dumped in rubbish bins…here’s a third one, now saved.
Outrageous! Until when are we going to have to keep living these situations??
This morning (30/7/2015) we were in the car when we saw a group of people with two Guardia Civile looking in a dumpster. We stopped immediately because we feared the worst. And so it was, a galguita pup about 3 months had been lying in the dumpster in a bag.
Poor baby, being inside of the bag and nearly 40 degrees of temperature. Immediately I communicate to the Guardia Civile that we are a rescue and, even though at first they put to us a million questions! Finally we get the puppy to the vet.
For those of you who followed the story of disabled galgo puppy Polar – abandoned at the gates of Pepis Dog Refuge, Pedrera, Seville at 2 months old, here’s a update on his life at present, 2 years after he arrived to join our canine gang. (Photo of him nursing Alan Brian after heart problems)
He still doesn’t know he is handicapped on his rear left leg joint. He evinces no sign of pain and can run faster than the other 2 galgos…in straight lines! However, Bracken (with 4 good legs) can turn corners much quicker! He has a small scoop of MSM each day, is still collecting ASBOs – last night he destroyed one of the foam beds a friend made for the dogs to lie on the terrasse in the sunshine!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUXl4hnXeiE
Rescate de cachorros de una alcantarilla en Las Cabezas de San Juan (Sevilla)
30/06/2015
Monique and Scarlet are 2 galgas who were abandoned by Pepis Dog Refuge, heavily pregnant. Between them they have 18 surviving puppies. These all need protection – vaccinations, michipping, etc. – especially vaccinations. With over 70 dogs are the refuge, donations are desperately needed to pay for the puppies’ protction. Please donate , say it is for puppies’ protection.
This video was taken by Luca, president of Anpana, the Italian galgo rescue association currently visiting Pepis Dog Refuge in Pedrera. He took this film on the drive down from the village to the refuge. The second half of the video is taken from Pepis. Check out the speed of the vehicle.
I witnessed similar ‘training’ when I was there, man on quad bike with 4 galgos. This was made illegal in Andalucia but a couple of years back the Junta rescinded the law.
This beautiful boy is Reilly. As a small puppy, he was left tied by a piece of wire to the gate of Pepis Dog Refuge two years ago and named Phantom because one half of his face is white and one half brown. He was a playmate with my boy Polar, they were pups together. Adopted in the UK and renamed Reilly, sadly due to circumstances beyond his control, he is now in foster in England and waiting for a forever family again.
He is 2 years old, full Pet Passport, no hangups, perfect with other dogs, ready to slot straight into another home.
If you have room for him in your home and your heart, here’s the contact.
Even with 75 dogs to care for 24/7 and a pregnant galga just rescued after being abandoned and running loose in the village, and about to produce babies, Jane and Alan of Pepis Refuge made time to visit a local hunter. Here Jane explains.
‘As part of our ongoing effort to be involved in the world of the Galgos and the Galgueros in our area, we were invited to go and see a local Galguero and his dogs. He was very proud to show us the food he prepares them every day, which consisted of pasta, vegetables, meat and bread, with a supplement of vitamins which we saw cooking as we were there.
His dogs have a large compound with individual sleeping compartments, spotlessly clean. His dogs are micro chipped, vaccinated and tattooed on the ear. For security reasons he has a vault door filled with concrete and thick walls as some of the Galgos are from champions and to him are priceless, he has dogs of over 7 years of age that he won’t part with.
For those of you regular readers who have followed the story of Polar, the handicapped galgo puppy left at the gates of Pepis Dog Refuge at 2 months old, here are the latest photos of him with his housemates, galgos Carmela and Bracken, and little Podenca Andaluz Bebe – the boss of the pack! Polar continues to delight us with his antics and annoy us with his mischief – especially with food, shoes, socks, bedding….the list goes on! He continues on a dose of MSM daily and shows no evidence of feeling pain in his joint. Indeed, to see him haring around the courtyard with Bracken, he has no handicap atall!
Bebe’s bed is beside the woodburner – one reason is because it’s small so no one else can get on it! Bracken likes the red bed in front of the French doors. So if anyone else is on there he will go and stand over them or squeeze onto a bit of the bed, till they move!
