Pepis Dog Refuge, Pedrera, Seville – over 70 dogs to clean and feed – and get adopted!
2015 – the start of a new year – in the first week 2 puppies and 4 galgos have been dumped at the gates, one of the galgos in bad condition. The situation is desperate – it costs 700 euros/month to feed the dogs. Please help Jane and Alan – sponsor and donate here. And anyone willing to organise fundraising, please get in touch. Anyone do car boot sales in the UK? Please help!
A message from Jane and Alan Brian of Pepis Refuge, Pedrera, Spain – to all of you who have supported them, especially over the last 2 years since they were hit by 2 mudslides through the kennels and their house; their house was condemned for living in; their electricity generator packed up and the new one didn’t last long either; they both ended up in hospital, at different times; the Belgian galgo association who had supported them then pulled the plug because they were feeding all the 60+ dogs, not just the galgos; a ‘supporter’ – I use the term loosely – was trying to close them down. They were at absolute rock bottom.
With your help and support and that of many other people I contacted – we picked them up. All of you who have responded to appeals for help for them – you rock! Having said that, there are still 7+ dogs there – another little xbreed dumped on Sunday – named Sunday! But don’t forget, they need 700 euros/month just to feed all the dogs….plus homes for them too.
The pressure on Spanish refuges and perreras does not lessen – daily galgos and podencos dumped…here’s the latest one at Pepis Refuge on 30th Novewmber, now named Gabriell. Jane tells the story.
Once again another beautiful black galga dumped today. (30/11/2014) I hate the word dumped, but what other words can you use? I would say she is no more than 1 year old, she has a swollen front leg and finds it hard to stand on it, so vets tomorrow. Also we noticed blood running down her neck and a small cut where the chip would have been. No surprise there then. She too is quite thin, but we have bathed her neck, put a nice thick coat on her, given her some food and bedded her down for the night.
If you haven’t already sponsored Mike, please do so, every little helps. Mike’s running on Sunday in Bristol, go and cheer him on if you are in the area. The 80+ dogs at Pepis are looking to you to help pay their food bill (600 euros/month) and vet bills, (currently 3,000 euros). Every little helps. Sponsor him here.
Regular readers will remember the story of Tico, the galgo badly injured and left for dead in a ditch in Seville Province. Luckily he was found and taken to the vet where the incredible team, together with dedicated round-the-clock care from Sandra Campos Cuevas, brought him back to life and put his poor injured body back together. Over the months it was thought he would never walk, never be without nappies because he was incontinent…Spanish vets more than any others work tirelessly to save these dogs…where certainly in the UK and here in France they would be pts.
I’ve just watched THE most amazing video – sadly only on facebook so I can’t share it with you – of Tico, no nappies, running and playing with two canine friends. Simply incredible. Sandra reports Tico is very happy. The bad news is that once again he has urine infection. It appears that the use of diapers, this problem will always end up appearing. So he needs some antibiotics again. This time at least, it has been 12 days without bleeding. It’s nothing serious … I think it’s an everyday thing for us.
Here’s a photo of Sandra with Tico. And I stick 2 fingers up at you, bastard galguero, who couldn’t take care of your hound and prevent his suffering!
I’ve been asked how Polar is progressing. Where do I start?! He’s been with me a year now and he continues to collect asbos (anti social behaviour orders) – a ball of white knitting wool was unravelled around the courtyard today! He’s digging up my plants, scattering soil all over the terrasse; a paperback book stolen and chewed, the hose for the outlet on my tumble dryer squashed…and he’s STILL only 16 months old! The caption for this photo is ‘I’m knackered with all this being naughty!’
He is thoroughly enjoying dog obedience classes where he is a popular personality. He is good with his response to commands – sit, down, stay, heel – his recall is also excellent – except the exercise where he is supposed to sit and stay whilst I walk a distance away. I only need to take two or three strides and he’s already straining at the lead to follow me!
Polar continues to behave like a naughty teenager! 1 year old this month and still collecting asbos every day and showing no evidence of any feeling of pain in his damaged hind leg.
Thank you to everyone who has contacted me with information about their experiences with handicapped dogs and with specialist orthopaedic veterinary practices, a couple of whom I have followed up.
And another poor galgo needing help, with another small shelter in Seville.
This young galga has been named “REGALO” (gift in spanish), she was found with a badly broken jaw and a severe infection. She has been taken in by the shelter La Candela Hogar Refugio near Seville and is in Malaga at a vet hospital with strong antiinflamatories and antibiotics.
‘Ariel Sarabria, our veterinary expert in trauma has operated on Regalo. He managed to implant the prosthesis and nails to knit the bone to return it to function and enable Regalo to open and close her mouth, to give her the most normal life possible.
The end of the hunting season draws near and the refuges and perreras are full to overflowing with dumped hunting dogs, mainly galgos and podencos. Pepis is no exception and I met many of their galgos when I visited recently. Some of the newest galgos are at the top of this page but scroll right down and you’ll find others like Richardo, Passarella, Dina…who have been waiting too long. Please consider taking one into your home and heart, you will be rewarded with a heap of love.
The latest to join the refuge is stunning white Lacey (above), abandoned and eventually caught by a local hunter and brought to the refuge.
This poor galga has been named Paula, a baby of about 3 months old, taken from a gypsy by Prodeanse, Seville, one of the shelters I visited in 2012. She had vomiting, diarrhea – from which she was dehydrated – and a broken leg. It’s not the first dog that they have taken from this man, who cares very little about his animals.
Prodeanse are asking for your help to pay the vet fees for Paula. The operation to repair her leg will be between 600-700 euros and there is all the medication for her too. Here’s a Bing translation of their appeal.
Loli says, ‘This is what we have to part the operation that will be more than 600 euros and we don’t have the money to pay for it yet. We need your help, it will invoice.
