Galgo News

Seeking Justice in a Spanish Court - donate to the legal fund

I've received this urgent appeal from the Bright Eyes Society - a Spanish hunter is due to appear in court and funds are needed by the charity to fight the case. This is their message.

Some of you will probably remember the rescue of more than 50 podenco ibicenco dogs in the island of Ibiza in May last year.

This followed our legal procedure against Bartolomé Mari Ribas, the breeder and hunter who for more than 15 years had kept his dogs in the most appalling conditions imaginable, starving, thirsty, many very sick, on the very road, where they kept getting hit by vehicles and dying or becoming crippled to add to their suffering.

The Voice of Spain - news from the regions

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

A New Life In France - the Horrors of Spain Left Behind

L'Europe des Levriers carried out one of their monthly rescues last weekend, and 9 galgos and 2 podencos stopped overnight at my home on their way to northern France and foster and adopting homes.

Reporting from Spain - helping the galgos

Virginia Labat of Passion Levriers is spending this week in Spain with friends. This is her report on the situation there.

I am in SPAIN, but no time to write a lot now so I will do it when back to France.

It is very hard, a lot of dogs everywhere and no place for them in the shelters so we feed them by night by the roads where they live.

We try to catch the puppies but the mothers always change the place where she keeps them so we wait in the rain. I cry a lot but my friends help me a lot too.

Freezing Cold in Spain - Make a coat for a galgo

Night temperatures in Spain have now dropped, and galgos are freezing to death. Waterproof dog coats are desperately needed by the refuges and rescue associations.

Use this link on the Greyhounds In Need website to learn how to make coats.

Also click on this link for details of how volunteer Sandi Leach makes coats for galgos.

Protest against hanging of galgos - Write to the Mayoress of Talavera (Badajoz)

As a follow-up to the discovery of yet another hung galgo, please write a letter of protest.

The letter is both in English, and in Spanish.

Galgos start new lives in Italy

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

Message from Badajoz - Strong Words

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)

One of the Lucky Ones - but her babies were left behind

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.

Welo - A Little Dog Surviving Against Horrendous Odds

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 ...