Saving galgos - Noah's Arc at full stretch!

Gail is a volunteer with Noah's Arc association in Murcia. She recently became involved in saving several galgos which had been taken to a dog pound in Mairena to be put down. This is her story about saving the dogs.

'I received an email from Lisbeth Monsted Larsen from Greyhound Action Denmark on Saturday 13th June 2009 showing an appeal to save Spanish Greyhounds - due to be put down. Of course once I had seen the photos of these beautiful dogs I felt I needed to see if we could do something. So I emailed Karmela to find out where they were and she said Mairena. I looked to see where that was in Spain and found there was a Mairena near to Granada and asked if that was where she was but she didn't tell me where it was, just that she needed our help if possible and then how much it would cost to get them out of the pound.

The pound would test for Leishmaniosis, innoculate against rabies, worm and microchip which would cost 45€ each dog. Then there would be a cost to stay at the kennels until they could be transported and then the cost of transporting the dogs up to us at Mazarron on top. At that point Andrew said that Noah's Arc do not have to pay to save dogs lives, there are many dogs around here that we need to help. I, by then, was too involved (after seeing the faces of the galgos concerned) and said I would pay if Noah's Arc would help once they got here. We were quoted 1,200€.

I then decided that I would go onto Galgo News to see if the appeal was on there and if it would explain where Mairena was and then found it was in Seville. A LONG, LONG way away from Mazarron in Murcia. By this time we had Ian involved who speaks Spanish and emails were going backwards and forwards as to how this could possibly be achieved.

At this point Isabella from Animal Adopcion became involved and it was finally agreed that she would get the galgos out of the pound and bring them to us here in Mazarron in her people carrier as they had to come to Elche and then go onto Madrid. It only held 8 galgos so she bought 7 of the pound galgos. One had escaped and another was too poorly and I think another rescue centre took two. She brought one of her own centre's galgos (Raul) as well. They had an 8 hour car journey to us and several of the dogs were not well on the way but they did not want to stop in case anymore escaped. Fortunately though this bought the cost down to 550€.

We went to the drop off point but the lady had had to rush a neighbour to the hospital so was not there. However one of the foster carers said we could take them all back to her house where there were high walls and shade. Her husband was out!

There is a little bit of video on our website of them all in Sue's garden, pooing and peeing all over her garden. Many bags were needed to clear up after these poor dogs but they were happy to be out of the car and to be able to have a drink. Their ages ranged from 1 to 4 years old.

We had two foster carers there and then another lady arrived and all the dogs were milling around and soon they started to attach themselves to people. Jill took Abby home, then Carol took Bessie home and Sue, whose house it was, said she would like Diana and Raul.

Several had a few wounds and so we took them to the vets to be checked and fortunately there was nothing serious and a week's course of antibiotics would cure all.

By the time we got back to Sues house she had changed her mind and wanted Dianah and Fletcher. Two, we thought, hmmmmm, I wonder what Jim her husband will say. Just then he arrived and there were still 5 dogs plus his own and Pam turned up and said which dogs could she choose from. Sue said that she was going to have Dianah and Fletcher at which point Jims head shot up and he said "TWO! I thought we had agreed one!"

Pam decided she would like to take Millie. Dianah and Fletcher stayed (yes) with Sue and Jim, Raul and Duque went with Jeanette, and Colino went with Shelley.

We telephoned everyone the next day to see how the evening and night had gone and all was well and Jim had fallen in love with Dianah and Fletcher and they could stay. It was a shame, as I had had my eye on looking after Fletcher. As it turned out 2 weeks later I had a little galga rescued from El Palmar by another Spanish rescue who had heard that we could help galgos. Little Lisa is a treasure and I know I must not get attached, but it is too late and my heart will be broken when she finds her forever home.

Now all have been bathed, had further innoculations and blood tests for Erlichia, Filariosis and Babisia and we have begun to spay and neuter and as you can see with the photos, they are all coming out of their shells and showing the love to people that they had buried deep inside. Some are still a little nervous of a sudden fast movement but most are now seeking out the attention that they know they can ask for without being scolded or worse.

We have an association with Greyhounds in Need in England and through them Greyhounds Rescue Belgium, so all our galgos go to Belgium to their new homes. They are usually all reserved before they leave their foster homes over here and then they fly to Brussels and then a short drive to Josehines house where their new owners are eagerly waiting for them to arrive. They do not go to kennels. Should it be necessary, they go to another foster home until a home is found.

We are also lucky in that we get feedback from all the people that adopt and this of course means that many of the fosterers that we use over here continue to foster for us. It is heartbreaking to let a galgo go that you have fostered for maybe 8 weeks or longer and all of us break our hearts each time we let a dog go but then we see them in their new homes and we can see how happy they are. We have even been lucky enough to go and visit with two of our foster dogs and see for ourselves how well, happy and adjusted they are.

We are also very concerned that Belgium is going to pass this new law in October prohibiting the transport of dogs from Spain into the country. This will mean disaster for our beautiful dogs. There are many petitions out there trying to stop this law and I hope they will be successful. I have signed and sent on the petitions to everyone I know. At the present time Josephine says do not worry and she has flights booked through until April next year so if the bill is successfully stopped then all our galgos will be homed in Belgium.

You have the photos of the dogs in the pound but now I will show you the photos of how they look now.

Last Saturday we took in another galga called Lisa that was found in El Palma. It took a few days for the Spanish lady (Lisa) to catch her but she had been in contact with us and knew we would take her if she could be caught. Andrew and I are fostering her and she is a dear. She looks quite big in the photo but she is tiny and we are only just now in the last few days being able to get her to eat. Then on Monday we went to the pound in Murcia and rescued two galgos that were also due to be euthanised. They are Zoe and Wallace and fortunately they too are in foster homes. Thank goodness we were in time as the vets were there when we arrived at 8.30 a.m. and were just starting their awful work.

So as you can see we have been busy and these are just the galgos that have come in. Of course we take in other dogs as well, ten so far this month. Thank goodness we are gradually building up a wonderful network of foster carers or else many of these dogs would not be saved as we do not have the resources as we are financed by public donations only.'

All these people do an amazing job of saving and rehoming beautiful galgos, as well as other dogs heartlessly abandoned by their Spanish owners.

If you would like to help support their work by making a donation, or can offer a forever home to one of their dogs, you can do so through their website.