On the way back from my trip in June to Cordoba with the French association L'Europe des Levriers, I collected a galga named Carmela, who was coming back with me for fostering and rehoming. I already have my galga Sahara, Podenca Ebano Bebe, and French levrier X Floyd - my Swedish Valhund Pepsi having disappeared presumed stolen at the beginning of August.
Carmela's history is a little unclear; taken to a perrera for euthanasia at the end of hunting in January, she had arrived at a refuge, been taken on by EDL for adoption and rehoming in France. She was part of the galgos which travelled to France in April 2009, adopted by a family in southern France.
Her profile was of a nervous galga, but otherwise healthy. 4 years old, she had been used for hunting, but for whatever reason, her unfeeling galguerro decided she was ready for the scrap heap. 4 years old!! And such a beauty!
By the time I collected her at the beginning of June, she had been rejected by her prospective adoptants and moved through 2 foster homes. So she was an extremely nervous young lady when she arrived chez nous. As soon as my husband appeared, she would disappear quickly out of sight. She was terrified of having a walking harness put on her, flattening herself to the floor and wetting herself. She would not walk through a door if a human was anywhere near. She would not be caught outside in the courtyard. She would not go near her food if a human was near. It was upsetting to see such a frightened young galga.
Slowly we have persevered. She trusted me, being female - well, it is always the male gypsies and galguerros who perpetuate cruelty against galgos and podencos - most of them are terrified of men. Through patience and working out a system of 'disappearing humans', she learned that food in a bowl on the floor was for enjoying; walking through a door was not a journey into hell; having a harness on meant walking in the meadows in the sunshine with our other dogs; a gentle caress on her body meant love, not pain and cruelty.
I have to admit she tried my patience sometimes - especially last thing at night, before bedtime, when it could take half an hour to get her to come back into the house from the courtyard and toilet time. I was ready to go to bed, surely Carmela wanted to go to bed too!
I also have to admit to resorting to the use of herbal calming tablets. Recommended dose was 3 tablets per day but I gave two tablets morning and evening, reducing to half a tablet morning and evening. I'm sure they helped.
The result is that, after 4 months, Carmela is a confident, trusting galga, who enjoys being stroked and petted. She noses for my hand, for a gentle caress and words of love. She scampers and plays in the garden with Sahara who, being only 2 years old, is a wayward teenager!
And, because there is still no news of my beloved Valhund, I am adopting Carmela, so she has found her forever home with me and my canine family.
Be happy, Carmela, and I wish all galgos and galgas could have a fairy tale story like you.
S
And I curse you Spanish galguerros and Spanish gitans and all your families, who cause unbelievable suffering to these gentle and affectionate animals - galgos.
Recent Comments