Galgo News

League Against Cruel Sports - letter to write to them for the Galgos

Earlier in the year I was contact by a someone who had made contact with the League Against Cruel Sports in the UK, to ask if I could write to them about the plight of the galgos. As you will all know, it has been a terrible year for the Spanish hunting dogs, worse than ever, so time has been very short for me.

Natalie Osborne very kindly offered to compose a letter to send, and so I am asking you all to please print off the letter below - copy and paste it into a Word document, and then print and post - to see if the League will help to try and make a change for the galgos.

Help the Aged - adopt an older galgo -

Some galgos are lucky enough - if you can call it lucky to survive several years at the hands of a galguero - to reach 7 or even 10 years of age. They desperately need to live out the rest of their lives in the comfort of a loving home, and here are three.

Elsa and Maika are particularly sad stories and an example of the hypocrisy of the Spanish authorities. Siblings, rescued at 3 yrs by a lady and taken into her home, 7 years later they find themselves in a shelter. With so many abandoned dogs living on the streets of Spain, it's hard not to want to help them, and this is the situation in which Elsa and Maika's Mom found herself.

Bergen, Norway - home checker needed

Is there anyone living in or near Bergen, Norway, who could do a home check? A Spanish association has received a request to adopt one of their galgos. The adoptant is a friend of a friend of the association president, but a home check still needs to be done. Also, are there any other galgo adoptants in Norway? Please email me direct with the info.

High Jinks at a Spanish wedding celebration - Levriers sans Frontieres steps in

Man's cruelty again animals knows no bounds. Yet another sickening example - an 8 month old galgo puppy burned and forced to ingest acid. Photos on this link. Here's a translation of the case.

Her name is Corcha. She's an 8-month old little galga. She was burned with acid, forced to ingest it after a marriage ceremony, believe it or not! It happened in Merida. The poor thing is probably blind and will carry the scars (both mentally and physically) forever.

Pepis Refuge, Seville - dogs poisoned by local person! Please help

Those of you who have read my book will know that I mention how difficult it can be for animal rescue volunteers to work - when local people against them and their work - and especially if they make conplaints against acts of animal cruelty - take retaliatory action against, the volunteers, their families, their homes, cars...and in this case their dogs.

Pepis Refuge, near Seville, has become the latest victim of just such an horrendous and sickening act. Read about it here.

Trip to Spain 2 - Seville - Prodeanse and Sofia El Refugio Escuela

The drive down to Seville from Valladolid was expected to take about 6 hours or so, so I’d bought a box of Lee Child audio tapes to help pass the time during the long drive. Much of the countryside through which the motorways pass is flat and barren – the land burnt brown by the scorching heat of the sun – broken up spasmodically by a narrow range of mountains topped with wind turbines, or massive solar panel farms on the plains – Spain is certainly ahead of France (where I live) in alternative power sources. The UK can’t compete as they simply haven’t the land mass.

One very noticeable difference from my previous visits to Spain was the lack of movement on building work – new roads part completed - now void of cranes, earth movers, building materials, silent and static - huge apartment blocks simply left as empty concrete shells, ‘se vende’ or ‘se alquila’ signs everywhere. (for sale and to rent). Clear evidence of the recession.

Trip to Spain 1 - Scooby Residencia Valladolid - adopt Tula

I’ve just got back from a trip to Spain, catching up with friends and shelters and the animal rescue work going on. It’s a while since I’ve been; last year was out because I had serious shoulder injuries which required an operation; this year I had serious mobility problems with one of my horses. So my visit was somewhat overdue!

The planned route was Valladolid, Seville and Malaga; then drive straight back via Madrid. My first port of call was Cobie at Scooby Residencia Valladolid. I first met Cobie at a refuge in Cordoba back in June 2009 and she’s been a very useful and knowledgeable contact for me regarding the situation in Spain for the galgos.

Running the Paris 20km for GIN Galgos - sponsors urgently needed

Greyhounds in Need sponsors and rehomes many Spanish Galgos, and the charity is to benefit from money raised by Caroline Grebbell who says,

'I am running the Paris 20k Marathon on 14th October 2012 and I would like my sponsorship money to go to the Galgo cause. I had a rescue lurcher for twelve years (she was found abandoned in Ireland) and plan to adopt another once my circumstances change in regard to work etc, but I feel I want to help however I can. If I can raise a bit of cash by staggering 12 miles through Paris then it will all be worth it! '

Please support Caroline by sponsoring her run, you can find all the details here.
http://www.justgiving.com/Caroline-Grebbell1

Visit Seville - see the real Seville

Province of Seville - September 2012 - the hellish life for galgos continues. This report from Macu, another incredible volunteer who works tirelessly to save the galgos and podencos from a hunting and gypsy village.

A report came to her about many animals in deplorable conditions a village of galgueros. A brave woman, she has been going to this village for 3 years to save dogs, she denounces them all the time and yet the authorities do nothing - Nada, Nada, she says! There is a galgo puppy, a 3 year old galga with a bad hip and a galga which was in danger of being stolen!

Hung Podencos - Spain, August 2012 - real life in Spain

It's not just galgos that the bastard galgueros hang - here's the story of 3 podencos founding hanged and murdered at the beginning of August.