A letter to Senor Galguero...

To Senor Galguero, from Beryl Brennan

I woke up ANGRY this morning. And it’s YOUR fault.

Why?

I'm a writer; I write for newspapers, magazines, websites. I'd like to write more books - I've got plenty of ideas, but not the time. I used to get paid for my writing. Now, writing about anything other than galgos and podencos has taken a very back seat, so I lay the drop in my income firmly at your door. Because I don't earn any money writing about galgos and podencos, I do it because I must, for these innocent souls. That's for starters.

I place the blame firmly on YOU - the Spanish galgueros and gitanos. On every single one of you from the intelligent, educated, affluent, influential ones in government - politicians, judges, policemen – down to the old peasant out on the campo. Every one of you is to blame. Even the minority of you who do care about your galgos, because you do nothing to stop the annual mass abandonment and massacre of galgos and podencos.

And don’t tell me not to interfere and criticize you and Spain. Because what you do or do not do impacts on MY life and that of tens of thousands of people around the world!

After discovering the plight of the galgo and podenco many years ago, much of my waking hours are now occupied with writing about them and trying to help as many as I can in a multitude different ways. Because, unlike YOU, I am not selfish, thoughtless, uncaring, arrogant.

Because of YOU Spanish hunter and gitano, galgos and podencos have taken over my life! And I'm one of thousands of other people who suffer similarly, a large majority of whom live in Spain or are members of rescue and rehoming associations around Europe and in the US.

Let's consider just what far-reaching effects the selfish, thoughtless and, yes, arrogant attitude of the majority of you Spanish hunters and gitanos has outside of your own insular world. How YOUR actions or lack of action impacts on so many more lives.

1. The dogs - that's obvious. Treated as an unfeeling tool to be fed when you the hunter feels inclined, discarded when you no longer want it.

2. Uncontrolled breeding of galgos and podencos by you the hunter and gitano.

3. Mass abandonment of unwanted puppies and dogs every year - my latest calculation is over 100,000 this year.

4. The dogs are a danger on the road, causing accidents. The driver and any passengers are often greatly distressed by hitting and injuring a dog on the road. (I'm being generous here, as some won't be!)

5. The dogs themselves, they experience pain from injury, sickness, fear - they suffer physically and mentally, sometimes for life.

6. Volunteers who rescue the dogs - the thousands in Spain who cannot turn a blind eye to an injured, starving, sick galgo or podenco on the streets - hanging around a village, restaurant, even this year on the Madrid Metro! Yes, one of you hunters or gitanos bred that galgo and then got rid of it! How many people were affected by seeing the poor hound running terrified along the tracks till it was hit and injured and left to die. What about the ladies to wanted to rescue it, were prevented by the authorities from so doing, and who eventually risked their lives to pick up the pieces? This nightmare scenario will stay in their minds for ever.

7. Volunteers usually have jobs, husbands, partners, children...saving the dogs takes over the life of the volunteer sometimes to such an extent that the relationship breaks down, families part. The emotional and physical strain on them is incalculable and can come at immense cost, financially, physically and mentally. YOU galgueros and gitanos are responsible for all this!

8. What about the vets? Spanish vets usually charge less for putting back together a rescued dog, and their fees are normally much less than a French vet and certainly far less than a British one! Yet generally the local Spanish vet is required to undertake extremely complicated surgery. It’s a physical strain on them too - them and their staff.

9. Next on the list - the members of the rescue associations, who travel to refuges in Spain to rescue dogs and rehome your abandoned and unwanted galgos and podencos. Volunteers again mostly, who give up their time in many ways - fundraising for the shelters, collecting donated goods, finding foster and adopting homes. This impacts on their lives too.

10. And what about the people who adopt the dogs. You might think the culpability of YOU Spanish galguero and YOU gitano ends there. But it does not. Because of the lack of control over breeding of galgos and podencos in Spain and the poor feeding of pregnant and nursing bitches, their pups often suffer. They may develop physical and health problems during the course of their lives which impacts on the adoptants and their vets as they work to diagnose the problem and aid the dog’s recovery.

11. And what about the dogs who do not get adopted, because people adopt a galgo? What about the thousands of English and Irish greyhounds still waiting for homes because people have adopted a galgo. And yes, I’d include putting blame here on breeders of greyhounds too and class many of them in a similar category to YOU, Spanish hunter and Gitano – they just don’t breed as many dogs as you produce in Spain!

12. Finally we arrive full circle - the dog suffers still....

So, Senor Galguero, YOU have all this blood on your hands and a lot of people to answer to as a result of your selfish, thoughtless, uncaring, arrogant attitude. Because, yes, it is arrogant of you to expect so many people to pick up the pieces of your actions against a sentient being which you carelessly discard like a cigarette butt.

SHAME ON ALL OF YOU and the shame you bring to Spain!

Comments

[jenny]

well said alan you have worded that in a nice way i would say ye you are correct in one part you are being kind when you write this in the words you have chosen and yes they have got a lot to answer to from the top to the bottom that poor girl on the line it will always stay with me and the poor girl been beat to death in the street while on lookers walk by how could they how did they do nothing and little jade bless them all ones gone ones still with us and ones to come because the situation at the moment they all need all the luck in the world and me i will never ever forget or forgive what they have done like i said if it was one off incidents and i knew they where truly sorry for what they had done then maybe there would be forgivness there but not now they have gone to far for forgiveness i cant even think of a word at the moment to describe them all for what they are

[Marion]

Wonderful letter, all totally correct.................

Perhaps a miracle will happen in Spain one day - and they will be compassionate towards animals.

[Melitta Strouhal]

thank you for this letter, it is really written from heart. don't post this in a quiet way, send this to the government and spanish politicians, to the EU, AND also to the gitanos and galgueros, if they are organised, also send this to their organisations. Go outside on the street, be very loud, protest in a big way. It's unbelievable, spain is a member of the EU, I am sure, the EU knows what is happen in Spain, 100 000 souls every year, and all are looking to another side. Incredible!!!
"You can recognise the heart of a country,in how the people are treating their animals."

[Beryl Brennan]

Jen - you have posted this comment on the wrong article - you meant this to go with Alan Brian's marvellous poems!

[Beryl Brennan]

Thanks for your comments. I hadn't thought to post it other than on here. Do you think I should rewrite it in a less angry tone but still with all the information in, and then run it as a letter campaign?

[jenny]

never mind

[Grey]

Totally agree with all of this. I think I read in this blog about the work of the rescues being a sticking plaster over a festering sore and that festering sore is Senor Galguero!! My rescue galgo really suffered in the later stages of his life, he had to have two serious operations, he had arthritis and could hardly walk, not to mention the psychological damage done to him and the scars on his beautiful face. It is a disgrace that these dogs are treated like rubbish. A rotten stinking disgrace.

[Grey]

Yes I think it would be great. It has everything in there, it covers the lot.

[Sonja]

And one more point: WE LOVE AND ADMIRE YOU, GALGOS AND PODENCOS - AS OUR BELOVED FAMILY MEMBERS, OUR CHILDREN AND BEST FRIENDS!

[jenny]

keep it as it is beryl its the truth

[Viv Wharton]

Wow, thank you Beryl, you said it all. I am going to get it translated and put on the website, I hope that's ok? Thank you for that letter - that all of us send with you, to Senor Galguero from our hearts. I hope one day he hears it...

[Beryl Brennan]

Thanks for that Viv. I have no problem with it being translated. When it is, can you send me a copy - maybe I should run a campaign for everyone to send a copy to the national and regional governments and the hunting federations. What do you think, is it toooo angry, should I tone it down a bit?

[J.Richardson]

Definitely dont change a thing ,it comes across as passionate,straight from the heart,if only they would take notice and take your words to their cold hearts!

[Suzie Simmons]

Beryl,
I think you should crosspost it EXACTLY as it is.....I feel the same anger, sadness & deep frustration - I lived in Spain for 6 1/2 years & upon returning to the UK brought my 5 rescue dogs back with me....I cried for a big part of the journey vback, as I felt so guilty at having to leave my neighbours dogs behind that I had been feeding whilst living there, as they simply didn't.......
The plight of these beautiful dogs so needs to be brought to the attention of the world time, time & time again...
A really well written, thought evoking piece.....although it brought a teat to my eye once again, I thank You & everyone else who works so tirelessly & cares enough to try & make a difference.

Suzie Simmons

[Suzie Simmons]

Apologies for the typos.....made me feel teary......

[Dawn McLaren]

A wonderful wonderful letter full of truth and heart... I just hope they that be will allow themselves to read it.. it just might let a little light in to their cold hearts.. although I doubt that..but it might start a stirring in other's hearts.. tall oaks from little acorns grow... let it be read ( your letter ) as many places on this earth as possible..with that sort of heart in a letter to lead we will get the message through.. the lives of these wonderful dogs depend on it!!!!!!!

[jenny]

and may i just add i would also like charl to publish the letter of hers what was the same title senor galguero but from the thoughts of a galgo in her last days hours mins to seconds of her closing her eys i did so sob my heart out when i read that in the heaven to hell book 2 half year ago when i purchased it thats what drove me to do my table tops to raise money for rescues and sign every petition going and write letters still doing the same thing

[Frank]

The letter is excellent and says it how it is, the wider it is circulated the better.

[Erika]

Hi, Beryl,

This is SOOOO TRUE! As a newcomer to the whole drama, I can honestly say that I'd much prefer to be able to have a good time in Spain, without having to think of the mass murder going on. And getting newsletters compiled on a European schedule first thing on a New York morning has often made me start my day with extreme sadness and anger.

I think these people - hunters and gitanos - need to know what they are doing, not only to the dogs, but also to the people who - unlike them - don't think that cruelty to animals is ok.

I think it is a great idea to have your text in Spanish, and to send it to the hunting associations etc.
Perhaps a Spanish rescue organisation could double-check the translation for 'cultural sensitivities'?

Thanks for all you are doing, Beryl.

Erika

[Valerie]

WOW------excellent.....I do appreciate you for your daily blogs and for sending this important letter! I have been happy to help on many occasions with donations, letters, etc. Sincerely, Valerie from B.C., Canada.

[Jay - East Riding Greyhounds]

Brilliantly expressed Beryl; I think you have said it all - everything that everyone involved in the plight of these precious dogs feels and experiences. As an adopter of a galgo/pod cross and a rescuer of greyhounds in UK it touched my heart in many ways. A letter campaign is a great idea!

[Irene Janknegt]

Your letter is strong and honest.
You tell galguero`s exact the impact of there cruel treatment and dumping of there Galgo`s
All your word`s explain my and many people feelings .
My anger is for the galguero`s gitanos and the government .
I think it is important ,to do more with your letter
because you say exact Wat is going on with the Galuero`s versus Galgo`s Espanol .

#GALGUERO#STOP#KILLING#GALGO`S#

[ANITA]

YES IRENE STOP KILLING GALGO'S !!! I HAVE A GALGO SHE IS SO SWEETY . SORRY FOR MIJ ENGLISH . I SPEAK FLAMISH . GOODBAY .