The origin of Galgos Rescue Almería
What started as an idea to open a dog boarding kennel on a piece of land in Cuevas del Almanzora, grew into a safe haven for the most vulnerable souls.
The idea of a dog boarding kennel soon took a completely different turn, one that would change the lives of many dogs.
On August 13, 2017, an urgent request came in: whether we could help with a heavily pregnant galgo. Of course, we said yes.
The dog, who we later named Ana after the woman who had taken her from the streets, was severely neglected. Marked by abuse and exploitation, first as a hunting dog and then as a breeding bitch. Less than a day later, she gave birth to eleven puppies.
It was the beginning of something bigger than we could ever have foreseen.
Ana’s story was not an isolated case. More and more galgos and Podencos found their way to GRA. Each with their own story, rarely or never a happy story. A past of fear and deprivation, external but even more internal scars. But also with a spark of hope in their eyes. The shelter that was once intended as a dog boarding kennel quickly became a refuge for abused and neglected hunting dogs. Galgos Rescue Almería was born, a name that has since symbolized love, recovery and a new beginning.
Early January 2018, Lucky, our first Podenco arrived. His physical condition was dire: emaciated, anemic, tested positive for Leishmania…. But his spirit was unbroken. Together with his two sons of barely five weeks old, who we had found a few days before, he found shelter and care. His perseverance made a deep impression, Lucky became, just like Ana, an icon within the GRA family.
Year after year, GRA continued to grow. Hundreds of galgos and podencos found their safe place between our walls. Some stayed a little longer, others found their golden basket sooner. But for all of them: this is where their second life began. Ana and Lucky also finally got the happiness they so deserved. They could experience what it feels like to be loved, to live without fear or pain. Both have already made their last journey, over the rainbow bridge. But their legacy lives on. Their names and faces are immortalized on the wall of the shelter, as a tribute to the two dogs who were at the cradle of everything that GRA is today.
A special thanks goes to Nadine, who shaped this beautiful memory. Thanks to her, Ana and Lucky get the memory they deserve every day.
Galgos Rescue Almería is not a place, it’s a promise. A promise to every galgo and podenco that there is hope. That there are people who do see them, that their past does not have to determine their future.
More about Sandy and John
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