At least 100,00 Galgos killed or abandoned in Spain every year There is an English translation of a Spanish article below, but if you can read Spanish click here for the Spanish original or here for another related article also in Spanish La Voz January 23rd 2007

" About 25,000 dogs will be abandoned in Andalucia with the arrival of the hunting season. Coinciding with the close of the previous hunt, many of the dogs, most of them galgos (Spanish greyhounds), will be abandoned or destroyed because they are not useful as hunting dogs any longer.

The number of dogs that appear to be sacrificed, abandoned or wounded increases at this time of the year – end of January, beginning of February - again coinciding with the close of the hunting season. The number that the Ecologists in Action estimate is 25,000 in Andalucia and 100,000 in all of Spain. These numbers are underestimated as many of the animals become lost and are never found.

In many places of Spain, specifically in Andalucia, a deeply rooted custom exists where dogs, above all galgos (greyhounds), are used to hunt rabbits and other animals. Joaquín Reina of Ecologists in Action explains that the majority of the hunters get rid of the wounded dogs, those over 7 years old, or those unable to hunt, by cruel and inhumane ways.

Ecologists believe “the only way to guarantee protection (of the greyhounds) would be to prohibit some form of hunting with dogs” and denounce the current Domesticated Animals Protection Law in place as it favors the hunters.

But not only do they suffer a cruel death. While they are alive, they are malnurished, piled up in crates, ill fed and poorly treated.

Nieves Orellana, president of the Protection of Animals of Cadiz, recalls that in the same period last year the Kimba shelter took in 60 galgos and 5 other breeds. Animals they rescue are placed with families in other European countries."

SIDE ARTICLE

" 'The galgos can recoup physically but they never forget their fear of men', commented Nieves Orellana, President of the Society of Protection of Animals of Cadiz. She knows from her own experience, because for years she has had one of these galgos (Spanish greyhound).

She recently reported a man in Chiclana who had 11 galgos tied up and in cramped cages and she has offered to take them to her Shelter.
At this time of year we recover many dogs. Sometimes the owners of the galgos consider bringing the animals to us or to the Villamartin dog pound.

This coming week, Orellana will reunite with the Delegation of Governing to create a "protocol of denunciation" (maybe a system allowing anonymous reporting) because in many towns people are afraid to denounce their neighbors."

GA UK

GA International