Galgos del Sol (Murcia) makes saving galgos in Spain a reality!

A great person & friend of mine, Tina Solera, President of Galgos del Sol has been nominated for The Coastrider Pride of Spain 2011 awards & no one is more deserving. x

Source: The Coastrider

When famed British philosopher, James Allen said “Change your thoughts, change your life” little did he realise the profound impact his words would have on Englishwoman, Tina Solera and her family. Having settled in Murcia in 2007, well meaning friends had earlier warned her about the ill-treatment of animals in the region. So she was prepared...or so she thought. What she witnessed was to change her life forever. The intensity and frequent abuse of animals in the rural areas of Murcia appalled her, especially the ill treatment of “Galgos”.
 

These Spanish greyhounds are used by local hunters during the rather short hunting season from September to January and are also used for hare coursing. When they are no longer valued for their hunting or racing skills, these placid, graceful dogs are either hung, burnt alive, maimed, abandoned in fields and motorways where they pose a risk to drivers or worse, they are brought to “perreras” where they are brutally euthanized. Unable to watch this mindless brutality any longer, Tina decided to make it her lifelong mission to make a difference to the lives of Galgos and set about establishing a charity called “Galgos del Sol”. This charity is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and finding new loving homes for this noblest of breeds.

The Galgo Espanola is a member of the sight hound family but does not share the same lineage as the English or Irish greyhound. What it does share however, is the same placid, gentle nature and of course, speed. Despite their ill- treatment by Spanish hunters, these dogs still give unconditional love and hardly show aggression towards human beings. It is puzzling therefore, to fathom why some people do not consider them suitable family pets but rather as disposable canines not worthy of the tiniest modicum of respect or love. But this attitude may help explain why the local government is reluctant to sponsor or subsidise any shelter dedicated to these canine pariahs.

Undeterred, Tina forged forward with her plans to set up her animal shelter dedicated to Galgos and another Spanish breed, the Podenco. With the help of donations raised by Angela Stacey and some land donated by her friends, Gaynor and Les, Galgos del Sol is now a functioning animal refuge offering urgent veterinary care, shelter, fostering and re-homing opportunities and of course, the most vital of ingredients, love.

In the last 6 months, Tina and her dedicated group of volunteers has been involved in rescuing and rehoming 60 galgos. Galgos are not easy to catch, especially severely traumatised ones, yet the volunteers spend hours by fields, ditches, farms and motorways, patiently waiting to rescue them. Unlike other animal shelters in the area, Galgos Del Sol does not receive any public funding and depends entirely on donations and fund raising.

Tina is also trying to educate the next generation and as such, is reaching out to 8 to 10 year olds in local schools by creating awareness and appreciation of responsible pet keeping skills.

Her tireless efforts and determination have won her the admiration and support of other greyhound charities such as Greyhound in Need UK and Greyhound Rescue Belgium and other partner agencies. With the help of her volunteers, Tina frequently holds fundraising events throughout the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida to fund her charity.

If anyone can help with fundraising or would like to make a donation to Galgos Del Sol (NIF/CIF: G30856736), please contact Tina Solera at: www.galgosdelsol.es or email her at: tinasolera@hotmail.co.uk 

Needless to say, she has been nominated for The Coastrider Pride of Spain 2011 awards.

I am honoured to be one of her friends, one of her volunteers & her publicist.

"I need to transport 8 galgos to Nice, France. Can ANYONE please lend our registered charity http://www.galgosdelsol.es/   http://www.perrosdelsol.es/  an airconditioned van, probably for the 18th or 19th June?" 

Tall order yes but Tina's charity has no funds to buy a van & these dogs deserve the homes they'll be assured IF Tina can get them halfway then they'll be collected from Nice & taken further.

There are very caring people in the world, please show us support.

Please contact Tina on 693 100 712 or email her on galgosdelsol@hotmail.com

Thank you!

Galgos del Sol is a small charity rescue based in Murcia, Spain that rescues abandoned and injured galgos (Spanish hunting greyhounds), rehabilitates them and finds them forever homes in the UK and other parts of Europe. 

Thousands of galgos are abandoned or killed annually at the end of each short hunting season and as they are not always viewed as potential pets in Spain, they usually end up in perreras (pounds), where their lives are ended, often not in ways we would consider humane.   

Galgos del Sol is entirely dependent on fundraising for its survival and is run by three dedicated women, Tina, Angela and Gaynor, assisted by a group of dedicated volunteers based in Spain, France and the UK. I am Tina's publicist, helping where I can, trying to create awareness. 

After seeing the wonderful work that this charity does Penny decided she wanted to help raise some much needed cash! She will be at the ANTISHA gift shop in PLAYA FLAMENCA centro commercial (behind Super Cor on N 332, Orihuela Costa, Cost Blanca) on MONDAY 30th MAY from 10.30am to 4.30pm offering mini treatments, talking about angels, reiki, animal healing, crystals and all things spiritual....Penny is asking everyone who has a treatment or comes along for advice or information to contribute 5€ to the charity....also BIG bags of dog biscuits are more than welcome!

ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE DAY WILL GO TO THE CHARITY so please go along to meet Penny and help a good cause. I'll be there.

For more information you can email Penny via her web site www.pennywing.com    

There is a feature about this event in The Leader  today.

URGENT HELP NEED FOR A SECOND (GREYHOUND) RESCUE CENTRE.

A landslide has hit these kennels in Madrid - there is thick mud everywhere, see MANY photos on their Facebook page. Below are just a few.

If anyone can help with food & blankets please contact them directly. 

 918579062 / 661992456 / 662950215

Os pido a todos aunque sea tan solo un euro de cada uno los daños son muy severos, las reparaciones van a costar miles de euros. Os lo pido por favor ayudad a nuestros galgos que ya han sufrido tanto, ayudad para que pueden volver a estar en un sitio seguro, limpio y cómodo. Nuestra cuenta solidaria: Banco Santander 0049-1220-40-2710131572 I.B.A.N.: ES22 0049 1220 4027 1013 1572 SWIFT: BSCHESMM

Translation.. I ask all of even just one euro each are very severe damage, the repairs will cost thousands of euros. I beg you please help our greyhounds that have suffered so much support to help them get back into a safe, clean and comfortable. our joint account:Banco Santander 0049-1220-40-2710131572 I.B.A.N.: ES22 0049 1220 4027 1013 1572 SWIFT: BSCHESMM

Ultimas noticias Villa Galgos, viernes 20 de mayo por la noche.
Primero lo más importante, los perros están mas o menos bien, no hemos sufrido bajas aunque tenemos a muchos en observación. Los cachorros están en ingresados en un hospital veterinario y algunos ya están en casa de acogida. Muchos galgos cojean debido a la humedad y por haber estado durante más de 48 horas en el fango. Se necesita urgente metacam o parecido.
Los comederos automáticos han quedado totalmente obstruidos, se enten arreglar hoy (16 de mayo). Si no habría que adquirir nuevos. Los perros han tenido que comer desde el suelo porque los comederos que teníamos se lo ha llevado la riada.
Las casetas que utilizamos como almacén han quedado destrozadas por dentro. 
La comida estaba guardada en otro parte pero de momento hemos perdido unos 600 kilos. Hay muchos animales para alimentar. Las casetas de fuera, de plástico duro han quedado totalmente deformadas, tenemos vallas y puertas rotas.
La parte del refugio que peor ha quedado es la zona del exterior, se ha convertido en un lago y vamos a tener que traer una excavadora y camiones de gravilla. 

Los daños son muy grandes, por favor si nos pueden ayudar esta es nuestra cuenta solidaria Banco Santander 0049-1220-40-2710131572
Iban – ES 220049
Swift: BSCHESMM
PayPal : prensa@baasgalgo.com  

Today we heard of a potential tragedy that had been unfolding overnight at Ace Charity in Malaga province not too far away from where we live.  It had been a rough night of storms and infact  it had kept us awake until well after 4am. The pool in the garden was brimming by morning and needed to be drained off and there were tell tale signs of a heavy night of rain. It’s not unusual for us to get heavy rain, we get a lot but each bout of heavy rain brings new challenges. This time the challenge was a mud slide, and as if not unfortunate enough it was at the site of Ace-Charity the carers of over three hundred rescue dogs. That is no small number, these dogs come in all shapes and sizes and each have some sort of a story of abandonment.

We do not have the kind of gear that we would usually have in England such as shovels & boots etc but we thought the best thing to do is to get down there and see if we could do anything at all to help. To our surprise when we arrived at ACE, the rescue effort had being underway for many hours and great progress had been made.  All three hundred plus dogs had been saved, cleaned and the kennels were all cleared out too. They had some serious hardware by the means of very powerful jet washers and the whole effort looked like a professional well oiled machine.

To the absolute credit of ACE and  the volunteer workers, while all of this was happening they were continuing to provide everyday services such as spaying.  There are so very many stray dogs in Andalucia that even if you are certain that you do not want a dog you will likely come across a circumstance that will change your mind and when you do ACE provide a spaying service to further protect your adopted dog.

Ace-charity.org look after so many dogs that would otherwise have an ominous fate and they need help with provisions. If you can provide any support in any form please contact them through their website http://ace-charity.org/en/contact/staff/

They are now asking please for blankets and food for the dogs as everything was lost at the shelter. If you can spare dog food or blankets, please contact FABIANNE on 610 752 350″

Urgent help requested by Tina, President of the Galgos del Sol dog refuge outside Pilar!

Five kittens were dumped on them two days ago. They have recently been inundated with galgos (not to mention other dogs that have been picked up by them, four  .. unbelievably .. in less than an hour on Sunday) & cannot cope with the kittens too.

The kittens are approx 6 wks old.
2 girls black/white short hair
1 girl black/white longer hair
1 girl tortoiseshell
1 boy white with bits of black

Please contact Tina on 693 100 712
email galgosdelsol@hotmail.com

You are, of course, also welcome to post a comment here but it's Tina who needs you to call urgently if you can help. Thank you!

 23RD MAY to add extra photos.

They're tiny bundles of fun who are very happy being handled & they have been litter trained very easily in the few days they've been with their foster carer BUT she cannot keep them, they NEED forever homes URGENTLY.

Emergency call from Fabianne at ACE animal charity at La Cala  in the Malaga province of Spain- they have had a huge landslide over night which has caused devastation at the kennels.

The dogs are up to their necks in some cases in mud. She NEEDS volunteers to dig the dogs out before they die.

She NEEDS Foster Homes, she NEEDS food.

She has about 300 dogs in the kennels and is desperate to save them.

PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN - PHONE FABIANNE on 952 933 788

http://ace-charity.org/en/

To read an earlier post about Ali click here please.

This morning Ali was rescued & there has been so much rejoicing not only by those who managed to capture her but by countries all over who have been waiting for this moment.

Already Nina, President of SASIN, Slovenian Association for Sighthounds in Need, who recently took nine dogs from Galgos del Sol, has said she has found Ali a home already, with another adopted galgo.

Here are the photos of Ali being caught today. She is now vaccined, scalibored and microchipped and just waiting for her blood test results.

Ali is ready for bed all cozy in a coat made by Grethe in Denmark. (read about Grethe here 27th February 2011) 

On 30th May Penny Wing is holding a fundraising day for the GALGOS DEL SOL charity.

http://www.pennywing.com/index.html

10:30am - 4:30pm at the Antisha gift shop Playa Flamenca Centro Commercial, (behind Super Cor on the main coast road - N332) Orihuela Costa. 

Mini treatments, angel cards, drinks and nibbles ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE GALGOS DEL SOL CHARITY http://www.galgosdelsol.es/

 

Look for Penny ... here she is...

I have been asked to appeal for help for Galgos del Sol refuge for abused & abandoned galgos (Spanish working greyhounds). To date Tina who runs this refuge, & her team of volunteers, have been using their own cars but this has not been satisfactory when a trap has been needed to be transported to try to catch a dog in need. If the dog's caught there's no safe area for it in the car, ideally it should go into a cage for transporting. Tina's car now has chewed seatbelts.

She has asked me to ask if anyone, perhaps big businesses, have an old van they can donate to Galgos del Sol. It is a registered charity NIF/CIF G30856736 that relies on public donations & goodwill. The charity wants to have the trap on them at all times with a transport kennel too.

Tina preferably wants a Spanish van but a UK van would be acceptable as the charity would re-register it onto Spanish plates. They would drive a van back from the UK too, anything to get a van for their work. It would have the Galgos del Sol logo on the side and also promote the plight of galgos using the van with http://www.galgonews.com and the GdS webpage.

We know this is a big request but please, can anyone help this refuge which does such great work? The website & Tina's number is on this banner.