ACTIN, making changes for animals in Spain.

I am going to be completely open hearted. The cruelty myself and many others witness, read about and hear, on a daily basis through personal experiences and the network of members on Facebook sometimes becomes too much.

 I was very angry here in Spain for the first few years because I had no way of knowing how to handle the appalling situation for animals that I was surrounded by. Recently I feel I have learnt to channel it into the work here but sometimes something happens and you cannot contain your anger and frustration.  So maybe this account is a little cathartic and perhaps will help the people involved, as they did their best and they need to know that.

 BUT the main reason I am writing this, is to point out that something needs to be done about the situation of the Perreras, the kill stations and in particular one or two that need looking into sooner rather than later. The one I mention here today, I will not name to protect the volunteers and the dogs inside but it needs help. I shall not name yet but I am looking into ideas of what can be done about it.

 A lot of dogs are saved from these kill stations through networking, it is by no means an easy task, it is fraught with frustrations through the language barrier, through volunteers not being able to communicate quickly and by the rules of the different Perreras.  Perreras are so called refuges for animals and are usually set up by the Town Halls and run by a private company, that is typically the situation but many have different ways of being set-up.   Privately owned ones can be very good, or very, very bad. In either case there are always too many dogs and they only have a certain capacity. If they become over full they will set a date for killing the overflow, many of them just kill a certain amount of dogs each week.

 Do we always know that the dogs are put down humanely – no, but we guess not in every case, as the method costs money?  This is a matter of great CONCERN!

If it were not for the volunteers there would be far more suffering.  It is a complex problem and many people do not know what goes on inside of them. We can be sure though, that the bad ones are not there for the good of the dogs but are making money and this is something that compounds the situation.  The perreras realise that they can make money from the general public, by blackmailing us with death row dates – and so we all pull out the stops to do something.  Some volunteers that I know spend their lives helping these dogs and many of those volunteers do not even live in Spain. BUT here is a thought, if we were to identify who the bad Perreras were and boycott them, we may be able to stop this terrible cycle. If we focused our attention on the good Perreras and only adopted from them, then we would be sending out a very positive message.  Clean up your act, run a good Perrera, take the animals into consideration, stop killing, look at alternatives, as there are ones. Promote sterilising in your town and there will be fewer dogs on the street. It is a thought but it would need a big movement amongst the volunteers.

So what prompted my anger and sadness, was this poor boy - above - he is in the bad Perrera and a plea went out.  He needed to be freed as killing day was imminent; in fact it was to be today, as I write this.  There was an adopter, a sponsor, even finance in place, all was left to do was to coordinate the operation.  There was one volunteer in the US, one in Germany, three volunteers’ communicating from the Perrera, plus many more networking to help.  I know this was no mean feat and a lot of preparation and networking involved.  How stressful for all involved, they had a short time in which to save him.  The Pointers plight had been picked up by the networkers on Facebook, he was beautiful (just like one of my rescue dogs in fact) he was afraid and gentle, the description from the volunteer made your heart go out to him.  God only knows what situation he had come from already.  Thank god he was going to be saved!!!  

But he wasn’t, the kill date was brought forward and yesterday this poor, frightened boy’s life was extinguished, along with FORTY NINE OTHERS!!  He had the chance of happiness AND HE WAS THROWN AWAY!!  My heart breaks, yours is breaking reading this, I know.  We need help in Spain to stop this.

Here is another - above -in a Perrera, this little boy is due to be sacrificed on 20th November, and he tries to escape his prison, no idea why he is there.  So I am torn, do we boycott in the hope to save future dogs like this, or do we do everything we can to get them out as our poor hearts ache for their plight?  I don’t know the answer…tears don’t help though…something must be done!

Viv Wharton

Taken from here 

On the 23rd November we are doing a walk to raise awareness of our sterilising campaign. It is not a walk as in we are going so many kilometres. the idea is to walk around the Paseo with our dogs handing out leaflets and spreading the message. We can sit have coffee talk to others, and generally show as a group who are trying to spread a message.

If you would like to join us you can bring your dog (and hopefully wear one of our campaign T-shirts, their cost is €12.50, see previous post here. ) 

It is in the port starting at The Galileos restaurant at the end of the Paseo.

http://www.actin-spain.com/actin-online-shop/

12.50€  (Other text available)

Please be aware that the sizes are a little different from what you might be used to. They have been made to Spanish sizes therefore a medium could be considered a small in most countries, a large would be considered a medium, and an extra large should be considered a large.

The womens t-shirts are fitted.

admin@actin-spain.com

The ACTIN Association are looking for active Committee members who can speak both English and Spanish and live within commuting distance to Cartagena, for once a month meetings.

Perhaps you are interested in childrens education for teaching kindness to animals, have experience of rescue and dealt with cruelty cases, or just genuinely believe in our aims and would like to help.

If you have a belief in our campaign to encourage sterilisation of pets, good communication skills, writing skills, you are good at networking, marketing, fundraising, have a positive can do attitude and are not easily discouraged by the huge task of improving animal welfare in Spain..then you would be very welcome.

And of course if you just plain want to help in anyway possible, please let us know....Thank you.

Contact admin@actin-spain.com

This is Mara before she was rescued.

Mara’s story represents tens of thousands of hunting dogs that are killed and abandoned every year.

I first saw a photo of Mara on Facebook, when a mass rescue was taking place in March 2012. Just one example of a mass abandonment and hoarding of one hundred and twenty dogs, that was brought to attention – there are many more situations like this that will never be discovered because of the size of Spain and the vast Spanish countryside, a hidden cruel secret that the hunters keep from the public eye.

Maybe Mara’s story could also be an example to these hunters, of how these beautiful and intelligent dogs could continue to serve them, if treated properly. We need to get to the root of the problem and find out why this cruelty continues. Mara represents all of these dogs, with her harrowing story. She, like so many others, that have been treated like a piece of garbage, left to die in the middle of nowhere in the harsh Spanish weather with nowhere to lie, no comfort from the sores on her poor skinny body, no food, water, or hope. Shown not an ounce of kindness or compassion, these poor sentient creatures have done nothing more than to try to serve their master.

Many of us do not support hunting of any kind but unfortunately we have to respect that the hunters will continue with this, as it is part of the culture here. However, it is nothing to do with culture when their dogs are hung, burnt, abandoned to starve, thrown down wells, mutilated and even thrown in bins, their owners being the ones to perpetrate this barbaric and cruel torture, to the dogs who have served them through the hunting season. The practice of dumping, or killing those dogs at the end of the season has some very nasty twists and turns that many people don’t know about, unless involved directly. Mara wants the world to know, so we can try to alleviate the numbers of dogs that end up in this terrible situation. If we can convince the hunters of the worth of these animals, then surely they will see a better way.

Mara was left with a man, an animal hoarder. His likely motive was to let the dogs mate with each other and sell the puppies on to the hunters in the new hunting season. Many dogs were left in an enclosure, to mate indiscriminately but some like Mara chained up under a tree and left with no hope.

When the rescue took place there were many photos of the dogs and it was well publicised on Facebook where many volunteers do so much to help. Many of these supporters are not in Spain and cannot physically help. In spite of that, they offer a great moral support to the rescuers in a situation such as this, and the many other situations that are reported daily. One hundred and twenty dogs is an unbelievable amount to save all at once. Luckily many Associations came to help in this particular situation but for each of those Associations, the cost to save the dogs was heavy, with limited funds already because of the constant necessity to rescue. This is an exhausting time for the rescuers, as abandoned animals have reached crisis point and end of hunting season is the worst time of year, a time that every animal rescuer dreads. An average dog that has no illness to treat, would cost in the region of 300 Euros for blood tests, vaccinations, passport chip and sterilisation, that is without the treatment of the animals that do have illnesses when rescued. The problem is insurmountable and so it has to STOP, it cannot continue like this.

We want the hunters to face up to the terrible situation they are causing and the government to look seriously at this massive problem, (as yet they do not, and they even tell us there is not enough evidence)! How can a government allow these crimes to continue? How can they allow the many Animal Associations working as volunteers and desperate to make changes, to continue to suffer like this? It is a catastrophe! As mentioned the one hundred and twenty dogs here, along with Mara, are just one of many that we know of and one of thousands that we will never know of. It is a holocaust!

People supporting on Facebook from far and wide, outside of Spain had noticed poor Mara’s plight, there was something about her face that told of suffering and she was one of many that needed to be got out urgently. Mara had got into people’s hearts!! We had thought that she had been saved but when I arrived at the scene she was the first dog I saw. There were practicalities and in order to successfully save the dogs we had gone to rescue, there was no way we could take Mara.    A call from a volunteer from another Association, to see if they could save some dogs came through but they had no possibility of getting to the scene. I saw an opportunity for Mara to be helped and told them about her but we could not physically take her.

All day on top of the harrowing scenes and sadness, the compassion of the volunteers and everything else that happened that was so stressful, I could not rid myself of the thought of Mara and who could take her, how could we get her out? Then good news – the Association had managed to find some volunteers who drove there to help. When they arrived I tearfully led them to Mara, so thankful that they were able to get to the scene and take her, along with some other poor dogs too, who were so lucky that day. The volunteer gently put Mara on a lead and led her to shade where she was fed, watered and stroked, probably for the first time in her life. It was an emotional moment. 

Above: Mara and Timmy.

Mara unfortunately had some of the Mediterranean illnesses that many of the Spanish dogs get when they are left out and not cared for and she was really quite ill, though treatable. It was going to cost a lot to get her well.

The cost of the rescue of these dogs still affects the Associations involved and some are still in deficit from the amount needed to save them. The rescuing doesn’t stop on a day to day basis. We hope that this won’t affect future rescues.

If only we could prevent this so that no one has to go through this again and we can stop the dogs suffering. If we can encourage the hunters to understand how much could be saved financially, how good a sterilised and well looked after dog could work, then we will help the situation. We have to organise a campaign to teach these people and get through to them. Perhaps via the hunters who are already treating their hunting dogs better, but sadly they are in a minority!

The government needs to insist and implement sterilization, chipping and licensing hunting dogs. This would go a long way to teaching responsibility to the owners. If the vets could collaborate with this too, then there is no excuse for the hunters. The necessity for guidelines, laws and an organization to oversee and implement it would make a huge difference.

Mara was now with a wonderful rescue group – San Animal Santuario. They already were over full with other rescues but still took on more dogs from this rescue, including Mara. She looked so ill, her skin around her eyes was bald, she had lumps and sores and was painfully thin, and Mara had a long way to go to get to good health.

Today San Animal Santuario have twenty one dogs and many cats in their care, maybe more by the time I write this and they are struggling to raise funds. The non-profit organizations that are trying to help are in much need of help themselves. This is a ridiculous state of affairs in a country like Spain.

There are so many problems – an economic crisis and too much animal cruelty and abandonment cases here in Spain. There are no adequate laws, the ones there are apparently in place are not good enough, or even implemented; the government refuses to acknowledge the problem and people are afraid to report cases because of fear of retribution and animals suffering more, as a consequence of the police and authorities not taking the cases seriously.

Animals come to the bottom of the pile in any economic situation, but in Spain they are already in the bottom of the pile, recession or no recession.

So what can be done? We need a massive movement to correct this situation.

A lovely lady by the name of Fiona Nicholson was a member of my Facebook group and has rescued dogs from Spain before. Fiona was looking for a quiet and special dog to be part of her dog training business. A dog that would instill peace and confidence, in the other dogs. This was a special owner and Mara was a special dog, so I made the suggestion. Fiona made enquiries about Mara and felt she was the right kind of dog but it was going to be a long time before Mara would be well enough to travel. Her treatment was long and she needed lots of care and attention. Eventually 4 months later Mara was ready to travel to her new home.

Fiona Nicholson (Mara’s adopter)

Fiona sends us regular updates and photos and tells us that Mara is a very special dog and that one of Fiona’s favourite photos of Mara was the one with her running happily at San Animal with another dog, just a couple of weeks after she was rescued. Fiona remembers being so touched and gladdened at such an unbelievable change in so short a time, even though she was actually still quite ill. Here is a message from Fiona:-

Mara is a tremendously resilient, brave, determined wee girl. Everyone who meets her falls in love with her, she is so gentle and friendly and happy, so I often have the chance to tell her story and highlight the dreadful situation in Spain – many people are already partly aware and many ask about transport from Spain, so she is doing her bit to spread the word. I have even had two different people ask if she was up for re-homing, they love her so much. GSPs (Braco Aleman) are not common here. She watches me all the time except when she is off following scent trails – she is a marvellous tracker, and one of our games on walks is for me to walk in another direction when she isn’t looking, and go out of sight then she tracks me down. She gets so excited when she picks up my trail, and tears along going ‘yip, yip yip’ till she gets to me, then she sits and waits for a treat. She is also a fantastic guard dog, and barks loudly if anyone comes near the house, which is good, as the greyhounds/galgas are too lazy for that.

Mara is a treasure, and I can hardly believe that she didn’t have a string of offers of homes from San Animal, anyone would be so lucky to have a dog like her.

Best wishes,
Fiona xx

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MARA (& HER COMPANIONS) PLEASE CLICK >> here 

THEN SCROLL DOWN TO THE GALLERY OF PHOTOS & CLICK ON EACH PHOTO.

THIS IS WHAT MARA'S HUNTER THREW AWAY. 

Could Mara and the many other beautiful and reformed hunting dogs, teach their ex-owners something?

Review by Vivienne Wharton:

From Heaven to Hell The Story of the Galgo Espanol

by Beryl Brennan.

When I first heard of this book, I decided I would never have the courage to read it. I had already seen and heard enough in Spain about the cruelty and there wasn’t much more I could cope with.

I had got to know Beryl Brennan, through my activities on Facebook and her well known websites Galgo News and Podenco Post. Anyone who is into the plight of these dogs may have come across these sites and get the regular updates of what is happening here daily.

So, when feeling a little under the weather recently and needing a rest, I plucked up courage to take time out and read her book. I am so glad I did! The book is informative, filled with empathy for these dogs and what needs to be done. There is information about the illnesses that befall the Galgo, symptoms and treatments, diet, exercise, plenty of must have information for any potential Galgo rescuer/adopter. It informs us of the EU laws, Spanish laws, what has been tried and failed and if only the Associations will put their heads together, there could well be an opening to do something!!

Since becoming embroiled with animal welfare issues in Spain, my passion to help resolve its issues and make a difference, has got stronger by the day. However, my knowledge of the problems only started when I got involved in Facebook around 10 months ago. Even though I have lived here for 5 years and rescued many dogs, I still hid from the full truth. I thought there was abandonment, yes- but I had no idea to the extent of the problems, or the massive cruel cull and abandonment of the Spanish hunting dogs; Galgos, Podencos, Bretton spaniels, Pointers and many more. By far, the worst cruelty befalls the Galgos, the Spanish treat them like vermin, yet they were once revered by royalty and the upper classes.

Our group wrote a letter this year to Seprona, protesting about the treatment and asking for something to be done; the reply was that there was no evidence!! Yet Beryl Brennan tells us of the evidence, the laws that are in place and how they are not implemented and possible reasons why. The world needs to tell Spain this is unacceptable, Spain is not a Third world country, so why does it treat its animals as though it is?

So, knowing all this and now I have read this book I am even more incensed with a need to do something. If anyone wants to know the truth about what is happening here, this is a must read. If you want to help change things in Spain, please read Beryl’s book. I feel more empowered, rather than drained, from not knowing exactly but just fearing it. Knowledge is power.

The script at the end written by Charl del Rio, another passionate Galgo lover, who has dedicated her life to saving these dogs, was brilliant – Señor Galguero broke my heart and the tears didn’t stop flowing for a long time. Please read, it hurts all of us but the dogs are hurting more and we need to know the facts and get help for these dogs. Another hunting season looms here in Spain!!!!

To all Associations who would want to change things. Please let’s get together and make one big powerful voice…Everyone shout for the animals, please?

Beryl’s book can be bought online here.

Señor Galguero by Charl del Rio

This letter is written from the heart by Charl del Rio, a Galgo advocate. It can also be found on her blog which is dedicated to the Galgos. This is how Beryl’s book ends and it is truly heartbreaking.

“Señor Galguero!

Señor galguero, I sat waiting and waiting today as time passed and my hunger grew. You never came, even though we who are here fear your footsteps. You may just bring us those crumbs of bread which we all have to fight for, even though we wish there was enough for us all.

It’s cold in here tonight and the floor is damp, I cannot sit and I cannot lie down but for you”my master” I will wait in the cold and feel the hunger. When I saw you last you came and took my mother, I still await her return but she just has not come back. I don’t understand Señor Galguero, for I am a good Galgo and I try my hardest.

Can you bring my Mother back for I miss her terribly, and amongst the other dogs we are all chained up and behind bars? Can you bring her back Señor galguero for I miss her, I will do all I can for you in return? The morning follows and its colder than cold, my body is trembling and am so very hungry. My bones hurt when I try to sit but for you Señor Galguero I will not complain.

As dawn arrives I hear what are familiar voices and the door screeches open, I think we are going to play today. I don’t understand why you are so very angry with us all and your boot has more than once thrown me acros the floor, as now I see you angry with the pretty white galga in the corner, I didnt see her do anything wrong but while she feels the pain, today it is not my turn.

The door opens and we are all told to get into the box with wheels. The mud is wet and we scramble into the tiny trailer. Señor Galguero did you forget a rug to sit on? For you Señor I will sit with the rest – this way we are warmer as we are crampt together. We arrive at the fields and its play time, we run and chase and are ordered to catch the running hare that crosses the field. The pretty white galga who felt the boot is struggling to win, for she is lame and bleeding.
Señor galguero I hear you all laughing and cheering, and I dont understand it? I feel cold today, and so very very hungry. We move across the fields for what seems like forever, the white pretty Galga could not keep up, she was left behind to find her way. They didnt wait for you “pretty white Galga”, though I tried, but Señor Galguero hit me with a stick and I am shivering so I must run faster and faster, I am sorry pretty white Galga.

At the end of the longest day I am so hungry I feel so empty and raw, I am so tired and weak, did I not run fast enough master, for I tried all I could? We return in the box minus the white galga, and thrown into what is our hole with chains and irons.. A stick of bread all green and blue is thrown at us, but the biggest and faster ones reach it first. For me, my hunger reigns on.

Señor galguero as you laugh with the men – did you forget my share? I did good today for I didnt get left behind like the pretty white galga, I did good didnt I Señor galguero? I didnt catch your lunch but I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, all for you my master. The night is colder than ever and the floor outside is covered with crunchy white clouds, it’s all frozen and Ive not lived long enough to know what that is, I am sure my Mother would have explained. Where did she go, she never came back? I hear the footsteps yet again and I crouch in fear yet I hope there is food for my empty stomach.

Today its my turn, alone, Señor galguero grabs my collar pulls me and gives me a beating for I have not been as good a galgo as I thought. I limp to the cold crunchy white grass and we move along into the woods. I think this is a special day today as we are alone, and I hope I can catch his lunch for him today if my weakness lets me. We reach a hidden bearing of trees, and I smell a smell I don’t recognize, but there is a familiarity as I see a body there on the tree, what is she doing Señor galguero like that? I am so cold and hungry I dont know why we are here, it smells not nice.

Señor Galguero puts a wire round my neck and I sit patiently as perhaps we are going for a longer walk. I shiver as I am frozen and I almost can’t feel my body in cold. All of a sudden there is a rope placed on the wire, I don’t understand this.. but the tree is getting closer like the galga on the other tree. I am hoisted into the air, my feet begin to scramble I cant place my front paws on the ground for the wire is hurting my neck.. Señor Galguero what’s wrong why can’t I breathe? I hear him say “play the piano Galgo” and I don’t understand as he walks off saying “there’s more of you!”

I try and try and try but I cannot reach the gound, the pain is intense around my neck now and I cannot breathe, cutting m skin he blood runs warm down my neck chocking me in my mouth. I was a good Galgo I tried my best, I just didnt keep up with the rest. I am scrambling and my back paws are weak for they are what is holding me up. I have been here hours now, and I am giving up, Señor Galguero I think I am giving my life for you.

I close my eyes, and yet in the distance I see the most beautiful figure, so sleek and bright there is a white glow around her, she looks in the distance like the other on the tree..closer and closer she comes for me, she came back after all this time, my mother my beautiful Mother has come for me. It’s alright now she tells me, Señor galguero has gone and we head on now to “Rainbow Bridge” where no more Galgos suffer, we are all happy and run free.
Come and see! I close my eyes as the sun sets, I fought all day to stay with my master and its taken all this time. I’m free now, I feel no pain and my Mother says we will look down now and help the good people try to save more galgos who need rescuing. we will be like Guardian angels from above. Goodbye Señor Galguero.

This letter is written in dedication to all those galgos who are suffering like this, for now the end of the hunt season has finished the slaughters begin. It feels at times like there is no way forward, as I cry tears, they are of fight and desire and will to impact the plight of the Galgos.

I cannot do this alone. So I constantly look for publicity, TV breaks, daytime shows, Radios, someone famous to back this cause. Above all, I have promised the galgos, every single day of my life I will work to protect them.

In dedication to the serene Galgo, the associations who work 365 days a year and no fame nor thanks for what they do. This story is multiplied by the tens of thousands of Galgos right now as you read this, for the end of the hunting season is here, and the slaughters and abandonment begins.

Last year’s rescues alone reached a massive 50.000 galgos abandoned, those rescued. Numbers unknown are the stories like this one, or thrown in wells and the cruelty continues. While hunting hares with Galgos continues so will the slaughters and the number increase.

Señor Galguero”s” you have blood on your hands. Man’s bestfriend, let down by man!”May you the Galgo risebck up in society and become the household pet you so deserve to be!”

Carlota and Ambo Ambasadog.”

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