Gabriella shares the story of how she came to adopt Podenca Ivy.

‘I here summarise my love story with Ivy…..

In all my life (I am 57) I have never had a dog. I always preferred cats (at present 3 fantastic cats, 1 Burmese and 2 Burmillas live with me in my apartment…). However, last year, I casually discovered the GACI, an Italian association for the recovery of greyhounds (from Ireland), galgos and podencos (from Spain). In this way I have heard about the destiny of these hunting and running heroes, the way they are fully exploited and, if they are very lucky, abandoned.

I started feeling the NEED for doing something: as I was not acquainted with dogs in general, but more specifically with “difficult” dogs, I joined a 6 months course for dogs education (I would prefer to say “dog owners education”) hold by the ENCI, the Italian National dog’s association. I got the diploma but, much more important, I learned a lot about the way for integrating your dog within the family in a smooth and enjoying way.

Now, all this effort spent for nothing ? Of course not ! I started to take contacts with GACI for adopting a galgo. But when I gave a look at the list of dogs available for adoption, my heart was broken. What a shame ! A fantastic, sweet and joyful “big nose” podenco 4 years old female named Ivy was kept in a kennel at Albacete for more than one year available for adoption without anybody wanting her !! The fantastic GACI volunteers were trying everything to convince people to adopt this fantastic dog, no success. You know very well why, Beryl; sad to say, in many people’s world the hound is a stylish companion, the podenco is a dog. No doubts, I asked for Ivy.

I will never forget the day she arrived from Albacete to Modena (the place where GACI bring dogs to adopters). Feb 21st, 2015. Sunny day. Lots of people waiting anxiously for their new companions. A van ready to download 29 galgos and 1 podenco. 29 dogs quiet in their cages and one desperately barking for coming out. Guess who? 29 dogs standing still and looking around terrified when downloaded and one jumping everywhere and kissing everybody around…..what a joy!

Since the beginning of our life together Ivy demonstrated what is the main characteristic of podencos: Joy, Joy, Joy! However, I am not saying she was easy since the beginning. We took a while to get acquainted with each other, and the process is not yet over. As a dog trained for hunting she is fair with humans but not always with other dogs, and she tries to pursue whatever is moving around her…..On the other hand she is sweet, intelligent, obedient, and learns very quickly. A perfect companion, I would never stay without her.

Not only me, however: on last May 30th all GACI adopters met in Modena. Also volunteers of the Albacete kennel “El Arca de Noe”(where Ivy spent one year before adoption) came, and it was really moving looking at them embracing Ivy and crying for hours…. This is a testimony of what dogs (not necessarily “your” dogs) can bring to your life……

Ciao from Italy! Gabriella’