Translation of an article by Polly Matthewson, a podenco passionata with whom I caught up at the PAES conference in Murcia in October 2015.

‘Some positives, even if still very very small, steps forward for animal welfare in Spain. Now animal abuse can result in prison sentences, whereas until July 2015 there were only fines. Here’s a rough English translation of this article titled “The hunting season begins with more punishment for animal abuse” which was published on the website of Radio Sevilla 13.11.15.. For Spanish speakers you can hear the full interview recorded on that webpage too. This is a start.

The article gives some hope, but it is also heart-rending in terms of the realities of punishment compared to the sheer scale of abuse that all working in animal welfare in Spain witness every day. The scale of abuse (compared with the present legal steps taken to punish and end animal abuse in Spain), together with the education work needed to combat cruelty is immense. Let’s support the Spanish authorities, all animal associations Spanish and international, and all concerned individuals to keep pushing for positive change.

I will be writing more on this soon on my fb page and on Podenco Alliance, having recently attended the excellent PAES animal welfare conference in Murcia, and together with other friends and colleagues met with a small but very dedicated and inspirational group of Spanish lawyers, police and vets fighting for a better Spain. Working together we will bring an end to the suffering of animals in Spain.’

Translation of the article:

“We are in full hunting season and this means that some breeds like galgos (Spanish greyhounds), are in the spotlight. Many end up thrown in the gutter or hanged from trees if deemed redundant. There are now toughened penalties since last July, and now people can pay for animal abuse with jail. This also applies to hunters. Impunity is over.

So far this year, in the provinces of Seville, Seprona (the Spanish police arm responsible for environment, agriculture, animals etc.) has recorded 21 violations resulting in the accusation of 9 people, including for the shooting of dogs and for cutting of ears. In Granada, one man has now received eight months in prison for killing a dog.

There are so many different aspects to the scourge of ill-treatment of animals in Spain. Until recently these crimes were only paid for by fines. But the change in law now means that the abuser can find themselves in jail.

One of the groups most closely involved in fighting this scourge is Seprona. Diego Morel, deputy chief of Seprona, Seville, highlights the increased penalties for animal abusers. Something that society has been demanding.

With the hunting season in full swing some hunters have several podencos or galgos and they do not hesitate to torture, abandon or kill them if they are not performing as the hunters wish. The head of Seprona in Seville states that these hunters will have to keep in mind that they will not walk free but could end up in prison.

The animal welfare groups are confident that the threat of serving a prison sentences for animal abuse will help serve to make people fearful of such consequences but they also believe that the solution is a cultural issue and that education is essential. Also publicising the “denuncias” (the reports of cruelty). These groups include Estrella, Noah’s Ark, and Gracia, Procanes Carmona.

Individuals who are also standing up to the animal abusers are people like Amparo. She is fostering abused and abandoned greyhounds who have been rejected by their owners.

Last year Seprona recorded 22 criminal offenses with the accusation of 18 people. In what is referred to as administrative violations, 752 complaints were issued.”

(I am not sure if these figures refer to Sevilla province or what, even so the numbers of people accused are nothing to the scale of the actual abuses committed. Seprona is still not able to respond to animal abuses committed by individuals. The local police need to have more ability to work on this local level.)