https://www.facebook.com/beverley.farmer.79/videos/2968823059902779/
From Bev Farmer, ‘It maybe not a an exciting video but for Gracie its a major breakthrough its taken 10 weeks but finally she is accepting treats from my hand and this opens doors to help with building up her confidence .
Gracie was never used has a hunting dog .. I imagine she was, what we call a finca dog. Left alone usually chained up, a miserable exisitance. Her spinelss owner didnt even have the decency to hand her over to the perrera. She was left tied to the electricty pylon outside it over night and that time of year it was freezing temperatures.. After 10 years she was nothing to them and maybe because she was sick just wanted to get rid of the problem.. No concern for her future or well being, they only thing I can say in their favour she was wasnt thin so at least she was been fed.
Gracie arrived at the Finca with life threatening medical conditions which needed major surgery without veterinary care she would have died. Her physical wounds are healing but her fear of people is deeply rooted from years of long term abuse. A dog so afraid when she first arrived her body was rigid if you tried to touch her, she would retreat to avoid any physical contact. Her tail tucked tightly under her body she would curl up in the tinnest of balls almost try and make herself invisiable. She had no understanding of what is was to play with other dogs which leaves me to believe she has led a very solitary life ..
But she is beginning to believe and each day she takes a leap of faith. After many weeks of seeking sanctuary in the crate in the kitchen, she has become quite the sofa queen even jumping on the bed. She now has a couple fo friends to run around with and play with in the paddock. I can sit at the side of her and stroke her and she is relaxed even plant a kiss on her head and she is almost asking for more . Oh and she is very vocal first thing in the morning to say its time to get up the rest of the time not a peep out of her, Still wary of things she wont cross the threshold of the door if you are stood there but in time she will understand its nothing to be afraid of..
There are many levels of cruelty against the Podencos but these senior dogs that have never really had any kind of life always get to me. Although the vets bills are often huge and it takes a long time for them to find the strength to trust, its worth it .. Gracie has a wonderful nature she makes me smile every day .. She may have waited many years but I will make sure that for the rest of her life she will have a family that will love and cherish her.
Comments
3 responses to “Terrified podenca Gracie – Podenco Friends work their magic”
That was torture for this podenco Gracie. To be tied to an electric pylon and tethered on a chain shows how disgusting humans can stoop. It is not rocket science for a humn being to know how miserable Gracie and ‘Learned helplessness’ could be.. WHY, when we know this are people not punished. We are an animal, would we like to be tied up for years, and spend time in isolation? What can we do about it? To stop the brutality done by our executive functioning (Human being)..why do they get left unpunished? If they do not get punished we will carry on with our abhorrant actions, so we encourage this type of behaviour..
I think it is disgusting that Gracie suffered years in isolation. Thank God Bev has her now. I agree with everything
that Gill Rossini wrote.
The problem why the galgueros are not punished for their maltreatment of their dogs is because from National Government ministers through to Regional, Provincial and local government, they are largely bloody hunters. Then you have the Guardia, judges and more…mostly bloody hunters! So they won’t prosecute their own. Over the years I have been involved with galgos and podencos, there have been about 3 cases of prosecution, where galgueros forgot to cut out the dog’s chip. Sandra Baas of Baas Galgo was the first one to successfully prosecute and convict a galguero for killing 3 dogs. DeAnimals lawyers in Murcia run courses for law enforcement people to teach the detailed dossier to prepare for a prosecution of animal cruelty. At the PAES International Conference on Animal Welfare in Murcia in October 2016 I met lawyer Raquel and 2 Seprona police to learn about it. Raquel was funding prosecution cases out of her own pocket, she desperately needed funding to do more. But as with rescue associations, too many bureaucrats are hunters.