Rhonda Martins tells the story of how she came to be a podenco adoptant and the start of her passion for them and homing them.
‘In January 2014 a small chocolate and white Podenco puppy traveled to Canada to his new home. Things didn’t work out as planned as they do sometimes and in a totally unplanned series of events our family ended up fostering him. We had never had a podenco, let’s call this baptism by fire. Our lives were changed forever by little Oreo the pod puppy from Podenco Friends in Spain, he never left our home and we adopted him in January 2015.
Late September in 2016 I was given the opportunity to travel to Spain with my friend Jeanette, we were to spend some time at Bev and Warren’s and then fly home with Podencos and Galgos our organization had helped to find forever homes for. At that time I could never have imagined the impact this trip would have on myself and my family. Bev and Warren were amazing , and I have never worked so hard in all my life. Running a rescue is certainly a labour of love.
On this trip we ended up rescuing a small mix we found starving at a petrol station and then we rescued the amazing Luca. Luca especially changed everything for me , my heart broke for him and I watched in amazement as Bev and Warren just knew what he needed. No thinking about it they did it all for him. He lived a few fantastic weeks with them before the years of abuse and neglect took his heart. He would have died alone in a parking lot, hungry and alone instead he left this world a part of a family who loved him.
I decided then to get further involved in helping the Podencos and Galgos as up until then I had spent years involved with an amazing greyhound rehoming group named GPAC.
A few years later and Beverly Farmer has become an amazing friend, a support for me in what I am trying to accomplish, and an amazing partner for our group. Through her we have met other partners like Ibezian Hound Rescue and Maria at SOS Podenco , all amazing groups. Without greyhounds now coming from the US we have closed our greyhound adoption program and moved our focus to the Podencos and Galgos.
We only see what is posted on Facebook by these groups , but I’ve seen it first hand and I’m telling you the work load, the stress and the love these people have for the dogs is remarkable. My family now has adopted 4 Podencos , all from Podenco Friends , and I could never imagine my life without them. I spend my time now getting the word out and teaching as many people as I possibly can about these hidden treasures of Spain.
A huge thank you to all of the rescues and the commitment you have for their future. Thank you to all who support them and who support our own group, you are all appreciated.
Rhonda Martins
Greyhound, Galgo, Podenco of Atlantic Canada
GGPAC