From a newspaper report in LaVanguardia

‘Pending the rescue of the hounds in the town of Todoque de La Palma after the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano , we investigate a little more about the characteristics of this breed capable of adapting to extreme situations. Magnificent rabbit hunters, the Canary Hound is one of the most faithful breeds, greatly undergoing a change of family or environment, this is because it is considered an extremely empathetic breed.

The hound resists high temperatures and is very energetic, it can be hunting from sunrise to sunset without stopping to rest. Of Egyptian origin, it has a prodigious sense of smell and its hearing allows it to detect the presence of its prey in remote places. It is originally from the Canary Islands, the archipelago that gives it its name, and we can find it on all its islands, although with a greater presence in Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

It is a very abused breed, in addition to being abandoned, which makes the Canary Hound very vulnerable. With a special sensitivity and highly developed senses, this breed has been commonly used for therapy for its tranquility and intuition. With strong and developed musculature, it is a slightly elongated medium-sized dog, with a well-developed chest and a broad head.

With a special sensitivity and highly developed senses, this breed has been commonly used for therapy due to its tranquility and intuition.

Like the greyhound, of which he is considered a first cousin, the hollows of the hip and the vertebral column are marked. The Canary Hound lacks aggressiveness and is very shy, this makes it fearful and even distrustful when interacting with people and dogs for the first time. Despite this, over time he is very faithful, respectful and loving.

The recognized breeds of the hound are: Andalusian hound, Ibizan hound, Portuguese hound, Etna cirneco, Pharaoh’s hound and Canarian hound. There is talk of other unrecognized variants, such as the Iron Dwarf Hound, the French Hound or the Galician Hound. Among its variants, the canario is considered the calmest and least aggressive type of hound of all.

The dogs trapped on an islet in Todoque and surrounded by lava have disappeared from the ponds. The drone company Aerocamaras, which is going to undertake the rescue of the four podencos, has been tracking the area with thermal cameras since 11 a.m. and even with speakers that simulate sounds calling them but the animals have not given signals. It is not known if the animals are hidden in some of the buildings on the islet to protect themselves from the high temperatures in that area or even if they have been able to die. Only two refugee rabbits have been detected under the bushes.’