This is podenco Hugo when he was rescued, starving and covered in tick. He’s safe now with Akira Dog Sanctuary in Southern Spain. Here’s his story. If you can offer him a hearth and a home forever, please contact the Sanctuary direct.
Hugo when he was rescued.
From Ann Marie Payne of Ann’s Canine Care
‘Dapper my little Mr sunshine dog – My first failed foster. This is his story.
Coming up to Christmas in 2013 Jacqui Ross Last Chance Animal Rescue was trying to get as many dogs out of the pound before Christmas. It was my first introduction to fostering and it was a harrowing time because many dogs were dying of distemper. In one pen Eleanor and Dapper were together, and Eleanor had produced 6 pups. And we think that Dapper was the father. I was fostering Eleanor and the pups and had prepared a bed for them in my bedroom, it was actually my bed as the whole thing lifted up to provide storage underneath. I had adapted the bed so that it would stay up and put a carpet in there and some extra bedding.
So getting back to the pound. We were loading Eleanor and the pups into my car and Dapper started crying, he was so upset. Dapper was going into foster with someone else but we decided that it would be best if he came with me, Eleanor and the pups.
They settled in the bedroom, and the pups were everywhere, they were climbing out of the base of the bed and causing havoc, like puppies do.
Read the lovely story about Pedro the Podenco from Spanish Stray Dogs.
Beautiful words taken from a post on Bev Farmer’s page on Podenco Friends. So true.
“There is a cycle of love and death that shapes the lives of those who choose to travel in the company of animals. It is a cycle unlike any other. To those who have never lived through its turnings and walked its rocky path, our willingness to give our hearts with full knowledge that they will be broken seems incomprehensible. Only we know how small a price we pay for what we receive, our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given.”
From Bev Farmer of Podenco Friends.
‘I was sent this photo a couple of years ago from a Spanish friend and at the time posted it and thought an interesting piece of history to share of a Podenco.. Doing some research its possible it is from the late 1800´s .. There is very little to be found about the history of the podencos and I talk to Spanish friends who can recall from 2 or 3 generations back family members had them .. Even then they were just dogs kept on the land not family pets and often know has campo dogs . Historically Podencos were the dogs for the poorer people and their skills to catch rabbits literally put food on the table. This possibly could explain why today to some this breed is not respected and undervalued.
Yet you maybe surprised to hear that here in Spain the Podenco Ibicenco , Canario are a recognised breed under the group primitive type. The Podenco Andaluz, Maneto and the Valenciano under the group Spanish breeds . These are for showing and have a breed standard with traceable bloodlines and pedigrees .. These you will never find abandoned.
Just found yet another animal shelter…so many now in Spain helping the abandoned hounds.
Take a look at the work of the Akira Animal Sanctuary and their hounds for adoption.
Dobby and Leo are just 2 of the podencos waiting for their forever homes.
My involvement with podencos and galgos came about in 2007 when I joined a French rescue association and journeyed into Spain with the team to collect my first galga. That was where I also learned that podencos suffer the same cruelty as galgos at the hands of the Spanish hunters. My first blog was Galgo News started in 2008 and one of the first stories I ran was about Podenca Pruna, a tripod who was later adopted in France.
Here’s the story of Pruna.
For a list of podenco rescue and rehoming associations by country, click on this link
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Here’s a story from Ann Marie Payne of Ann’s Canine Care, about a very traumatised podenca she has had for 8 months already and whose journey to trusting humans will be a long one. Little Pearl is in the best of hands for the journey.
‘Earlier today while I was at the desk little Pearl came out of her crate, sneaked behind me and went across the lounge, then she came back into the crate again, she did this a few times, and each time she did it I couldn’t turn my head to see what she was doing, knowing she’d go into panic mode if we made eye contact. After a little while she hadn’t come back to her crate. I was hoping that she’d found the sofa, but sadly no!
I couldn’t see her but, knew she was at the side of the armchair where nobody could see her. I left her there for about an hour and gave her some hot dogs, which she wolfed down when I wasn’t looking. Then I decided to take her out. When we came back inside she headed straight for her crate. Trying to get my head round this behaviour I thought back to this morning. Galga Amy had walked into Pearl’s crate, sniffed her food and walked straight out, and I think that this possibly unnerved her and, she didn’t feel safe there any more.
Start your day with a giggle! Watch this video from Redandhowling.
Read about Redandhowling and her fundraising here.
28/4/2020 – Today GRA received a call from Pam who had found a podenco and asked for our help.
The dog (female) followed her on her daily walk with her own dogs and was in her garden. Pam gave her food and water, she was calm and seems not really scared. We gave her the name Zita.
This young girl is really skinny and she is covered in ticks. In no time we managed to catch Zita and put her in the car. First she was very quiet in the cage but once we were driving she panicked and we had to stop. The rest of the way to the kennels we did on foot. Once we were at the kennels she relaxed, so we decided to make an appointment at the vet tomorrow morning.
Update will follow.
You can sponsor this girl from a distance:
PayPal: Galgosrescuealmeria@gmail.com
Bank Transfer: ES95 2085 8268 3603 3023 5226
Website: www.galgosrescuealmeria.com
