Message just in today 6/7/2017 from Podenco Friends. ‘Podenco puppies discovered in a cave by the roadside .. Maria and her friends are trying to catch them but they are very nervous .. Everything crossed they are successful and then the pups will be on their way to us.’
Keep fingers crossed.
Would you believe that Malaga is saying here that anyone feeding homeless, lost or abandoned animals risks a fine of 500 euros!! That’s an outrage! Spain is supposedly a civilised country!! Part of the European Union! There seems to be no sanction against those who abandon or abuse the animals but a 500 euro fine for anyone who dares to help them here. This is the reality in Malaga, Spain today. Spain, the land of bull-fighting and fines for feeding helpless animals.
This law exists in most EU countries, including Portugal. It’s an attempt to make people call authorities to pick up stray animals and take them to kennels, instead of supporting them on the streets and let them roam. A law that would only make sense if there where decent, no-kill shelters for all. It’s hardly ever enforced, people just carry out helping as usual.
Never doubt that your help in giving dogs from here a home is invaluable.
From Mo Swatek, founder of Pro-galgo International
PLEASE SHARE: HOW TO MAKE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT FOR ANIMAL ABUSE OR ABANDONMENT IN SPAIN
Due to the complete denial by the authorities (politicians of all levels) of the massive existence of animal abuse in Spain, our only possibility to make a difference is to report ALL and each of the cases that we see.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of cases are reported exclusively on the internet/social media but not to the authorities like the Spanish animal welfare police SEPRONA or directly to court, and the result is obvious. As nobody reports, the official statistics don’t include any of the severe cases all of us find nearly daily. Neither are all the dogs that shelters without subsidies and private people collect daily in the Spanish streets considered in official statistics.
The result of this lack of complaints is today’s situation. The politicians rely on figures in statistics of complaints that do not reflect at all the sad reality in Spain. Therefore, I encourage you to report absolutely EVERYTHING you see, anything you see that is against the animal protection law. No matter if it is a hunting dog in poor condition, a dog abandoned on a roundabout in the middle of a village, a neighbor who has a husky locked in a balcony of 1m2 or some kids who train their pitbull to attack or fight.
It is necessary to register reports, as many as possible, so that the problem is recorded in the statistics. If we denounce everything that we see each day, we could almost paralyze the courts of all Spain and the politicians could not deny the severe problem anymore.
WHEN YOU GO TO FILE A REPORT:
– DO NOT ACCEPT THAT THE POLICE, SEPRONA OR THE MOSSOS D’ESQUADRA SAY THAT THEY CAN NOT TAKE YOUR REPORT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHO ARE THE AUTHORS OF THE CRIME! IF THEY SAY THAT, ANSWER: “IF I HAVE BEEN ROBBED AT HOME, I ALSO DO NOT KNOW WHO WAS THE THIEF AND I CAN FILE A REPORT! IT IS YOU (THE POLICE) THAT HAVE TO INVESTIGATE INFRACTIONS AGAINST LAW! IF THEY STILL REJECT TO TAKE YOUR REPORT, ASK FOR THE LICENSE PLATE OF THE POLICEMAN REFUSING TO TAKE YOUR REPORT AND REPORT HIM AT COURT FOR NOT FULLFILLING HIS DUTY. ANIMAL MISTREATMENT IS AGAINST THE LAW AND CONSIDERED A CRIME THAT COULD CREATE FINES UP TO SEVERAL THOUSAND EUROS AND EVEN JAIL SENTENCES.
IF THE POLICE STILL REFUSE TO TAKE YOUR CASE, GO TO THE FOLLOWING LINK, https://www.gdt.guardiacivil.es/webgdt/denuncia.php DOWNLOAD THE FORM FOR DENUNCIAS AND FILL IT IN WITH ALL THE PROOF YOU HAVE, INCLUDING PICTURES, POSITION IN GOOGLE MAPS ETC, PRINT IT OUT TWICE AND TAKE IT TO COURT. THEY WILL SIGN AND STAMP IT, YOU GET THE SECOND ONE BACK STAMPED AS A PROOF. IT HAS TO BE IN SPANISH!
If there is a serious risk for you or your animals because it is a neighbour etc, go to Animal Protection Associations and ask them to make the corresponding complaint.
Don’t report cases like a person having his dog in the garden because you think it will be better on the sofa. You also have to aware that if the animal in question is fed, has shelter and enough water and is reasonably clean, there is not much chance that a complaint will proceed.
Important also is that private individuals denounce so that it is seen that normal citizens reject the abuse and neglect of animals. If they are really severe cases, you may always ask for support from a big shelter/association.
Do not worry about having expenses. You can go to a trial without lawyers. I have won several trials and I have always gone without a lawyer but with a well documented case and without exaggerations. If you are asked to bring a lawyer, and the case is really important, we can help by fundraising for the expenses.
Here is how to act in a case of severe neglect against one or more animals:
If the animal is not accessible because of a fence, cage or private property, you should not enter, take pictures from outside as good as you can.
Make photos of the site and environment to be able to explain to SEPRONA where exactly they have to look.
To compile all the possible data about the place (finca, flat, house, etc) include a good description with map (google) of the site.
Get in touch with SEPRONA by phone (SEPRONA Civil Protection Nature Protection Section) and ask for information where the nearest SEPRONA office is in order to be able to go with the all the collected information and file the complaint. A PHONE CALL IS NOT A “DENUNCIA” AND ONLY WRITTEN AND SIGNED COMPLAINTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE STATISTICS AND OBLIGE THEM TO ACT.
Keep calling SEPRONA to know the evolution of your complaint and also continue to monitor the animal in trouble in order to re-report if necessary. (IF THE ANIMAL IS WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER, FEED IT BUT DON’T STEAL IT, BECAUSE YOU CONVERT THE MISTREATER INTO THE VICTIM OF A THEFT AND HE FOR SURE WILL REPLACE THE STOLEN DOG!!!
If you find an animal injured by possible mistreatment:
Take pictures of the place where the animal was found
Take the animal to the next veterinarian to look at the microchip and for the necessary veterinary treatment and then ask for a health report of the state of the animal and also an invoice in case the the culprit is found, he will have to pay the expenses.
Make photos of the animal at the veterinarian before and after the veterinary treatment.
Take the veterinarian’s report, the chip number, the photos and all the information you have to SEPRONA and proceed with the complaint.
If you witness a mistreatment in front of you, whether it is a hunter who shoots a dog or a person who mistreats any animal (his dogs etc), a man kicking his dog or a woman beating a puppy, you must call the police directly with the number 112 asking to be connected with SEPRONA or Guardia Civil.
It is not advisable to deal with either the local police or the Mossos (Catalan police) because they are not interested at all in animals the vast majority of cases.
VERY IMPORTANT!!
If you see an abandoned dog on a road with a lot of traffic (it works best if it’s a motorway, highway, national highway etc) also call 112 but not as an animal lover asking for help for the poor puppy. You have to call as a frightened driver that you have almost had a serious accident because a dog crossed the road in front of you. Say out loud in hysterical tone that this dog is a safety hazard and that you have to react quickly, insisting that if they do nothing they will be guilty if possible accidents happen due to the animal on the highway/street/motorway.
I always do it like that, otherwise they wont come, and what a miracle, even the Mossos move when I call as the hysterical driver 🙂
DO NOT LET THEM REJECT YOUR REPORT!
If so-and-so can denounce the neighbor for loud music, a famous his ex for alleged insults and slander and a muselman for a teacher talking about pigs at school, WE CAN ALSO DENOUNCE THE INFRACTIONS AGAINST THE ANIMAL PROTECTION LAW !!!
In German there is a saying: WHERE NO NO ONE REPORTS, THERE WILL BE NO JUSTICE! And this is exactly what happens IN Spain, there are not enough complaints although we have more than enough cases.
WE WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BY REPORTING ANIMAL MISTREATMENT AND ABANDONING!
PS: if you need help because your Spanish is not fluent enough to go alone to the police, feel free to contact us and we try to find a person who can go to the police with you.
Whilst the Saving the Gran Canaria Podencos facebook group is helping to rehome a few to mainland Europe and the US, the 90 podencos entrapped in Mogan are still enduring their hellish life. The following was published this week on the 90 Podencos in Mogan facebook page. This is an edited translation.
‘The College of Veterinarians of Las Palmas has just presented the “Pet plan” to request of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria. It is confirmed as dogs intended for hunting (mostly podencos) are mistreated not only by the hunters but by the officials of the respective consejerìas and councillors. In a document of 112 pages, only mention is made at this point where in so few words it is so gross. Thanks to the School for specifying the person with the name and surname responsible for this discrimination. Cathedral of Gran Canaria’
Here’s a report from Bev Farmer of Podenco Friends who has already got a couple of the rescued podencos on the ‘reserved for adoption’ list when their passports etc are in order.
‘Another terrible situation on Gran Canaria working together with Salva un Podenco g.c we are taking 4 adults and 4 puppies they are safe.
Whilst on our visit to Gran Canaria we were made aware of a another bad situation in Santa Brigida 17 Podencos and one mixed breed held in terrible conditions.
Another case of horrors. Luckily Seprona have taken action. I wish in all cases it would happen this way… how how many will remain incarcerated in these conditions?
http://www.grancanariatv.com/2017/06/fotos-rescatan-18-perros-en-pesimas.html
The Civil Guard rescues in Gran Canaria to 18 dogs which were in terrible sanitary conditions
· At the same time the owner of the animals has been investigated for a crime of animal abuse
· Ten of the animals were moved to the perrera of the aforementioned island and the rest transferred to an option for corresponding clinical treatments
This is Kimi, a Podenco Ibicenco who had a terrible start in life, now hoping there is someone with a loving home for him to share for life. Verixi Souto of the rescue association tells his story.
History: Kimi came from nowhere. He came hungry, malnourished, dehydrated, wounded, sick…
Kimi is one of so many innocent victims of insensitive hunters, who know how to kill an animal, who shoot and and abandon them to a slow death the one to whom they should be grateful.
Kimi roughed it, he didn’t even have food. Although sick with leishmania for which he has been treated, he is a noble dog, with green eyes and a tender look, handsome and would be the faithful friend of the person who would adopt him.
Meet Bella, a female podenco, born 1 January 2012. Bella was adopted from Axarquia Animal Rescue to a forever home in the UK, but her owner is unable to care for her any longer so we are desperately looking for a foster or forever home for her, preferably in the UK.
This beautiful girl is spayed and has up to date vaccinations, microchip and passport.
Before being rescued, Bella had been living rough in the campo in Spain with her litter of 9 pups. Despite her unfortunate beginnings, Bella settled remarkably well into a loving home. She is gentle natured, enjoys being in the outdoors and going for walks and is good with other dogs, cats and children. She is medium sized at 19kg, height head to floor 65cm; shoulder to floor 50cm.
Anyone who may be able to help with fostering or can give Bella the forever home she deserves, please e-mail axarquia-rescue@hotmail.com for more information.
It’s easy to overlook that there are other colours of podencos besides brown & white and chestnut. Here is an absolutely stunning black beauty, now in her forever home in the UK. Here’s her story from Bev Farmer of Podenco Friends.
‘Laya is ready for her journey to the UK, a pamper session bubble bath and pedicure ready for her final journey to her forever sofa. It wasn’t in Sonja or Dave Mills’ plans to add another podenco to their gang but Laya stole their heart and who can blame them, she is adorable.
Thank you to Migue Quintero for saving this beautiful pup who didn’t have the greatest of starts on Gran Canaria and came so close to losing her life after being in a nasty accident just before she was rescued .. To Soli for been a fantastic foster mum and taking great care of her.
Together we saved Laya and now she has a future’
Bev is at Podenco Friends with more podencos for adoption
