I am from the U.S. and live most of the year in Belgium because my boyfriend works here. Last spring I started researching adoption agencies on the internet and learned that there are several in Belgium that place dogs from Spain, this lead to me learning about what a sad, desperate situation many dogs face in Spain. Before that, I had no idea. Every country has it's issues with animal cruelty, but I was really shocked to learn how bad Spain is with the hunting practices and such.
This was also the first time I had ever seen a Podenco. I fell in love with their athletic build and of course the big ears. I was searching for a dog that would be a running companion for me and maybe provide a little protection when I am out by myself on a trail (although Moxie ended up being a relatively small podenco.)