This is my definitive guide to the Podenco – how they went from revered companions to royalty to on death row in a Spanish perrera. There are several different types of podenco, depending on whereabouts in Spain and the Spanish Islands they come from This is the perfect Xmas present for anyone wanting to know more about the Podenco.
All sale proceeds are donated to appeals for help with vet fees from Spanish rescue associations.
I met some of the lovely Axarquia volunteers at the PAES conference last October. Here is an appeal for a special podenco in their care. Dawn McClelland writes.
Is there anyone out there that can help us to find some contacts to rehome an adorable blind Podenco called Pancho – this lad is blind from birth, managed on the streets for a while and then came into our care. Pancho does not let his disability limit him at all – after 10 minutes he can navigate a new place perfectly. He is utterly gorgeous, loving and a credit to his breed – can anyone help please? Click on the AAR link below to see him.
THis is Pancho’s story – AAR NEED YOUR HELP to find that perfect home for him
Life in Spain and the Canary Islands is hell for the majority of podencos. Here’s a heart-rending situation some young Spanish volunteers have discovered and they desperately want help to help the dogs…chiefly to get them into shelters (which are mostly full to bursting) and fund some operations. Alejandra tells the story.
‘I’m writing you from Sagunto, a small town on the outskirts of Valencia, desperately asking for your help due to the situation we are living.
About a month ago some girls and I found a group of hounds and hound crossings living in a extreme situation,
We found right away around 25 adult dogs between 6 months and 2 years old. 3 of them had recently given birth, with a total of 18 puppies only a week old.
Here is the latest news from ACTIN about the situation for the container dogs. Permission now given to publicise this. Please continue to support ACTIN‘s legal team, a successful outcome for this case can be a precedent for use in the whole of Spain!
‘The owners have kept their dogs in the container for 5 years, we are trying to find out about previous dogs. Actin was only informed of this 2 months ago. Previous denuncias and complaints in the past, since 2010, have had no effect. Right now there are 4 dogs and 1 puppy inside; we can report some positive changes. The dogs have food and water, this has improved. The owners have coated the inside of the container with a material to regulate temperature, heat inside is the same as outside; we are not satisfied with this, BUT it is 20 degrees less than it would have been.
Here is a story about an abandoned podenca – an all too common story in Spain.
I am a Canadian living in Valencia, Spain for the past 2 years. I have been overwhelmed by the stray dog crisis in this country. I have tried to help in different way and ended up adopting 4 large dogs that now are happy living with me
Last week, we found a Podengo Portuguese 2 blocks from my place in an empty area. She had given birth to 6 puppies and was always barking when anybody got close. We started visiting daily and taking food to her and the pups. We finally decided to go in and catch her, who was very protective of her puppies and with the help of professional rescuers we got them all.
A desperately tragic situation – if you can help Femke in anyway, please do. She writes –
‘You have probably heard about the Animal Aid Foundation (AAF) in Valencia, which for personal circumstances has to close its doors after rescuing animals from all over Spain for 20 years. I am one of the volunteers helping to rehome the dogs. There are some Podencos left, would you be able to help with finding homes for them? Thanking in advance.
We are also looking for people who are driving back to the UK happy to take a dog or two, for adoption families we find in the UK, so if you hear of anyone…
Please contact Femke through the website.
I had the pleasure of visiting Sherlie Bradley and all her gorgeous foster dogs in Tallante, Murcia, Spain- what a happy bunch. At the moment she has two lovely podencos desperately wanting their forever homes. Here’s their details.
Meet Grace, she was found by my Spanish neighbour while he was out hunting and I really thought he was going to keep her for hunting. Instead he put her on a chain but she kept getting tangled round a tree and table. I went round 4 times to untangle her, (he doesn’t live there). Finally I told him something needed to be done as she was tangling in the tree etc and he said did I want her, didn’t need asking twice…
I know many of you will not want to watch these two videos of podencos in a Valencia kill station but for those of you who wonder what it is like, here are two links. Volunteers are trying to save the two dogs. They are on CESE which means the bloody hunters have handed them in on fast track to kill! Video 2 is of a 6 year old podenco who, as you can see, is really traumatised. A foster home needs finding for her urgently where she can be rehabilitated with patience and understanding, ready for adoption. Contact Angie urgently if you can help Flecha especially
Video 1 4 year old podenca
Video 2 – Flecha, traumatised
PEPA rescues many podencos from Valencia province, Rosemary Macdonald tells the story of Bonnie.
‘This is Bonnie who was in danger of having her puppies on the streets of Valencia. Now less than a week later here she is the proud mum of seven at the moment healthy pups. We have been given promises of help with these puppies so I hope everyone helps us as we will need foster for them in about 5-6 weeks.’
If you are in the area and can help, please contact Rosemary. Also any help with feed bills and vaccinations.
Always a pleasure to publish a happy rehoming story to illustrate what fabulous pets podencos make. Re-introducing Beatriz, Ellie updates her story.
18 months to two years have passed since I wrote an article about Beatriz the podenco.
Beryl kindly asked me for an update.
Rescued off the street in Valencia on a business trip, I wrote about the perils…and joys of adopting a pod’ (which breed wise I knew next to nothing about at the time).
Having been through the experience, (and gently encouraged by my bank manager to do so), J suggest people do not adopt dogs off the streets in Spain, or directly from a pound, but go to one of the many, and wonderful refuges and rescues, both in Spain and here in the UK. They have podencos and galgos and bodegueros and Spanish Water dogs and everything crossed and in between! They know the dogs, can match you up – lifestyle wise – and offer all the invaluable and essential help you will need when adopting from abroad, or in the UK.
