Hunting dogs - Spain
Galgos, Podencos and other hunting breeds ..... there is only one word in the Spanish hunters vocabulary about hunting dogs ..... TOOLS ..... this is a hidden widespread and culturally inherited cruelty that many tourists and Western Europeans do not know about.
The Spanish hunting dogs live their entire lives on the brink of starvation, unstimulated, in cramped dark spaces or are tied in short chains - isolated places in hidden rural areas is typical location. Hardly any human contact and no affection.The Spanish hunting dogs seen only as a useful tool that can be replaced and discarded when no longer needed. Galgos, Podencos and other hunting dogs in Spain is used as disposable tools.
Between hunting season, the dogs are living in very poor conditions and living barely at the brink of starvation. The food consists mostly of old food from restaurants or bakeries, often moldy bread that is given once a week.
Cruel superstitions and old traditions are still very common in Spain and the hunters trying to convince themselves that the dogs hunt better when they're starved. The dogs are neglected and rarely receive veterinary care. Many dogs do not survive this gross neglect but starve/dehydrate slowly to death or die of untreated disease, injuries or severe tick infestation.
It is also very common that dogs are killed after a finished hunting season by being hung in trees or drowned in wells, shot or left behind .....abandoned. This is dogs that the hunter (owner) no longer have use for. They may be old, sick or hunting bad. This cruelty continues year in and year out without the Spanish government doing anything to stop it. Many hunters who gets caught in the act, get no penalties.
Between hunting season, the dogs are living in very poor conditions and living barely at the brink of starvation. The food consists mostly of old food from restaurants or bakeries, often moldy bread that is given once a week.
Cruel superstitions and old traditions are still very common in Spain and the hunters trying to convince themselves that the dogs hunt better when they're starved. The dogs are neglected and rarely receive veterinary care. Many dogs do not survive this gross neglect but starve/dehydrate slowly to death or die of untreated disease, injuries or severe tick infestation.
It is also very common that dogs are killed after a finished hunting season by being hung in trees or drowned in wells, shot or left behind .....abandoned. This is dogs that the hunter (owner) no longer have use for. They may be old, sick or hunting bad. This cruelty continues year in and year out without the Spanish government doing anything to stop it. Many hunters who gets caught in the act, get no penalties.
October - December 27, 2011 - Barcelona - DAR Altarriba Foundation Animal Rescue and Rurals agents take more than 30 hunting dogs in Montcada i Reixac. The owner (FLP, lives in Barcelona) used the dogs to hunt wild boar. This torturous existence was the dogs' home for long periods between hunting trips. It was found more than 50 corpses of dogs in various stages of decomposition. The preliminary inspection indicates that the animals had been dead for several months to a few days. This "storage" of hunting dogs is common in Spain.
The Galgo Español
The Galgo Español - (Spanish Galgo) or Spanish greyhound is an ancient breed of dog, specifically a member of the sighthound family. Despite being called a "greyhound", the Spanish Galgo is not closely related to the (English) Greyhound, the lineages of the two breeds being different. However, for a short period in the 20th century, some breeders did cross-breed Galgos and Greyhounds in order to produce faster Galgos, specifically for track racing purposes.
Galgos are similar in appearance to Greyhounds, but are distinctly different in their conformation. Galgos are higher in the rear than in the front, and have flatter muscling than a Greyhound, which is characteristic of endurance runners. They also tend to be smaller, lighter in build, have longer tails and have a very long, streamlined head that gives the impression of larger ears. Their chests are not as deep as a Greyhound's and should not reach the point of the elbow.
Galgos are similar in appearance to Greyhounds, but are distinctly different in their conformation. Galgos are higher in the rear than in the front, and have flatter muscling than a Greyhound, which is characteristic of endurance runners. They also tend to be smaller, lighter in build, have longer tails and have a very long, streamlined head that gives the impression of larger ears. Their chests are not as deep as a Greyhound's and should not reach the point of the elbow.
Dogs that are discarded by Spanish hunters each year - can be counted in tens of thousands.
Unlike Greyhounds, Galgos come in two coat types: smooth and rough. The rough coat can provide extra protection from skin injuries while running in the field. They come in a variety of colors and coat patterns. Main colors are "barcino" or "atigrado" (brindle), "negro" (black), "barquillo"(golden), "tostado"(toasted), "canela" (cinnamon), "amarillo"(yellow), "rojo"(red), "blanco" (white), "berrendo" (white with patches) or "pío" (any colour with white muzzle and forehead).
Spain has suffered catastrophic events during the last century, such as the Spanish Civil War and the 40 year long Francisco Franco fascist dictatorship, which allowed this breed to be kept relatively unknown both inside and outside of its native country, at least until democracy led to greater social and cultural equality and development.
The Galgo is not only "the Spanish greyhound" but also "the Spanish dog". Its name is probably derived from the Latin "Canis Gallicus" or "Dog from Gaul". The Spanish word for all kinds of Greyhounds - including the Galgo - is "lebrel", which means "harrier" or "dog for chasing hares", since "liebre" is Spanish for hare.
We can see the same derivative in the Italian "levriero" and the French "lévrier". The first written references to an ancient Celtic sighthound, the "vertragus", in the "Cynegeticus" of Flavius Arrianus (Arrian), Roman proconsul of Baetica in the second century, may refer to the Galgo, or more likely to its antecedant.
Galgos have a very similar nature to Greyhounds. They are calm, quiet, gentle and laid back; happy to sleep their day away on their backs on a sofa. Almost all Galgos are also friendly towards other dogs and small dogs.
Galgos are also very good with children, being calm in the house there is less risk of a child being knocked over or jumped on than a more excitable breed. They are very gentle and tolerate the often over-enthusiastic attentions of children with little risk of retaliation from the dog.
Galgos have a very reserved personality and they have a tendency towards shyness, so it is very important that they be socialized early in life so that they grow up to be comfortable around strange people, dogs and locations.
We can see the same derivative in the Italian "levriero" and the French "lévrier". The first written references to an ancient Celtic sighthound, the "vertragus", in the "Cynegeticus" of Flavius Arrianus (Arrian), Roman proconsul of Baetica in the second century, may refer to the Galgo, or more likely to its antecedant.
Galgos have a very similar nature to Greyhounds. They are calm, quiet, gentle and laid back; happy to sleep their day away on their backs on a sofa. Almost all Galgos are also friendly towards other dogs and small dogs.
Galgos are also very good with children, being calm in the house there is less risk of a child being knocked over or jumped on than a more excitable breed. They are very gentle and tolerate the often over-enthusiastic attentions of children with little risk of retaliation from the dog.
Galgos have a very reserved personality and they have a tendency towards shyness, so it is very important that they be socialized early in life so that they grow up to be comfortable around strange people, dogs and locations.
A Spanish hunting dog's fate
Much like the Podenco and other breeds used by Spanish hunters (galgueros), the Galgos faces a very grim life. Galgueros view their hunting dogs as property they own. The Spanish hunting dogs seen only as a useful tool that can be replaced and discarded when no longer needed.
By Spanish law it is forbidden to use physical abuse, maiming, keep dogs in short chain and abandoning dogs. But Spain does not follow its own laws and ignore the atrocities that exist every day. Thus far, the Spanish government has turned a blind eye as to the plight of the Galgos and the Podencos.
The Spanish hunting dogs live their entire lives on the brink of starvation, unstimulated, hardly any human contact and no affection. Many live only until they are 2-3 years, then they become replaced - breeding bitches are kept alive longer
By Spanish law it is forbidden to use physical abuse, maiming, keep dogs in short chain and abandoning dogs. But Spain does not follow its own laws and ignore the atrocities that exist every day. Thus far, the Spanish government has turned a blind eye as to the plight of the Galgos and the Podencos.
The Spanish hunting dogs live their entire lives on the brink of starvation, unstimulated, hardly any human contact and no affection. Many live only until they are 2-3 years, then they become replaced - breeding bitches are kept alive longer
At the beginning of hunting season, hunters may have 20 dogs and in the end only five. Dogs that are not useful anymore are removed. A favorite among hunters to dispose of unwanted dogs are "piano playing". The dog is tied around the neck and hanged in a tree or a wall so he barely reaches to the ground with the hind paws.
The dog is now trying to balance and "dancing" back and forth with the back legs and paws, barely on the ground, to avoid strangulation.
This cruel strangulation call the Spanish hunters, jokingly - "Piano playing" - at the way the dog is struggling to reach the ground with the hind paws. An entertainment that clearly shows how Spain and the Spanish hunters lack empathy and respect for living beings. It is a disgrace beyond compare.
Being murdered in this way are a slow death and that the dog have time to feel both panic, anxiety, despair and pain is no doubt. The suffocation can take hours. In the end, when the dog no longer manage to stand on its hind legs, but hanging exhausted in the snare, then finally suffocate the dog to death.
Most unwanted dogs are however simply abandoned by the hunters and dogs that survive starvation, dehydration, accidents and poisoning - ends up in municipal enclosures - Perreras - where most are killed after about a week, or private enclosures where some will be adopted - usually to other countries.
The dog is now trying to balance and "dancing" back and forth with the back legs and paws, barely on the ground, to avoid strangulation.
This cruel strangulation call the Spanish hunters, jokingly - "Piano playing" - at the way the dog is struggling to reach the ground with the hind paws. An entertainment that clearly shows how Spain and the Spanish hunters lack empathy and respect for living beings. It is a disgrace beyond compare.
Being murdered in this way are a slow death and that the dog have time to feel both panic, anxiety, despair and pain is no doubt. The suffocation can take hours. In the end, when the dog no longer manage to stand on its hind legs, but hanging exhausted in the snare, then finally suffocate the dog to death.
Most unwanted dogs are however simply abandoned by the hunters and dogs that survive starvation, dehydration, accidents and poisoning - ends up in municipal enclosures - Perreras - where most are killed after about a week, or private enclosures where some will be adopted - usually to other countries.
Hunters overbreed these dogs in atrocious conditions, the dogs mate and interbreed uncontrollably with each other during the captivity. Keeping them in dark, cold surroundings or have them tied unprotected outside in short chains, in isolated places.
They feeding them with moldy bread and restaurant waste a couple times a week. The dogs often have eczema and sores on their bodies because no one is cleaning where they are kept. The dogs are extremely emaciated and they also get bedsores.when they are forced to lie directly on the hard surface.
The Galgos are brutally murdered at the end of hunting season in Spain - Thousands of them are abandoned and starve to death, thrown down wells, gets beaten to death, used as shooting practice, poisoned, and many are hung from trees - Being a hunting dog in Spain is the same as living in hell.
They feeding them with moldy bread and restaurant waste a couple times a week. The dogs often have eczema and sores on their bodies because no one is cleaning where they are kept. The dogs are extremely emaciated and they also get bedsores.when they are forced to lie directly on the hard surface.
The Galgos are brutally murdered at the end of hunting season in Spain - Thousands of them are abandoned and starve to death, thrown down wells, gets beaten to death, used as shooting practice, poisoned, and many are hung from trees - Being a hunting dog in Spain is the same as living in hell.
An emaciated mother and her puppies, rescued at the last moment.
Podenco Andaluz
The Podenco Andaluz or Andalusian hound is a dog breed originating in Spain, especially Andalusia. Dogs are similar to other Iberian breeds. There are several types of Podencos, distinguished mainly by size and/or region where located. Examples are the Podenco Andaluz, Podenco Manchengo, Podenco Ibicenco, Podenco Canario, the miniature Podenco Enano/Maneto and Portuguese Podengo.
In the Iberian Peninsula there are cave paintings that represent dogs that have a strong resemblance to these races. In fact, it seems that dogs have been bred very similar to those in much of the Mediterranean basin since ancient times, including Cirneco dell' Etna and Pharaoh Hound. But there is also the tradition that the Podencos were introduced into Spain by the Phoenicians through their colonies.
Several genetic studies in recent years have come to conclude that contrary to widespread belief that the hound is a type of primitive dog imported some 3,000 years of Middle East area, these dogs actually have a close genetic relationship with other European hunting dogs and are no more "primitive" than most of them.
In the Iberian Peninsula there are cave paintings that represent dogs that have a strong resemblance to these races. In fact, it seems that dogs have been bred very similar to those in much of the Mediterranean basin since ancient times, including Cirneco dell' Etna and Pharaoh Hound. But there is also the tradition that the Podencos were introduced into Spain by the Phoenicians through their colonies.
Several genetic studies in recent years have come to conclude that contrary to widespread belief that the hound is a type of primitive dog imported some 3,000 years of Middle East area, these dogs actually have a close genetic relationship with other European hunting dogs and are no more "primitive" than most of them.
The Podenco was originally bred to be used for hunting small game such as rabbits, but have been known to be used to hunt game as large as a wild boar. The general temperament of the Podenco is similar to the Galgo and Greyhounds. Podencos is fast and smooth and have very good hearing and good sense of smell. They have long thin legs and is muscular but lightly built. A feature is the large upward standing ears.
The coat is either plain red, white or yellow or with yellow or red spots on white. The smooth variety is dominant, but there are also wire-haired and longhaired. Unlike Greyhound, hunt Podenco not only by sight, but also use their hearing and sense of smell to track. When hunting, it can jump from one to two feet straight up in the air, to catch sight of wild game escape route.
They are very smart, eager to please, but sometimes stubborn. They are gentle, loyal, love to relax, but love exercise and interactive playtime too. Along with the Galgos, they are overbred.
The coat is either plain red, white or yellow or with yellow or red spots on white. The smooth variety is dominant, but there are also wire-haired and longhaired. Unlike Greyhound, hunt Podenco not only by sight, but also use their hearing and sense of smell to track. When hunting, it can jump from one to two feet straight up in the air, to catch sight of wild game escape route.
They are very smart, eager to please, but sometimes stubborn. They are gentle, loyal, love to relax, but love exercise and interactive playtime too. Along with the Galgos, they are overbred.
Much like the Galgos and other breeds used by Spanish hunters, the Podenco faces a very grim life. The hunters view their hunting dogs as a ‘tool’ and strictly as property they own.
A Podenco’s life is typically spent on a short chain with no shelter from the scorching or freezing temperatures or in dark sheds sometimes packed so tightly with other dogs that they cannot even lie down.
Since there is a belief among Spanish hunters that dogs hunt better when they are hungry, the Podenco is usually starved or fed and watered just enough to keep them alive. After hunting season ends or when a Podenco is no longer useful, they face much the same fate as the Galgo.
They are more often driven to a remote location and sometimes being beaten, having legs broken, or in one known case, having their eyes gouged out so they cannot find their way home. Many are poisoned or starving to death.
A Podenco’s life is typically spent on a short chain with no shelter from the scorching or freezing temperatures or in dark sheds sometimes packed so tightly with other dogs that they cannot even lie down.
Since there is a belief among Spanish hunters that dogs hunt better when they are hungry, the Podenco is usually starved or fed and watered just enough to keep them alive. After hunting season ends or when a Podenco is no longer useful, they face much the same fate as the Galgo.
They are more often driven to a remote location and sometimes being beaten, having legs broken, or in one known case, having their eyes gouged out so they cannot find their way home. Many are poisoned or starving to death.
Podenco Ibicenco
The breed is believed to be a variation on the original Ibizan Hound, otherwise know in Spanish as the Podenco Ibicenco. This breed originates in the island of Eivissa and has been traditionally used in the Catalan-speaking areas of Spain and France to hunt rabbits and other small game. The Ibizan Hound is a fast dog that can hunt on all types of terrain, working by scent, sound and sight. Hunters run these dogs in mostly female packs, with perhaps a male or two, as the female is considered the better hunter.
Traditionally a farmer may have 1 dog and a very well off farmer 2 dogs to catch rabbits for food. However in the last 20 years it is seen as a sport where between 5 and 15 dogs can be seen in the chase of one rabbit. Mainly on weekends with pack owners from the towns.
Individual dogs are expected to show a great degree of discipline, obedience and co-operation. They should be extremely agile, have good speed and a powerful vertical jump from a stationary position in rough and often heavily covered ground. They should have excellent scent-tracking abilities, give tongue at the right time when approaching the game closely, and otherwise be silent so that they can locate the game by sound.
Traditionally a farmer may have 1 dog and a very well off farmer 2 dogs to catch rabbits for food. However in the last 20 years it is seen as a sport where between 5 and 15 dogs can be seen in the chase of one rabbit. Mainly on weekends with pack owners from the towns.
Individual dogs are expected to show a great degree of discipline, obedience and co-operation. They should be extremely agile, have good speed and a powerful vertical jump from a stationary position in rough and often heavily covered ground. They should have excellent scent-tracking abilities, give tongue at the right time when approaching the game closely, and otherwise be silent so that they can locate the game by sound.
The Ibizan Hound is similar in function and type to several breeds, such as the Pharaoh Hound, the Cirneco dell 'Etna, the Portuguese Podengo. The Ibizan Hound is the largest of these breeds, classified by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as primitive types.
This breed is considered by most experts one of the most ancient dog breeds. It is believed the Ibizan Hound evolves from the tesem, the ancient Egyptian hunting dog. Representations of this dog on the walls of ancient tombs show a striking similarity to the modern Ibizan Hound.
These dogs would have been brought to the island of Eivissa by the Phoenicians, who founded settlements there as early as the 8th century BC. A recent DNA analysis did not find support for this opinion and did not include the Ibizan Hound among their identified ancient dog breeds.
A more recent article argues that continued trait selective breeding may be behind this lack of support. Heidi G. Parker, the lead author of the original study has stated recently that indeed their original findings do not imply that the Ibizan Hound is not an ancient breed and that with better tools they would in all likelihood be able to trace a continuous lineage of thousands of years for many dog breeds and add them to their group of ancient dogs.
This breed is considered by most experts one of the most ancient dog breeds. It is believed the Ibizan Hound evolves from the tesem, the ancient Egyptian hunting dog. Representations of this dog on the walls of ancient tombs show a striking similarity to the modern Ibizan Hound.
These dogs would have been brought to the island of Eivissa by the Phoenicians, who founded settlements there as early as the 8th century BC. A recent DNA analysis did not find support for this opinion and did not include the Ibizan Hound among their identified ancient dog breeds.
A more recent article argues that continued trait selective breeding may be behind this lack of support. Heidi G. Parker, the lead author of the original study has stated recently that indeed their original findings do not imply that the Ibizan Hound is not an ancient breed and that with better tools they would in all likelihood be able to trace a continuous lineage of thousands of years for many dog breeds and add them to their group of ancient dogs.
Regrettably, the Spanish population, in the main, do not hold them in high regard, seldom keeping them as pets and when they are no longer required for hunting, they are frequently abandoned and are treated most cruelly.
Many strays of the breed are to be seen wandering in Spain looking for food and the rescue centres have more of this type of dog than any other seeking homes.
This is a truly tragic situation as they make superb pets, having a wonderful temperament and being exceptionally good with children. They are intelligent, gentle, loyal, highly affectionate and keen to learn.
According to journalist Norman Lewis, when an owner no longer wants to own one of these dogs (having too much of an appetite, for instance), it is considered very bad luck to kill the dog. Instead, they release the dog on the other side of the island, so that someone else might 'adopt' the animal.
Many strays of the breed are to be seen wandering in Spain looking for food and the rescue centres have more of this type of dog than any other seeking homes.
This is a truly tragic situation as they make superb pets, having a wonderful temperament and being exceptionally good with children. They are intelligent, gentle, loyal, highly affectionate and keen to learn.
According to journalist Norman Lewis, when an owner no longer wants to own one of these dogs (having too much of an appetite, for instance), it is considered very bad luck to kill the dog. Instead, they release the dog on the other side of the island, so that someone else might 'adopt' the animal.
Podenco Canario
Podenco Canario (In English: Canary Islands Hound, Canarian Warren Hound, Canarian Pharaoh Hound) is a breed of dog originally from the Canary Islands. The word "podenco" is Spanish for "hound". "Canario" means "Canarian" or "of the Canaries". The Podenco Canario is still used in the Canary Islands today in packs as a hunting dog, primarily used for rabbit hunting.
The Podenco Canario is found on all of the Canary Islands and descends from a very ancient type brought to the islands in antiquity, and, isolated there, remains an example of the very oldest breeds.
It is thought to have originated in Egypt and North Africa, and brought to the Canaries by the very earliest human settlers on the islands.
Linguistic and genetic analyses of the descendants of the earliest known human inhabitants of the Canary Islands seem to indicate a common origin with the Berbers of northern Africa, who may have brought the dogs there as a food source. Diverse recent genetics studies have concluded Podenco is a type of dog very related to the rest of European hunting dogs and they are not more primitive than most of them.
The Podenco Canario is found on all of the Canary Islands and descends from a very ancient type brought to the islands in antiquity, and, isolated there, remains an example of the very oldest breeds.
It is thought to have originated in Egypt and North Africa, and brought to the Canaries by the very earliest human settlers on the islands.
Linguistic and genetic analyses of the descendants of the earliest known human inhabitants of the Canary Islands seem to indicate a common origin with the Berbers of northern Africa, who may have brought the dogs there as a food source. Diverse recent genetics studies have concluded Podenco is a type of dog very related to the rest of European hunting dogs and they are not more primitive than most of them.
Podenco Canario spend their lives either kept on very short chains or in dark sheds, only released from their torturously boring and hungry lives during the hunting season - which runs from August to December. They are then expected to hunt all day long in often burning temperatures to flush out rabbits for their master's table.
This they do without complaint, because they are desperate to please him, they crave his attention and would do anything for just one pat and a kind word. Unfortunately for the majority, these kind words and acts of affection never arrive.
After a hard day's hunting, they are roughly loaded back into a small cage on the back of their master's truck and taken home to be put back into that dark shed or tied up again on a very short chain, hungry, thirsty and tired, until the next hunt.
This they do without complaint, because they are desperate to please him, they crave his attention and would do anything for just one pat and a kind word. Unfortunately for the majority, these kind words and acts of affection never arrive.
After a hard day's hunting, they are roughly loaded back into a small cage on the back of their master's truck and taken home to be put back into that dark shed or tied up again on a very short chain, hungry, thirsty and tired, until the next hunt.
Many of these dogs get separated from the rest of the pack and find themselves all alone, with no idea where they are. The hunter will not waste his time looking for a dog who doesn't return; they are two-a-penny and he can replace them easily.
If a dog is not a particularly good hunter, or he is past his best, he will simply be driven out to a remote part of the Island, far from home, and left to fend for himself.
Others are abandoned at the end of the hunting season, because their owner doesn't want to bother with them for the rest of the year, he will get another one next hunting season.
The dogs are kept hungry because the hunters believe the dogs will hunt better if they are hungry. There are some instances of hanging, but these are becoming much less.
A bigger problem here is poisoning. As so many of the dogs are lost or abandoned during the hunting season, the farmers who do not want stray dogs around put down a mix of either bread or 'Gofio' (maize flour) and insecticides and, in some cases, strychnine. It takes little imagination to comprehend the terrible death of a dog eating this.
If a dog is not a particularly good hunter, or he is past his best, he will simply be driven out to a remote part of the Island, far from home, and left to fend for himself.
Others are abandoned at the end of the hunting season, because their owner doesn't want to bother with them for the rest of the year, he will get another one next hunting season.
The dogs are kept hungry because the hunters believe the dogs will hunt better if they are hungry. There are some instances of hanging, but these are becoming much less.
A bigger problem here is poisoning. As so many of the dogs are lost or abandoned during the hunting season, the farmers who do not want stray dogs around put down a mix of either bread or 'Gofio' (maize flour) and insecticides and, in some cases, strychnine. It takes little imagination to comprehend the terrible death of a dog eating this.
March, 2012 - Murcia - 120 Galgos, Podencos and other hunting dogs were rescued from this horrible existence that is very common in Spain. The dogs used to hunt and was owned by a private individual. The dogs have been forced to live on old bread and crisps once a week and are very malnourished and sick. Many dogs were found dead and buried at the site. Legal proceedings against these terrible hunters are difficult in Spain and it is almost a tradition to treat hunting dogs in this way and to kill them after hunting season by hanging or in other cruel ways.
Galgo ahorcado - Hanged galgo