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| © Neil Trent/HSI |
| A Spanish galgo. |
The galgo, a breed of dog native to Spain, is similar to a greyhound. Because they have particular stamina, galgos are used to hunt rabbits and boars on the Spanish plains.
The abuse that many Spanish galgos experience revolves around two main issues: unsanitary and inhumane breeding in puppy mills, and the abandonment or killing of the dogs by hunters.
Galgos are often bred in an environment with little or no compassion for animals. They may be kept in continuously dark barns, starved for food and attention. These dogs are seen as commodities—to be used for hunting and breeding only. They are overbred and unvaccinated. It is common for breeders to mate two dogs so that they can keep one or two puppies and "dispose of" the rest of the litter.
Galgos have been mistreated for centuries. In the past, peasants often used galgos for hunting. Because the peasants could not afford to keep the dogs through the winter, they would often get rid of galgos by hanging the animals from trees. After the hanging, peasants would cut down a galgo's body and leave it for wild animals to eat.
Laws Are Not Enough
Despite animal protection laws, galgos suffer unimaginably cruel deaths to this day. When a hunter feels a galgo is no longer in his prime, he will often hang the dog from a tree using rope or wire. The galgo may suffer for minutes or for hours, depending on the hunter's judgment of his dog's skills. If he believes the dog was a poor hunter, he will ensure that the galgo suffers for a long time.
"It is an awful situation, because most hunters see galgos as only tools," says Mireille Broeders of Greyhounds in Nood-Belgium. "It is a tradition that dogs who have not worked hard enough for their owners are punished in front of the other dogs. The hunters believe the dogs will work better after they have witnessed another dog hanged, beaten or worse."
Animal protection laws and enforcement have dissuaded some hunters from hanging or shooting galgos; however, this means that the hunters will often abandon the dogs instead. Abandonment does not mean that galgos gallop freely in the countryside. To a galgo, it often means suffering and starvation. Galgos have been found deserted, with their legs broken. It is believed that hunters break the dog's legs so the dog cannot follow him home.
The federal animal protection law in Spain, passed in 2003, specifies that any person who causes death or serious harm to an animal will receive a prison sentence of three months to one year. Unfortunately, Spain's devolved government makes enforcement across diverse and autonomous regions difficult, especially when local level politicians are sometimes the people who hunt with galgos. Actual prosecution is rare.
Some Progress Being Made
There is some encouraging news. Pressure from fellow EU countries is mounting on Spain to make real changes. Hundreds of European citizens have petitioned the European Parliament, asking it to intervene and halt this widespread cruelty against galgos and racing greyhounds. In 2006, protesters delivered a petition signed by 50,000 people to the Minister of the Environment in Madrid, demanding that hunting with galgos be outlawed. In November 2007, Spain took a step forward in animal welfare protection by closing down a dog "shelter" in Puerto Real after allegations of widespread animal abuse. Fines and jail time are also being better enforced, largely due to pressure from individual activists and animal welfare organizations.
What You Can Do
Several animal protection groups in Spain and elsewhere in Europe are fighting against these cruel practices. We invite you to learn more about these organizations and how you can help them protect Spanish galgos:
Le Bulletin Des Lévriers has launched an online petition entitled Il Faut Sauver les Galgos (It is Necessary to Save the Galgos), directed at Sra. Doña Cristina Narbona Ruiz, the Minister of the Environment for Spain. Click here to sign the petition.
Updated May 5, 2009
