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GALGOS IN CADIZ, SPAIN |
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The American-European
Greyhound Alliance was contacted recently (6 February) by Juan Jesus in
Spain. He is a part-time worker for a town shelter. At the end of the
hunting season, many galgos were left at the shelter for him to care for.
He is trying desperately to care for them all instead of simply putting
them to sleep as is usual.
Click here to go to 24 February Update. Click here to go to 7 March Update. Click here to go to 13 March Update including photos of the dogs taken by photo journalist John Mottern. Click here to go to 23 March Update. Here is his roughly translated note asking for help: Hello, I am Juan Jesus of the kennel of the mountain of Cádiz, in Villamartín-Cádiz-Spain. We have 41 greyhounds that we cannot give in adoption because in this area of Spain they are not appreciated as company animals and they are sacrificed cruelly by means of ahorcamiento or shots. Up to now we were passing them to Scooby but they are saturated and they cannot pick up them until in two months. For economic reasons we cannot maintain them and it is expected they are sacrificed for next week. I am looking for means hopelessly to save them, as much adoptantes as any other form. Please if you can help these 41 greyhounds in the way that it is to contact with me in mmssinhogar@eresmas.com or in the telephone number 678989079. A greeting. Here are two pictures of the hounds in the shelter's yard:
In order to help save these dogs, the AEGA has sent cash through Anna Clements of SOS-Galgos to buy food and necessary medicines. Juan is not comfortable with receiving electronic donations directly. There is also some concern that funds sent directly to the town may not get used for the dogs. Anna Clements has been speaking to Juan and coordinating the delivery of food, medicines and supplies to these dogs. Much of what is printed below is in her words (in burgundy). I've just been on the phone to Juan Jesús in Cadiz. The galgos get through about 30 kilos of food per day (about 66 pounds). Some of our adopters are going to help. The woman who adopted Olga, is going to take two on Tuesday from him. Other adopters in Barcelona have offered to foster. The thing is, the galgos are catching kennel cough and Juan Jesus has only got penicillin and one pot of antibiotics and one pot of vitamins. They do have a vet named Juan Benal. It's important to get them treated soon for this very contagious kennel cough. Juan Jesus is deeply grateful. He told me that the building where the dogs are is about 200 years old and they made a decision to let them all be together (as in photo) because there weren't enough kennels inside. When I asked them if they fought he said very seldom, that the galgos get on well with each other. When I asked him how he would cope with medicating them all with the kennel cough treatment he told me that he was alone with the galgos. Another man helps but with the other dogs. I have talked with Juan Jesus and they can keep the dogs there if they have support with food and vet care. They have a vet and we can send some donated doxycycline we still have. I'm not sure if Juan Jesus can cope with daily treatment as he's alone and they only have a large patio (6x6 meters) for all of them. He would rather receive dog food as the shelter belongs to the town hall and it would be difficult to receive funds solely for the galgos. I am trying to coordinate a pet food company to deliver dog food in Cadiz while we pay from this end. Albert has talked with the vet and they have signs of kennel cough and diarrhea. Most are vaccinated and the food is of poor quality because of the limited budget, which could explain many intestinal upsets. Albert asked whether they are near Rota Air Force Base in Cadiz. They are 45 minutes away and could transport dogs easily there. We have been dealing with a possible American adopter there (who is going to have a galga named Barbra for a trial period from a foster home in Ciudad Real, if it works out she'll adopt her) and there is a lot of military activity due to preparations for the war against Iraq. Maybe this could be a chance to transport some dogs in one of the airplanes flying back and forth these days. Albert spoke with Juan Jesus' vet only last Friday and he said that they are fed low quality food and that this contributes to their condition. Otherwise he didn't suggest that they are in extreme state. There's no room to separate them but that he's injecting them with antibiotic. We think that if they get good quality food it will help greatly. On Saturday we sent medicines that Suzanne sent, 1000 tablets of doxycycline, 500 tablets of amoxicillin, Panacur and anti-diarrheal tablets. Also a few coats, of which we will be sending more tomorrow. I spoke to our food contact this morning who said that she's ordered the rep in Cadiz to send food to Juan Jesus. The $300 donation for this converts to 260 euros and instead of sending him the money, we've told our food contact to bill us for the food sent to him. We hope that they will be generous and give more than the money's worth. Estibaliz, is the name of our food contact and she was actually SOS Galgos' first member. She told me this morning that she sent the message and photos from Juan Jesus to all her contacts and friends asking them to adopt or foster one. The word has even spread in shopping centres two hundred kms north I found out today! People speak about them in the most unexpected places and circumstances. I spoke with Juan Jesus this morning and asked him honestly how the dogs were, whether they were vaccinated, whether any of them were really very ill. He said that nine of them had kennel cough but that no, all the others seem active and well. They are not vaccinated because he said that all the money goes towards two things: food and injections for euthanasia. He said there's just no money for anything else. He and Estibaliz (our food contact) have both told me that the food will get to them on Thursday from Royal Canin in Cadiz. That they are going to try and give him as much as possible for the $300 even give away sacks that are damaged and cannot be sold, and will not charge any VAT. We don't yet know the exact amount of food that they'll get, it will be a surprise I suppose! Juan Jesus will let us know as soon as he gets it. He is so grateful. When I asked more about what he did he told me that his job for the town hall was to collect abandoned animals from 22 towns and villages around the province of Cadiz. He's just turned 25 years old (when I mentioned to him that I yesterday discovered that Mrw transports anything free of charge to students under 25), he then told me his girlfriend is at university and is 24 so I took down her address immediately and have sent them a load of coats. Albert took the box of coats to Mrw at midday so they'll get there tomorrow. At least the ones with kennel cough will be warmer from tomorrow. Aren't they lovely dogs from the photos? I love the ones at the door looking at the camera. It's a sad situation, I wish we could get them out of there. Quick update about Juan's dogs in Cadiz. For the $300 he got 26 bags of Royal canin dry dog food. Each bag weighs 20 kgs, and he was given a couple more bags that couldn't sell because of defect in packaging. He said it would last the dogs 16/17 days. One of our adopters who lives three hours away from us received two galgos from him this morning. She said the male is absolutely spectacular, black and very curvy. The other one, a female is a long haired galga and with a beautiful personality. Both are going to her vets for a check up this afternoon. Her vet is a friend of Albert's. Pilar has got them separated just in case one of them has the kennel cough. The American woman at the Rota naval base nearby is going to visit and I've asked her to take photos. And here is a thank you note from Juan Jesus after receiving the donated food from the AEGA donation and assistance and medicine from Anna Clements and Albert Sorde of SOS Galgos. Hello, I am Juan Jesus Wicket from the kennel of the mountain of Cádiz. I don't know if you will have found out our situation from SOS Greyhounds. You will see, we embrace the collection of the abandoned animals of 21 towns of the north area of the county of Cádiz in Andalusia (Spain). In this area the greyhounds are not appreciated at all as company animals, they are an instrument more than hunt, and when they cannot hunt they are sacrificed cruelly by means of the fork or put in a sack bundle with stones and that later on it is thrown to the river so that they drown. Until last month we were taking them to Scooby, traveling 1400 km. in to go and to come to save them but Scooby has been saturated and they cannot welcome us to more animal at least in two months. When those of Scooby told us this we had 40 greyhounds but now we have 50 although they have no longer entered more because the hunt time has finished. I won't lie you, we have several sick greyhounds but thanks to SOS greyhounds that have sent us medicines they are improving, we could not administer him the medicines because we don't have money for it, we are also the only hope of to survive that have since if they won't finish sacrificed thing that I am trying to avoid by all possible means since I refuse to the idea of not giving them the opportunity that so much deserve of a better life. I must also carry out the whole work me only, without help, because here there are not volunteers that want to help me for what is costing me enough work maintaining them with life and mainly to find a refuge or an adoptante for not sacrificing them but I don't know if we will be able to maintain them the two months that you/they have told us in Scooby. For the time being we can maintain them with life due to your immense generosity besides the contributions that have also offered Pro-greyhound and the foundation Purina for what I calculate that we will have food for a month and half or the two months. I have also already gotten that they are adopted at five of them, but we still have the other ones 49. I don't know if you will know that these animals are very mistreated in this area of Spain, where they are only hunt objects. You only have to see that in the south area of Spain, from where I write you, there are not associations like Scooby, SOS Greyhounds or Pro greyhound that are devoted to save them or at least I don't know them. Here people are missed when I speak to them of the greyhounds like company animals, for them you/he/she is something unthinkable, for what I find difficult even more work the power to save them and that somebody helps me. I would please request you that you don't abandon these animals, you have been able to maintain them alive and know that although there are some sick persons we are tried to cure them that our center is the only hope that they have the greyhounds of a wide geographical area to be able to live and that up to now they didn't have any opportunity. Know that we are here and that I will continue fighting, thanks to your help and to wonderful people's associations to try to save these greyhounds, victims of a society still unconscious unable to appreciate how much they can give us and that they punish them after giving everything for their masters. I will send you pictures of our animals so that you see them, now only I have of some. I wait we continue in contact. A greeting and thousand thank you on my behalf and mainly, mainly of those 50 greyhounds to those that you have allowed to continue with life. A hug. If you would like to help the galgos that Juan is caring for with a tax-deductible donation, please click on the Paypal "Make a Donation" link below. You can use their secure server to send a donation using any major credit card to the AEGA that will immediately be passed on to Spain. AEGA does not keep any portion of these donations. 24 February translated Letter from Juan Hello, I am Juan Jesus, I am mu agracdecido for your letter. Lament not to write you in English but it is that I am not given the language very well. I send you some pictures of my greyhounds with me, the greyhounds to those that I am intetando to save. I also send you some pictures of the last one that I have picked up. He/she went last night at 23:00 o'clock and I had to move to 50 km. to be able to pick up it. When I arrived they had beaten to kill him but when seeing me conrriendo they left. I am tried to cure him with my limited means, it presents broken ribs, courts, blows in the head and it has lost a lot of blood. We have named him Revelation because he revealed to the world the cruelty suffered. I send you
the pictures so that you see that in this area of Spain it is frequent to
not only kill the greyhounds but to almost all the dogs to blows with
sticks, put in a sack with stones that hurtle to the river, hung or of a
shot in the best in the cases. Please I need to find adoptantes and
medicines so that they don't make sick then by means of SOS Galgos you
have made me arrive help that he/she has come very well but I still have 7
sick persons with kennel cough and I want to save them. I inform you that
the hunt season has already finished at most for what you/they have
stopped to enter greyhounds, they enter us some four or five a month, but
I want to give exit at the fifty that I have for not sacrificing them. A
greeting and thousand thank you. The following first three pictures show the galgos in the yard at the shelter. Warning! The last two pictures are of Revelation, the galgo who has been beaten. The photos are quite graphic and very disturbing.
Another note from Juan.... Hello, The veterinarian has seen Revelation and it presents numerous internal fractures for what I don't know if it will leave ahead, we have cut him the hemorrhages and there is him sedado so that it doesn't suffer, besides splinting him the paw but the problem is in the ribs and in the blows in the head. I will maintain you informed and please don't worry, we make what we can. A greeting and thousand thank you, waiting that he/she recovers. 25 February Sad news.....Revelation, the brutally beaten galgo could not be saved from the injuries inflicted on him and has been mercifully put to sleep. He suffered terrible convulsions through the night and his prognosis was not good. He was let go from this world of suffering, torture and pain and is hopefully in a better place now. At least he felt a caring hand the last days of his life. If you would like to help the galgos that Juan is caring for with a tax-deductible donation, please click on the Paypal "Make a Donation" link below. You can use their secure server to send a donation using any major credit card to the AEGA that will immediately be passed on to Spain. AEGA does not keep any portion of these donations. Click here to go to 7 March Update. |
