In Spain, hunting season is about to begin – but for hundreds of ‘hunting dogs’ called galgos, this season will bring nothing but suffering.
For many hunters, galgos are little more than a tool, to be cruelly disposed of when they have “outlived their purpose.”
Trained to kill over months of brutal, abusive training, these beautiful dogs are used to hunt small animals like hares. When their owners no longer see them as “useful,” tens of thousands of galgos are abandoned, starved, mutilated or killed.
Coco was found severely underweight at only 13 kilograms, covered in ticks and fleas – the ideal weight being 25 kilograms. Luckily, he is now in the safety of our partner’s shelter. Credit: Galgos del Sur
Our partner, Galgos del Sur, is doing everything it can to save dogs, but the shelter is full and the team is overwhelmed. The galgos they rescue are often severely injured and traumatized, and each requires months of care before they are ready for adoption.
Most galgos need to stay at the shelter for up to a year to recover physically and emotionally. That means paying for food, microchipping, sterilizations, vaccinations, vet care, and salaries for staff to provide daily care.
But right now, our partner simply can’t afford to take in any more abused and abandoned dogs.
Without this vital rescue team, vulnerable dogs will be left to die on the streets
Every year, our partner rescues hundreds of discarded hunting dogs who often suffer from traumatic injuries, sickness and malnutrition. It is not only galgos that suffer – our partners also rescue podenkos like these who are kept in intolerable conditions and cruelly abused by hunters. Credit: Galgos del Sur
The images are almost too horrifying to comprehend – dogs hung from bridges by their necks, thrown into wells, or abandoned to slowly starve to death. These are the animals our partner needs our help to save – animals who have no-one else to turn to.
It can take up to six months for a galgo to heal and rehabilitate after being rescued – a cost our partner is struggling to meet. Credit: NFA/Dejan Radic
Other shelters are at capacity. There is nowhere else for these dogs to go.
This is an emergency. We must act right away – before the hunting season claims even more lives.
Together, we can rescue these forsaken dogs from certain death.
It costs around $950 (£700) to rescue and care for one galgo until they’re ready for a forever home, and your support is crucial to ensure our partner can continue saving lives.
Please donate whatever you can. Any amount you can spare could be the reason a dog is saved from abandonment and death.
Yin and Yang were born too close to the start of the hunting season to be ‘useful’ to their owner – without the help of our partners they would be left to fend for themselves on the streets where they were discarded, dehydrated and full of parasites. Credit: Galgos del Sur
Every dollar or pound means the difference between being thrown away and finding love. Please help now – before it’s too late.
