I've also done the same for these galgos, such beautiful pleading eyes. It is one of half a dozen photos sent to me of galgos in a shelter.

Can anyone help me?

And Kenia's babies are looking for their forever families.

I am posting here the press release from The Donkey Sanctuary. It is about a female donkey which, on 31st October, was tortured so horrendously by teenagers in a village called Torreorgaz in Extramadura, that she died in the most painful agony. The Donkey Sanctuary and it's Spanish counterpart are hoping to take these sadistic torturers to court. If you wish to support them in this, read on.

Below is the press release the DS have put out. I hope they take them to court, put them in jail and throw away the key.

DONKEY BRUTALLY MURDERED IN SPAIN SHOCKS DONKEY CHARITY

04 November 2009, 2.30pm News release issued by El Refugio Del Burrito’s Press Office

A donkey has been brutally murdered by teenagers in the village of Torreorgaz in the Spanish region of Extremadura. The news has shocked the Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary and its Spanish counterpart now plans to take full legal action against the culprits.

El Refugio del Burrito, based in Fuente de Piedra, is a Spanish registered charity, and part of the UK-based Donkey Sanctuary, dedicated to the care and protection of donkeys and mules.

Staff at the refuge were devastated to hear how a young female donkey died in the early hours of Saturday 31st October after being repeatedly kicked, and more disturbingly for having objects inserted into its bodily orifices causing great internal damage, which then led to a fatal heart attack.

Ivan Salvia, General Manager at El Refugio Del Burrito says: “This cruel act is incomprehensible and we hope to find justice for the poor donkey concerned. The owner is just as devastated as we are.”

See more about it on http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/555475/0/maltrato/burra/muerte/

El Refugio del Burrito now plans to lodge an official condemnation to the local government of Extremadura to start the legal proceedings. The charity also hopes to gather support from the general public to campaign for animal protection laws to be fully enforced in future.

To support El Refugio del Burrito in their campaign, please visit www.elrefugiodelburrito.com

For quotes, further information or images, please contact:

The Donkey Sanctuary PR Office:

Dawn Vincent 01395 573097 07970 927778

Suzi Cretney 01395 573014

Claire Shapcott 01395 573124

Sandra Baas will be there from Baas Galgos, and Galgos sin Fronteras, DDEVIDA, Scooby, Aurora in Barcelona there too, and hopefully lots more.…………….the more the merrier. The day will be filled with activities and fun, a family day for kids, pets, everyone.

Accommodation can also be arranged with your pet in a local hotel.

It’s all to honour the work the volunteers and associations do to help the galgos, and raise funds for them, so give Charl your support. Get in touch with her at comdelrio@hotmail.com if you can support her and offer help. Also info@refugiodeburrito.com

Euro cheques payable to Levriers en Danger and send to

CHRISTINE TROUYET
NOYER
07440 BOFFRES

For supporters in Switzerland, contact Marie-Claude direct, details on the website.

7 galgos – look at the pictures, beautiful dogs – just taken to be killed. 6 females and 1 male. And why now – the hunting season only began in September. Admittedly, I suppose one could argue that it is better that they be taken there and euthanaised, rather than hung from a tree, dropped down a deep well, burned alive, dumped on a motorway. If there are any shelters which have room to take these dogs, and prepare them for adoption abroad, please contact samper7@hotmail.com urgently.

But it’s this issue of ‘disposable dogs’ which I really cannot understand – these galguerros and gitans just do not seem to put any value on a life. Can anyone explain to me what it is in the makeup of these particular Spaniards which makes them behave like this. What is it in the character which makes many Spaniards treat animals like this – not just the dogs, but the bulls and donkeys………………..

I’m the first to admit that the situation with racing greyhounds in Ireland and Great Britain is pretty disgraceful too, but we’re talking about perhaps 15,000 greyhounds each year, whilst in Spain it’s 50,000 galgos each year, possibly more.

What can we do to help the shelters and associations in Spain who are trying to deal with this problem, year after year? How can we help them to change it?

And don't forget, if there is a Spanish association or shelter which can help these dogs, contact samper7@hotmail.com

If you are not in Spain and want to help, please contact one of the official galgo rescue associations, some of which are listed in the right hand column of Galgo News Home Page, as these dogs will need vaccinations and blood tests before being taken into another country. This is the only way to ensure that no country refuses to allow these dogs over its border, as Belgium proposed.

Both organisations prepare their dogs for adoption abroad - as you can imagine, flights can be costly and the dogs have to be accompanied.

Pro-Galgo currently have 3 which, besides having EU passports, also have the required paperwork for adoption in the UK.

If you can give a forever home to one of these hounds and publicise the breed in the UK, where it is hardly known, please contact Pro-Galgo direct.

Here's the link to read about some of their galgos adopted in Spain; scroll down the page to meet the Podencos Flescha, Lola and Goku, waiting for their forever homes.

Ibizan Hound Rescue has also been working for many years to publicise the terrible treatment which these dogs suffer, and publicise what wonderful pets they make. I can vouch for that, having adopted one myself, and fostered 2.

On the other hand, these 2 puppies were not so lucky. Marie Dutto send me this plea. Please sign the petition for her.

Please take a moment to read about this important issue, and join me in signing the petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. We are trying to reach 2000 signatures –

Please sign here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/two-puppies-brutally-mutilated-and-killed-in-spain-stop-the-cruelty>

Once you have signed, you can help even more by asking your friends and family to sign as well.

Thank you! Marie

Marie - can you let me know what happens to the petition when you reach your target. It would be nice to know where it will be sent.

Transport help for shelters Madrid 2009

last Saturday 24 October, a large truck was loaded with aid for shelters.
This transport is a collaboration between 6 organizations from three different countries,=the result is a truck filled with 20 m3 of materials and food.

From Netherlands: Doggymix, GalgoSupportHolland (GSH) and Ronda's Shop and from Belgium: Antwerpse Galgo Vrienden (AGV) and HOOP

The truck will arrive this Wednesday (28) morning at BaasGalgo
and different shelters will be there to get support for their dogs.
Transportation is paid by the 6 organizations.

In the truck are more than 2000 kilo of food, hundreds of coats, blankets and pillows, beds, cages and pharmaceutical materials such as gauze, betadine etc ...

There will also be collars, leashes and bowls.
All coats and cushions are a work of volunteers from Holland and Belgium.

Together we can achieve a lot!

Thanks to this transport this winter will be more comfortable for the lucky ones!

Well done to everyone involved, it must be such a lift for the volunteers in Spain, knowing people care so much to help them.

Herewith the letter, either post or email

Dear Sir or Madam,

I want to bring to your attention a very sad situation in your country which is of great concern to me and to many of my Spanish friends. This involves considerable cruelty to animals and in particular to dogs. Although there are laws to prevent such cruelty they are rarely, if ever enforced and there is a rather large gap in the law that regards greyhound racing dogs as “working dogs” which are therefore not covered by the law. After the rabbit-hunting season is over they either get thrown out, dumped on the motorway or are hanged.

This is a deplorable state of affaires and a very poor advertisement for Spain, and also by the volunteers who work tirelessly to try and save these dogs from further pain and suffering.

Unfortunately there is another source of cruelty to dogs involving the many expatriates who are temporary residents. Some of these people dump dogs when they return to their home countries or leave them outside animal sanctuaries. There should be serious penalties for such offences and they should be enforced. There is a great deal of anger about this situation both among my Spanish friends and the many expats who, while having an admiration for Spain and its culture, are none the less very distressed by this situation, .

In the coming months, this situation will be brought to public attention in numerous ways that are intended to exert pressure for change. It would be most helpful and at the same time positive for Spain’s image (especially in 2010 when Spain’s position in the EU will be front and foremost) if your office took a lead in this matter and gave support to moves to correct this situation.

May I thank you for your time in reading my letter and hope that you will help to introduce a law to protect the galgos of Spain, and penalise those people who dump dogs.

Yours

(name and country of residence)

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members