Dear supporter,

Large numbers of racing greyhounds are suffering every year because of a lack of effective regulation.

Every year at least 10,000 greyhounds are retired from racing. The fate of many of these greyhounds is unknown and huge numbers simply 'disappear'.

Now we have the chance to protect them for the whole of their lives. But that chance expires in just a few days, on Wednesday, 22 July.

We've set ourselves a target to get at least 20,000 people to send a letter to the government by 22 July to push them to introduce special legislation for racing greyhounds under the Animal Welfare Act. After that, the consultation period closes for good.

We need the government to know that the public is unhappy about the uncertainty around racing greyhounds.

We need them to know that thousands of people support legislation that will protect each and every racing greyhound, by law, from cradle to grave.

And we need to let them know by 22 July so that we don't miss our chance. Please sign the campaign letter now, then forward this email on to other animal lovers so we can reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

Visit www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk/greyhounds to join
the most important greyhound race of all.
It's one they can't afford to lose.



http://www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk/greyhounds/

This is the story of what has happened to the galgos, known as the 'trafic galgos', as explained to a member of a French rescue association by the owner of one of the refuges where some of the remaining galgos were taken after being removed from the original compound.

'The galgos who were brought here by the operations "Harry" en "Clavillo", so also the 45 you have seen, were not all here given for adoption but in "deposit" so the Guardia Civil could check if they were stolen or not. For that purpose, there were many special days orginised for the people who had put charges with the police about their stolen dogs and they were given the opportunity to come here and check if their stolen dog was here in deposit. And if so and when they could prove that it was their dog, they got the dog back from the police.

Since I am here there were 2 of these special days from the Guardia Civil. The first time, about 11 dogs were taken home by their owner and the second time, 12 dogs went back to their owner, so that is a total from 23 dogs and probably before my coming here there were more of these special days on which owners took home their dogs.

I would also rather see the dogs go to nice and loving families in the rest of Europe but this is the way things go with stolen properties in Spain, they return them to the owners and that is what happened with the dogs you have seen here. The dogs which are left here from operation "Harry", the judge has decided that they are free for adoption now, but they are just 3 or something like that.

The dogs left from operation "Clavillo" are not yet free for adoption but there are also left maybe 3 or 4, I don`t know exactly and Bartolo says, that if we are going to give these last dogs from "Clavillo" for adoption and an owner should come and want his dog back, we and the association who adopted him/her, are going to get big problems if the dog is abroad, because the dog HAS to return then.

We could not do that to any family, it should be heartbreaking, so they have to stay here in the shelter or at least stay in the neighbourhood here and if anyone want to adopt them that at least they know what can be the consequences of adopting a dog like that. It is a very difficult issue, for everybody, but that`s the way it is.

I am very sorry but I hope you can understand this.'

So, there we are. There is a trade in stolen galgos in Spain, that is already known, and the time is drawing near when the Spanish refuges containing galgos will be fearful that, towards the end of August and early September, these galgos are at risk of being stolen at night by the gypsies, for sale to galguerros, and even back to the volunteers at the shelter from which they were originally stolen.

These poor dogs are simply an inanimate object to these (mostly) men, and it is an enormous task to change their mind state. In the meantime, we can only hope that the poor survivors of Operation Harry y Clavillo are not yet again suffering at the hands of their original owners........................

There must be someone in the area who can catch this poor dog and find a space for him in a shelter. If you can help, contact helenamalia89@gmail.com // helenyeu@hotmail.com or
mara4849@hotmail.com

She is 2-3 years old, gentle and calm, she has her european passport, vaccinated including rabies, sterilised, and urgently needs adopting

contact patricia@galgosfrance.info tel: 0033 (0)6 63 61 51 26 http://galgosfrance.net

Hello!

It’s me, Tallis and I’m writing to tell you that I am now one year old and quite grown up. I have been learning lots of lessons during my first year, but I thought you’d like to hear about some of my hobbies.

I love eating, anything and everything, but especially fruit and vegetables and the home-made bone-shaped dog biscuits which Mum makes. I share them with my doggie chums when we go visiting.

I love bird watching in the garden and especially stalking and chasing the ducks on the Canal du Midi. Sadly, they fly away too soon, but I’ll keep trying to catch one. In the meantime I just splash about in the water which I love!

I love the strawberries which I pick for myself when no-one is watching. I love playing with my tennis ball in the garden and can throw it quite high in the air.

I love digging and have got my own special digging hole in the garden which is getting quite deep now.

I love the cat’s biscuits which I sneak whenever I can. I don’t think the cat minds – we’re good friends really.

I love pinching things and do it very stealthily so no-one knows. I have investigated all sorts of things from spectacles to sponges, but I usually leave them undamaged on the lawn for Dad to find later.

I love life, it’s such fun!

Love and lots of licks for now.

Tallis xxx

There are some more galgo puppies with L'Europe des Levriers looking for their forever homes.

At one refuge, they were introduced to a 6-week old galga puppy which had been dumped in a rubbish bin, covered in vermin. At another refuge, there were more than 300 galgos.

This story makes the proposed introduction in Belgium in October of a law prohibiting the importing of dogs from outside that country even more appalling.

Add your name to their petition.

International Threats to Greyhounds, Letters Needed!

Dear Friends:

We have just learned that efforts to open dog tracks in the South Pacific and in the Caribbean are underway.

Please send your letters of concern to officials on behalf of the greyhounds. Thousands of dogs will be doomed to injury and death if racetracks are legalized in these new jurisdictions.

The Philippines

In the Philippines, House Bill No. 5291—An Act Granting the Fox Millenium Amusement Club a Franchise to Construct, Operate and Maintain a Greyhound Racetrack—would make dog racing legal in the city of Mandaue. This dangerous measure has already been approved by a legislative conference committee.

Please send a letter of support for the greyhounds to:

H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila NCR 1005
The Philippines
corres@op.gov.ph

St. Kitts

In St. Kitts, which is part of the Caribbean Islands, there are plans to open two greyhound tracks. Dogs will be shipped from the United States to this very small island if the St. Kitts and Nevis Racing Bill of 2009 goes unchallenged.

Please send a letter of support for the greyhounds to:

Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas
Office of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis
Government Headquarters
Church Street, Basseterre
St. Kitts
erasmus.williams@cuopm.com (Prime Minister's press secretary)

South Africa

Meanwhile, as first reported in February, South Africa is still considering whether to overturn decades of law and legalize dog racing legal in the republic. A special government commission, which met with GREY2K USA and other organizations worldwide, will release its recommendation on Monday.

Please send a letter of support for the greyhounds to:

Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President
c/o Ms. Zingaphi Jakuja, Liaison
Zingaphi@po.gov.za

For facts about the cruelty of dog racing, read our fact sheet, then please write your letters and forward this message as widely as possible using the forward button below.

Thanks for caring about the greyhounds!

Christine Dorchak and Carey Theil
GREY2K USA

Editor's note - I have already highlighted the problem for South Africa - read about it here and join the campaign - support our South African friends http://www.galgonews.com/2009/02/join-the-campaign-ban-greyhound-racing-in-south-africa.html

Remember - what happens to greyhounds is also likely to happen to galgos - unscrupulous people in Spain will traffic in galgos in the same way

http://www.ginb.be/petition/indexen.php

This is the other petition