Spain

For anyone who is involved in sighthound welfare the fate of Spanish galgos is well documented and is one of great concern.  To someone who has stumbled upon information and is curious to know more, the information below should provide a better understanding.

Historically, as with greyhounds, nobility were the sole owners of the breed and used them exclusively for hunting.  It is thought that galgos are descended from the Sloughi, another sighthound.  As with the saluki, these sighthounds were well respected by their affluent owners and bred to hunt for the nobility of their respective societies.

Gradually through time, the keepers of the galgos began breeding them for their own purposes and once indiscriminate breeding became commonplace, the status of the breed fell and their future lives became exploited by all classes.  The Spanish nobility began importing Irish greyhounds to add speed to the stamina of Galgos.  Again the lower classes charged with their day to day care, began crossbreeding the speed characteristic of the greyhound into their own dogs. 

Having a hunter to catch hare meant the poorest families had food to sustain them.   When the hunting season was over, the galgos were no longer required and so they were destroyed in the most economical way possible, by hanging.   The indiscriminate and uncontrolled breeding meant that new fresh young galgos were always available when needed for hunting.  At this time no guns were owned by these families and sacrificing Galgos this way passed into a tradition.   

Greyhound racing became popular in Spain in the last century (20^th) with more and more dogs being imported from Ireland.  Many of these would have crossbred with Galgos.    All Spain’s tracks have now been closed, leaving several hundred greyhounds to a fate not dissimilar to the Galgos.

Although very few people now rely on hunting to sustain themselves, traditions once established see the rural and urban communities keen to retain hunting as a sport and with it, the hangings.  Some dogs may be abandoned and others taken to refuges, but cruel and sadistic practices such as poisoning and throwing dogs down disused wells remains evident today.  It is said that a good hunter will die quickly being hoisted high in the olive trees, but a dog who has not served his master well will be hanged with his back feet able to touch the ground, so its agony is sustained for longer, as it struggles to stay alive, although the outcome is death.  A few dying hounds have been rescued but this is very unusual.  It is not rare to see discarded galgos on Spain’s roads, victims of vehicle accidents, left in agony to die slowly from their injuries or from the heat or cold.  Their lives are worthless and of so little consequence that they are ignored, victims of a society where animal welfare is of no concern.

Thankfully, the shelters and welfare organisations within Spain work hard and long to rescue and rehome hundreds of galgos every year and to make the outside world aware of these atrocities.  Without these people, galgos would have no chance at all of surviving to a normal life span.    Despite the obvious outrage shown by these shelters and globally being recognised, little is changing and the cruelty persists.

Galgos are very homeable dogs.  Despite their obvious suffering, they show no malice towards humans, they have humour and character and reward the people who share their lives with love and joy.  Many find homes within Europe, whilst others go to Scandinavia and America and some come to the UK.

For specific details of the suffering of sighthounds in Spain, visit our cruelty and abuse page.

For more details of the welfare situation for Spanish sighthounds, please visit our Spanish links page.