DogsMAR 9, 2023

After Spending 10 Days In A Shelter With 500 Dogs, I Decided To Bring Some Of These Rescues With Me Back To The US

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This is part 2 of my story.

I traveled from Chicago, IL USA to Seville, Spain, to spend ten days living in a shelter with 500 plus dogs to photograph many of the Galgos, Podencos, and other breeds that were fortunate enough to make it to their shelter.

The morning I was leaving Fundacion Benjamin Mehnert in Seville, Spain, there was a large transport of dogs heading to Germany, Belgium, and France. I wanted to document the staff's connection with these dogs that they have cared for and now have to say goodbye to them. They know they will go to loving homes and have a life full of love, but it is bittersweet. This is the final stage of their rescue, a forever home.

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Bittersweet: the FBM staff bids farewell to the dogs

In October of 2012, I was dealing with a very dark depression and came very close to ending my life in my garage. I luckily realized what was happening and was able to stop myself. A week later, my wife and I adopted a very scared Spanish greyhound whose owner was going to end her in a tree because she was no longer useful to him. The irony was not lost on me.

We spent months working with her to help her learn to trust people again, and because of this, I forgot about my depression. She literally saved my life.

We learned more about Leena’s life in Spain and wanted to help, so we started an adoption group for Galgos here in Chicago. We had never been to Spain, did not know anyone in Spain, and could not speak Spanish, but we were determined to help.

After our first transport of four dogs from Spain, we had to promote the dogs for adoption, which required taking photos of them. My adoption photos were not very good at that time. We were lucky to have a professional photographer from HeartsSpeak.org come out and take photos of our adoptable dogs. After seeing her images, I knew I had to figure out how to take better photos. I started watching YouTube videos and purchasing several videos. I set a goal to pay it forward and become a member of HeartsSpeak.org and offer photos to dogs looking for their forever homes. One year later, I was able to become a proud member of HeartsSpeak.org. I took up photography with the specific goal of telling the story of the hunting dogs of Spain through photography.

After adopting Leena and seeing how traumatized she was, we needed to know more about her past and the life of the hunting dogs of Spain.

Galgo Espanols (Spanish greyhounds) are mainly used for hunting or coursing hares. During the annual hunting season that runs from October to January, many live in deplorable dark sheds when they are not coursing, spending their days confined and neglected. Training techniques are barbaric and include towing Galgos from cars, trucks, and motorcycles at 30mph for 15-20 miles.

Known as Galgueros, hunters dispose of Galgos at the end of hunting season in the most horrific ways imaginable… It is estimated that tens of thousands of Galgos are eliminated every year.
The excessive, uncontrolled breeding and mass abandonment of dogs at the end of hunting season leaves a massive population of starving and sick dogs.

Associations in Spain rescue and rehabilitate as many dogs as possible so that they can have a chance at a future and a forever home. The Galgo is a truly precious and noble breed. Although not considered pets by Galgueros, they are wonderful companions, affectionate, and eternally grateful for a second chance.

My main goal is to raise awareness about the situation of these dogs in Spain, and as more people learn about them, hopefully, more pressure can be put on Spain to change the laws and regulations to protect these dogs.

I was recently back in Spain to attend protests for the Hunting Dogs of Spain. Spain was planning on voting on a new Animal Welfare Act, and hunting dogs were initially included in the law. The hunters lobbied the government and were able to successfully have the hunting dogs removed from the animal welfare act. These dogs are the ones who truly need the protection, and once again they were excluded.

Every time I volunteer at a shelter in Spain, I’m always deeply affected by the experience. Watching the volunteers slowly build trust with the dogs, and the dogs learning to trust people again. Seeing the dogs that were rescued in very bad states and when I finally get to meet the dogs and see how much they have progressed and healed, physically and mentally.

Spain’s new Animal Welfare law was passed on February 9th, and hunting and working dogs were excluded from the protections of this law. 100,000 Galgos are abandoned or killed each year at the end of hunting season in Spain. We are trying to put pressure on Spain’s government to include hunting dogs and working dogs in the animal welfare law, but it is a big uphill battle.