Come and do your last minute Christmas shopping in Barcelona with your galgos! A Christmas market with a difference: in addition to stalls with plenty of ideas for present, there will be music, drinks and a great atmosphere. There will also be a raffle, the proceeds of which will go to SOS Galgos. For full details, click on the poster below: 
We are happy to announce that the 2012 SOS Galgos Calendar is now on sale. We are very grateful to Elke Winkler in Germany for the design and to our member, Nieves Chueca, for her stunning sketches. Her drawings were inspired by her recently adopted senior galga, Lili, who has many more happy years ahead of her with Nieves.
The calendar costs 10 euros plus postage, if you wish to buy one (or more!), please write to us at tienda@sosgalgos.com and we will get in touch.
Every little gesture helps a galgo in need start a new life.
The European Parliament seeks answers from Spain regarding cruelty to galgos
Several Members of European Parliament have written to Zapatero asking for a stricter legal framework to prevent cruelty to these animals
ANTONIO GONZÁLEZ Madrid 05/10/2011 16:49
Galgo abandoned in Olivenza (Badajoz) EL GUADIANA Y LA TRAILLA
The cruelty inflicted upon galgos in many regions of Spain is of great concern within Europe. This concern was expressed in a letter to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero from three Members of European Parliament, including the European Parliament’s President of the Intergroup on Animal Welfare, Carl Schlyter.
The letter, signed by Schlyter and two other members of European Parliament, Kartika Tamara Liotard and Raül Romeva, states that “members of the public, as well as many associations, have informed us about many cases of abuse and outright cruelty. Galgos are found severely beaten, burned alive, doused with acid, dumped in wells, tied down in caves and left to die, hanged or tortured in other ways.”
The letter recognises that Spain has improved its animal welfare laws by condemning animal cruelty under Article 337 of Spanish Penal Code, however it warns that “it appears that only a very small number of cruelty cases end up in court, even if Seprona, the environmental arm of the Guardia Civil, has made the case”.
The letter, the original of which can be found on the galgo welfare blog El Guadiana y la Traílla, refers to the Treaty of Lisbon which states that animals are sentient beings, reminding Zapatero that each member state must pay full regard to the welfare requirements of its animals and that Spain must enforce its animal protection laws and put an end to these cruelties. The European MPs recognize that cultural traditions of member states should be respected but “must not be an excuse for these kinds of atrocities towards living beings”. They request an urgent response from the Spanish government.
A universal Animal Protection Law remains to be approved as part of Spain’s legislation. The initiative was requested by Joan Herrera, then MP for ‘Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds’, under an agreement with the Commission for the Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries that was reached on 30th September 2009.
The aim of the law was “to make progress in animal welfare”, but it did not win many votes as the majority of power lies in the hands of the various autonomous community governments in Spain. In any case, the results put an end to hopes of the law being approved as part of national legislation.
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The original letter:
Charlie was found wandering the streets of Seville in July in a very sorry state. He was rescued by Barbara and her partner who got in touch with us. Thanks to them and the Clinica Ronda Capuchinos in Seville, Charlie has made a dramatic improvement as can be seen in the photos which speak for themselves.
He has a wonderful character and interacts well with people, dogs and cats. He now needs a forever home.
"They're sprinters, and after they run they want to rest on the sofa," said Diane Durnell of Fort Wayne, Ind.
But many greyhounds, easily recognized by their lean frames, long, slender legs and slightly arched necks, are bred for racing not sprinting.
Advocates around the world, concerned about the suffering and slaughtering of greyhounds after their racing days end, met Saturday and yesterday for the fifth annual International Greyhound Welfare Conference.
The American-European Greyhound Alliance and the local Greyhound Friends Inc. hosted the event in Hopkinton, where representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain and Canada spoke to a crowd of about 50.
Speakers discussed the decline of greyhound racing in the U.S. and U.K. - as it relates to the welfare of the dogs after their racing days are over - and the perils that greyhounds continue to face around the world, including the recently defeated plans for Irish racing dogs to be exported to China and concerns about the expansion of racing in Asia and South America.
The greyhound organizations' collective goal is to place greyhounds in caring homes.
After a 2008 Massachusetts referendum passed to end greyhound racing, many dogs were sent to West Virginia and Florida, said Louise Coleman, founder of Greyhound Friends.
With movement in Florida's legislature to close some of the 13 dog tracks and invest in more cost-effective poker rooms, Coleman said she worries what will happen if no provisions are made for the greyhounds.
"I would like to have the legislation include a language provision for the care of the dogs," she said.
Elsewhere in the U.S., some dogs are bred as fast-running "lurchers" - a hound/greyhound mix specifically intended for racing in the Midwest. The dogs chase a raccoon, which is tied to a boat, across a body of water, said Michele Scott of Indiana.
"But if the lurchers don't perform, they are tied to trees, abandoned or dumped in shelters," said Scott, who wants the dogs to go to loving homes.
In Spain, where there are 150,000 registered hunters, residents place their bets on greyhounds, known as galgos, in a sport called "hare coursing."
After three years of racing, the dogs are abandoned, hung on trees or drowned in wells, said Irene Blanquez, a resident of Barcelona, Spain, and a member of Save our Spanish Galgos.
Sosgalgos.com rescues the dogs, pays for medical expenses and tries to find foster homes for them.
Fearing those who oppose rescues, the efforts are done secretly in Spain, where there are about 500,000 registered racing dogs. Despite death threats, rescuers save about 350 greyhounds every year.
In Spain, galgos are not seen as pets.
"They are seen as working dogs," Blanquez said.
In Ireland, Greyhound Action Ireland also wants the racing to stop. Ireland also breeds lurchers.
"The dogs are bred to die," said Bernie Wright, who represents Greyhound Action Ireland.
When the dogs underperform, they are often found shot in the head, their ear tattoos burned off with acid to remove their identifying markings.
"Thousands die," Wright said.
Before the recession began, 75 percent of the dogs were sent to England. But since the recession began and demand decreased, a plan was proposed to ship greyhounds off to race in China.
But with racing no longer subsidized by a tax, the future of greyhounds in Ireland looks brighter.
"I'm optimistic. The tax going away is a good thing," Wright said.
In the long term, Coleman said she worries what will happen to the greyhound breed.
"They're mellow, sweet, good-natured, comical and one of the oldest breeds of dogs."
(Kathy Uek can be reached at 508-626-4419 or kuek@wickedlocal.com.)
Louise Coleman and John Mottern facilitated the event.
With the following presenters:
