Adoption of Spanish Galgos

At this time, adoption of the Spanish Galgo as a pet within Spain is rare.  The Spanish look upon this breed as something separate and apart from other "pet" dog breeds.  It's purpose is hunting, and when its usefulness is over, it has no place in the Spanish society. 

The only future a galgo has is outside of Spain.  All galgo refuges must find interested groups and adopters in other countries, arrange vetting, and arrange transportation out of the country.  It is not an easy task.  The logistics are daunting and cost is significant.  There is virtually no government assistance or intervention at this time.

Fortunately, the plight of these gentle dogs has drawn international attention, and many individuals and groups have stepped forward to help.  A few at a time, they are loaded into cars, onto haulers and into planes to homes in Belgium, Holland, Germany, England, Switzerland, and the USA.

Statistics are hard to gather, so the total number of galgos who are adopted internationally is not precisely known.  Scooby adopted over 400 galgos in 2002.  Over 650 galgos have found homes in the Netherlands in the last 5 years.  The general consensus seems to be that fewer than 2500 galgos are saved each year.  That is significantly less than 10% of the total number of galgos killed or abandoned annually.  Their death toll is chilling.

Other Galgo Refuges in Spain

Scooby is one of 35-40 refuges in Spain that accept galgos.  Like Scooby, they  take as many abandoned galgos as they can.  The majority are general shelters that take in all breeds of dogs.  Just a few focus primarily on the galgo.

These refuges work in conditions unimaginable in other countries.  Chronic shortages of space, food, veterinary care, and, most importantly, a sympathetic public make their work extremely difficult and discouraging.  The individuals who manage these refuges struggle against the extremes of weather, the endless numbers of galgos, and an apathetic society.  

Municipal pounds in many areas are known as "killing stations".  If a galgo enters one of those, it will die there unless a refuge can take it in.  At the end of the hunting season, there simply is not enough space so many of these galgos are killed.

Thankfully, there is a growing international network of individuals and organizations trying to help these refuges and their beautiful dogs.  For a partial list of these refuges, visit our LINKS page

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