Song of the Death - Hunting Dogs in Spain

 

The situation of the hounds is especially dramatic, they suffer like no other animal in Spain. The hunt is a people's sport and the acquisition of the license for killing a light play. Hurled what is moved itself on everything, also the trap places are liked, a "real" Spanish man spends thus his spare time. Hounds of all races, bloodhounds, pointers, Podenco, Galgo etc., are held in big herds under the most miserable conditions, many eke out a sad existence in the chain or in dark sheds, a so-called Rehala, a hound pack can count up to 40 animals.

 

The mostly ill-treated dog race in Spain is the Galgo, these noble greyhounds are victims of her quickness and intelligence.

 

Responsibly for the Holocaust of the Galgos are approximate 170,000 Galgueros, owner of approx. 490,000 Galgos. Year after year according to animal welfarists 50,000 Galgos in the most different cruel way are decontaminated. Spain is the only European land in which it is not unusual to find one Galgo hung up in the tree.

 

It is about a lot of money, on account of the Galgos approx. 1000 millions euros are moved yearly and 27000 workplaces stand in the direct connection with them, the whole Jägerschaft moves yearly 3000 million euros.  A really good Galgo in competitions takes part can attain a value up to 30,000 euros, accordingly Galgos are often stolen.

 

Only in November, 2008 the Guardia Civil succeeded in full-scale "Harry" and "Clavijo" called operation, at the same time in nineteen provinces of Spain carried out, a successful blow against the Galgo mafia which led to the arrest of 40 persons, to the seizure of countless weapons and to the freeing from more than 200 stolen Galgos. The dog mafia had the complicity of veterinarians, Microchips were removed and with new chips substitutes for passports was faked and also leading heads should have been among the arrested.

 

Hounds are nothing else as the instrument of a bloody pastime, many of them experience the hell on earth. It already begins with the birth in any dark filthy shed, privation and missing care from the first life day, up to the bitter end. If the dog does not fulfil his purpose, he is old, ill or brings no hunting success, he is sent away in the most favorable case, left to himself or one granted a quick death by shooting to him. But, a real Spanish macho, that ill-treats his dog which has not brought the desired achievement with the hunt, no borders are on this occasion put to the perversities. If the pride of the hunter is injured, an unbelievable, criminal, evil energy develops quite a lot of one from them. Hanging the Galgos has even a name, to "piano plays", because the Galgo so just still with his paws touches the ground and thrashes about around his life, as well as if a piano player hits the keys, the Galgo plays the song of the death.

 

The hunting season with Galgos goes from October till the end of January, then the Perreras with predominantly fill have young, up to 3 or 4 years old Galgos, because no Galguero sees a sense to feed this up to the next season, in the end, he has provided already by breeding for enough supplies for the next season. At this time the race begins for the animal welfarists with the death, but for a long time not all Galgos can be preserved from the homicide.


There many put out animals from a car come still shattered and they who are shot or are removed in other cruel way, the wells in Spain are deep, quiet graves are only seldom discovered.

 

The Galgo is put out without exception and/or is executed, the seasonal hunt which are free maintenance of dog packs, in the meantime, no more in all provinces, the insatiable desire for young, unspoilt copies for this play, does the Galgo a victim of his quickness and intelligence.

 

This is typical "España profunda", the deepest Spain what my Spanish friends over and over again speak of, which Spain what one does not show to the rest of the world with pleasure.