UPDATE: Most of the dogs have been rescued by Passion Levriers http://www.passionlevriers.com/ and ANAA http://www.anaaweb.org/ingles/! Thank you to everyone who expressed concern and interest!
A new horror has been discovered on the island of Ibiza, in the Mediterranean off the coast of mainland Spain. Between 50-100 Ibizan hounds (Podenco Ibicenco Sighthounds) have been living in grave conditions with little or no food, and no proper veterinary care.
Various organizations are working to rescue these poor souls, and the Galgo Rescue International Network is trying to help these dogs by bring a few of them to the US this September after their rescue from Ibiza. No concrete plans have been made yet, but we are anxiously awaiting news and are eager to help however we can. If you would like to make a donation to the Podencos of Iziba, please click the Chip In link on the homepage. You will be redirected to PayPal where you can make a donation. Please enter "Ibizan" in the comment section of the donation.
From the Passion Levriers website, http://www.passionlevriers.com/accueil_anglais.htm
Between 50 and 100 Podenco Ibicenco Sighthounds live in pitiful conditions on the island of Ibiza, location of the Jet-Set vacation and party lovers of all over the world.
The sighthounds are born, live and die receiving from time to time, as their only food, a few pieces of hard bread, they are sick, they never receive any veterinary care, and all of this without knowing anything else than harsh treatment and pain. This has been going on for more than 20 years, the owner of these sighthounds breeds them in the woods, in front of his house, in complete freedom.
These poor vagrants have been starving since the day they were born, they go raid the trash cans in the neighboring villagers by crossing the road ; some people have pity still and bring them sometimes food. This provokes terrible fights for their survival between the Podencos. The weakest and the sick do not survive long. They have no shelter when it rains or when the sun burns their skin naked because of mange, which leads again to other fights for a territory shaded or protected from bad weather.
The animals cross the road constantly, and constantly, one hears the noise of brutal braking and car horn before the screaming of the run over dog. A large number of these Podencos limp seriously (some have injuries on more than one leg).
The others go die alone in the woods after being hit. It is not seldom to see puppies playing on the road, unaware of the danger they are to themselves and to the drivers who arrive and are unaware of anything.
The man who keeps them in such conditions is a hunter, he used the Podencos to hunt and he also breeds them; he sells them with no identification nor veterinary control. Associations and individuals have denounced this situation for years and have ask authorities to put an end to this atrocity, but nothing has ever happened.
A complaint has currently been sent by a Dutch association, the judge has ordered all Podencos to be seized, and this because some associations have agreed the take charge of a certain number of these animals. At Ibiza, there are no places that can welcome them for more than one day (unfortunately the Podencos are not the only ones on the island to be treated this way and the shelters are full)
The fact that they are on a island make things more difficult to negotiate and more expensive. One needs to transport these sighthounds to the peninsula where they can stay at canine pensions, friendly shelters reserved by the associations and volunteers of all kinds. These Podencos in the large majority have mange, tinea, tumors, fractures....which need expensive veterinary care and treatments.
We refuse to help only a certain number to leave the others continue in a terrible misery and agonize in front of the grinning smile of certain persons who see in them only a business. BUT TODAY WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY RESSOURCES TO SAVE THEM ALL.......SO PLEASE, HELP US
Rise against their massacre perpretrated on our so called "civilised" continent , and refuse to see these abominations continue on beings who cannot defend themselves !!!!!!
They will not be able to leave Spain before 31 days (French legislation regarding rabies), they will need to be fed, washed, gotten rid of parasites, and blood tests will need to be taken in the best of cases. Think of the few months old puppies to whom you could give a chance of not dying run over or killed by the gangrene setting in filthy and infected wounds.
How you can help:
- by sending de-wormers and products against external and internal parasites
- by sending bandages, veterinary medications (even started)
- by sending leashes and collars.
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Podencos Ibiza 1
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Podencos Ibiza 2
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Podencos Ibiza 3
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Podencos Ibiza 4
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Podencos Ibiza 5
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Podencos Ibiza 6
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Podencos Ibiza 7