ICAWC 2013 Barcelona, Spain - Nuria Murla Ribot's presentation on Spanish Greyhounds

1. SPANISH
GREYHOUNDS
Past, present & future
ICAWC 2013
Barcelona, October 14-16
Núria Murlà Ribot
nuria.murla@galgos112.com

3. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: WHO ARE
THEY?
Spanish name for Spanish greyhounds is galgos.
Spanish greyhounds are a very old European breed.
They belong to the group of sighthounds (dogs that
primarily hunt by speed and sight).
They are smaller, but faster in sprint, than English
greyhounds.
Spanish greyhounds are used mainly as hunting dogs.
Life spectancy of Spanish greyhounds is 12-14 years

4. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PAST
In the past Spanish greyhounds were considered a noble dog
and kept mainly by aristocrace.
During the Middle Age many laws designed to punish or theft
of these dogs.
Galgos were used in common expressions, literature and art:
"In a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no
desire to call to mind, there lived not long since one of those
gentlemen that keep a lance in the lance-rack, an old buckler,
a lean hack, and a galgo for coursing."
First pharagraf of “The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of
La Mancha”, Miguel de Cervantes, 1605.

5. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PRESENT
LEGISLATION
WELFARE
ON
ANIMAL
PROTECTION
AND
European Union Strategy for the Protection and Welfare
of Animals 2012-2015.
Mistreatment of domestic or housebroken animals is a
crime in the Spanish Criminal Code.
Animal Protection legislation in each Autonomous
Community - regional jurisdiction

6. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PRESENT
Nowadays Spain is the only Member State of the
European Union that allows hunting with Spanish
greyhounds.
Hunting with Spanish greyhounds is one of the most
practised traditions involving animals in Spain.
Spanish greyhounds has a hunting life of 1-3 years.
Those who practise hunting with Spanish greyhounds are
called “galgueros”. They have their own Federation:
Federación Española de Galgos.
Increasing number of rescued Spanish greyhounds
adopted as pets in the last 4 years in Spain.

7. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PRESENT
Higher percentage of
Spanish greyhounds as
pets.
Equal
percentage
of
Spanish greyhounds as
pets and hunters.
Higher percentage of
Spanish greyhounds as
hunters.

8. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PRESENT
MAIN ISSUE
Lack of breeding control.
No official data on how many dogs are used by each
galguero every hunting season.
No official data on abandoned Spanish greyhounds.
Poor enforcement on existing animal protection laws

9. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PRESENT
Galgos 112 was founded in April 13th, 2008 in Sant Feliu
de Guíxols, Catalonia.
It is registrated as an NGO at the Generalitat de
Catalunya Department of Justice.
Galgos 112 receive no public funds.

10. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PRESENT
Galgos 112’s registered
delegations
October
2013

11. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: PRESENT
GALGOS 112’s DATA
Galgos 112 rescues an average of fifty abandoned
Spanish greyhounds per month, thirty of them come from
Andalusia.
There’s no significant differences between rescued males
and females.
75% of Galgos 112’s rescued Spanish greyhounds need
special vet treatment and/or treatment to overcome their
fears.

12. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: FUTURE
Galgos 112’s three “R”
•
Rescue
•
Recover
•
Rehome

13. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: FUTURE
Lobby all levels:
•
European Union
•
Spanish government
•
Regional governments
•
Local governments

14. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: FUTURE
GALGOS 112 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ON ANIMAL
WELFARE AND RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP
Children: from kindergarten to high school
Organizations
Prisons

15. SPANISH GREYHOUNDS: FUTURE
Provinces where Galgos
112 is implementing its
educational program for
children

16. SPANISH GREYHUNDS: FUTURE

17. http://www.galgos112.com
nuria.murla@galgos112.com
@galgos112
http://www.facebook.com/galgos112