Spain Makes US Greyhounds Feel Lucky

I’m serious about boycotting Spain (and China, which I think goes without saying, although I had a wardrobe emergency this week that resulted in the purchase of a deeply-discounted blazer at Ann Taylor–the only place that still has a petite line and I can get something off the rack that fits–that was Made in China).

The Spanish do something I thought impossible: they make our greyhound racers look like they have fabulous lives.

The Spanish galgo is one of the descendants of the English greyhound, so it looks and acts much like a greyhound in the US. Galgos are used for racing and hunting in Spain, which is the good news.

For the most of the racers, the bad news is that after they have been raced to death or exhaustion, they are abandoned (usually with their legs broken so they cannot go anywhere) or killed. Pretty much the same as here, although we have an extensive network of adoption groups that work with the industry (you read that right) to find the dogs good retirement homes.

But for the hunters (and some of the racers), at the end of hunting season in January, they are dumped, shot, hanged, and/or burned alive. They are hanged with rope or wire, and the more skillful galgos are hanged higher (making for a quicker death). The less skillful/successful ones are hanged lower, possibly able to touch their feet on the ground now and then (if the back feet can touch, it’s called "the secretary," and when their front scramble to meet them, it’s called "playing the piano"), and are assured a slow, tortuous death. Several groups in the US are trying to help the galgos.

Queen Sophia is aware of this, as is the Pope, and of course, the government of Spain. Perhaps if tourist dollars decrease, and letters of protest increase, Spain will get the message and stop its barbaric treatment of dogs and bulls.