 
Dog Days on the Costa de
la Luz (Oct 04)
The Spanish are supremely proud of their
animals: the legendary 'Andalucian' horses - the mount of Kings
and Conquistadors; the handsome black 'pata negra' pigs - which
feed on the acorns of cork trees and produce the finest jamon
serrano; and they are also proud of their working dogs - for
guarding hunting and shepherding. Their attitude to animals which
do not serve a purpose is understandably different and it is
only very recently that an interest in animals as companions,
or 'mascotas', has begun to emerge.
Most Northern Europeans living
on the Costa de la Luz own dogs and most of them are 'rescues'.
We find them by the roadside, on the beach or simply lurking
outside our local shops. 10,000 dogs are abandoned each year
in Spain. My first rescue, a Walt Disneyesque mongrel with the
longest eyelashes I have ever seen, simply winked at me on the
street one day and I was hooked. Zucchini was infested
with fleas and ticks and had lost all the hair on her back but
with the right care she regained her scruffy but attractive looks
within a few short weeks. Easy to train, perhaps because she
was so grateful to have found a good home, she comes when she's
called and doesn't bark too much. My Spanish neighbours are sympathetic
but unconvinced: 'She's a companion for you, but what is she
good for?' But somehow it didn't stop there. There followed some
20 dogs, cured and rehomed.
Municipal
kennels exist in most towns with a population of more than 5,000
but they charge and if a dog is not claimed within 3 days, it's
for the chop! There are a variety of privately financed refuges
but they fill to capacity very quickly. One local refuge recovers
abandoned dogs, cures, vaccinates and neuters before shipping
them back to Germany to find owners. A local refuge: Refugio
Kimba, has a capacity for 70 dogs. They have a roster of
volunteers that feed, water and clean the kennels daily and it
is possible to 'foster' a dog for as little as 5 euros a month
The dogs appear to be supremely happy roaming free in a five
thousand square metre compound. All are neutered.
Neutering is the major key to solving the problem of unwanted
dogs. However, it costs around 150 euros and is not a priority
in a family budget. Traditionally it is thought that neutered
dogs will either go mad or grow fat, so when bitches come on
heat - it's a free for all. The resulting multitude of puppies
are either, killed at birth, given away or abandoned. Because
there are so many puppies to dispose of, people tend to take
in a dog to help out, then, when the going gets tough it gets
dumped in the countryside and is left to die. When people go
on vacation and there is no one to look after the pet it
goes with them in the car and then somewhere the
car door is opened and it is left by the roadside. Equally, if
hunting dogs don't live up to expectations, they are simply let
loose in unknown territory. Illness can also lead to abandonment.
Ailments might include birthing problems, poisons, viruses and
blood diseases such as lishmaniosis and vets cost money so if
tried and tested 'traditional' cures don't work, or if a dog
doesn't 'cure itself', it is taken to the hills and left to starve.
Taking a dog to the vet to be 'put down' is not popular either
as the vet has to charge a fee.
The situation is, however, improving. In June 2001 the Andalucian
government brought in a law making it obligatory for all dogs
to have a rabies injection and an identifying microchip. The
Spanish government introduced a law for the Protection of all
Animals, specifying regulations for the condition of their lives,
including food and transport. And my vet told me that he has
noticed a big change in attitudes to small animals over the last
few years. If there is a problem, owners are bringing their animals
to him sooner. There is more interest in buying better quality
food, in pet shop accessories including beds and toys, even hairdressing!
But it is interesting to note that fifty per cent of his clientele
are foreigners. He also mentioned that we ex-pats are not fussy
about the breed of dog we adopt, being interested in having a
dog as a companion, no matter what its provenance. The Spanish
tend to go for pure breeds. The current fashion is for German
Shepherds, Boxers, Huskies, Cocker Spaniels and Schnauzers. And
as previously stated the Spanish are much more interested in
working dogs: 60-70% are used for guarding and hunting, some
for shepherding and a much smaller percentage is interested in
dogs as pets.
But Spain is not the only country facing a 'four-legged friend'
crisis. In the UK the RSPCA rehomes around 100,000 unwanted pets
that have been callously dumped on rubbish tips, in sports bags
or tied to RSPCA animal centre gates, or are the victims of cruelty
by their owners. And in the USA, 27 million cats and dogs are
born each year, about a quarter of which are euthanized because
no homes can be found.
So What We Can Do?
Adopt animals from local animal care facilities, rescue groups
and shelters instead of purchasing them from breeders or pet
stores
Have pets neutered
Educate community, friends and family about animal overpopulation
Love our animals
RELATED WEB SITES
www.anaaweb.org
(Spanish/English/Dutch Languages)
The National Association of Animal Lovers (Asociación
Nacional Amigos de los Animales - ANAA), created in response
to the high number of abandoned and mistreated animals in Spain,
and the unsatisfactory measures taken by the state, which, to
date, does no more than collect and eliminate them, making no
effort to solve the problem in a humanitarian and effective manner.
www.refugoiokimba.com (Spanish Language)
Sociedad Pretectora de Animales y Plantas de Cadíz
originally formed to care for rare plants but with the passing
of time it has incorporated the work of recovering abandoned
animals.
www.liberacionanimal.org (Spanish Language)
ALA Alternativa para la Liberación Animal formed
to disseminate information and mount campaigns against the exploitation
of animals and to collaborate with other associations to exchange
information
www.worldanimal.net (English Language)
World Animal Net is the world's largest network of animal
protection societies with over 2,000 affiliates in more than
100 countries working to improve the status and welfare of animals.
© 2004 Angela Clarence www.paradise-now.net
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