International News Spring 2003

AUSTRALIA
Australian Greyhounds Spared from Death in Lab
Melbourne: Fifty female greyhounds that had been used in a study to test an anti-estrus vaccine were spared from death after Circuit Court Judge Gordon Lewis raised a public outcry. Lewis, who has an adopted greyhound, contacted the Herald Sun after reading that the dogs faced death unless they were adopted.

The dogs, aged between 18 months and 3 years, had been part of a 12-month trial at Commonwealth Serum Laboratories. The lab had originally announced that all the dogs would be placed in adoptive homes at the end of the trial. "If it is the intention of the CSL to now put these dogs to death, then that body's conduct is a disgraceful breach of faith," Lewis told the Sun Jan. 8.

The Sun published a telephone number for the Greyhound Adoption Program and its readers inundated the adoption agency with offers of loving homes. "We have had an enormous response - we were overwhelmed and have already sent out 50 information packs and adoption applications," said Melbourne program coordinator Larissa Darragh. "It means all the dogs will go to good homes."

Greyhound Racing Victoria's chief executive John Stephens also intervened to save the dogs. After a meeting between Stephens and a CSL representative Jan. 9, CSL agreed to release all of the dogs to the adoption program.

[About 800 greyhounds have been adopted since the program began 18 months ago. The sport's regulatory agencies supported the program in an effort to clean up the industry's harsh image. - Ed.]

Source: Herald Sun: Kelly Ryan, Nadia Miraudo

SPAIN
Abandoned Greyhounds in the Care of Shelter Worker Face Uncertain Future
Cadiz:Juan Jesus Portillo Ramos, part time shelter manager for the Mancomunidad de Municipios Sierra de Cadiz, is desperately trying to save the lives of 50 Spanish greyhounds [galgos] abandoned by their owners at the end of the hunting season. Mancomunidad is the only municipal animal shelter serving 21 towns in the county of Cadiz in the Andalusia region of southern Spain.

The emaciated dogs are suffering from overwhelming tick and flea infestations; many of them are scarred from beatings and gunshot wounds inflicted by their former owners. Portillo, 25, who takes in a small percentage of galgos each year, usually sends them to the greyhound refuge in Medina del Campo, but the refuge is already beyond capacity. In desperation, Portilla turned to the Internet to beg for help from greyhound rescue organizations worldwide.

He contacted the American-European Greyhound Alliance (AEGA) in early February. AEGA is an international organization led by Louise Coleman, who is also the founder and director of Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

AEGA sent cash to Barcelona-based Anna Clements of SOS Galgos for food and necessary medicines for the Cadiz dogs. Through arrangements made by Clements, Portillo received 26 bags (each weighing 20 kilograms) of good quality dry food, enough to feed the dogs for 17 days. In addition, Clements sent 1,000 tablets of doxycycline, 500 tablets of amoxicillin, Panacur, anti-diarrheal tablets, and a shipment of coats to keep the dogs warm.

In an email message to Clements on Feb. 24, Portillo told her he had been called at 11:00 p.m. the night before to pick up a galgo 50 kilometers away. When he arrived he saw men beating the dog. The men ran away and Portillo brought the savagely beaten dog back to the shelter to give him what care he could with his limited means.

"We have named him Revelation because he revealed to the world the cruelty suffered," he wrote. The following day he reported that Revelation "could not be saved from the injuries inflicted on him and has been mercifully put to sleep. He was let go from this world of suffering, torture and pain and is hopefully in a better place now. At least he felt a caring hand the last days of his life."

Through the efforts of Clements, 15 of the hounds were transported to a commercial boarding kennel in Ecija on March 23. Donations to AEGA are financing vet care and daily boarding fees for the dogs.

Agence France-Presse photojournalist John Mottern traveled to Cadiz in early March to photograph the abandoned hunting dogs. His article and photographs were distributed worldwide on the Agence France-Presse wire to all major news outlets on March 11.

Source: Agence France-Presse: John Mottern

For the complete story, including rough translations of Portillo's email messages to AEGA and Clements, and Mottern's article and photographs, visit www.ameurogreyhoundalliance.org. Scroll down the left column on the opening page, then click on "New! Galgos in Cadiz."

How you can help: Funds are urgently needed to feed and medicate the hounds for another six to eight weeks until they can be sent to the greyhound refuge in Medina del Campo under the care of Fermin Perez Martin. Tax-deductible donations using any major credit card can be made on AEGA's website through "Paypal," a secure server. All donations will be immediately passed on to Spain. AEGA does not keep any portion of the donations.