Draft:Hope for Podencos Rescue Center

The Hope For Podencos Rescue Center is a breed specific rescue center in Albacete, Spain that runs on a larger network across Spain, and in the UK. The rescue was founded in 2014 in efforts to rehabilitate and rehome Podencos, a group of hunting dog breeds, excluded from Spanish animal protection laws.

About the Rescue

Retired dog groomers Steve and Irene Allan moved to Spain in 2009 and spent their time providing local shelters with free grooming services in order to help dogs appear more adoptable. After meeting a Podenco for the first time, Steve and Irene learned more about this breed through their work on their first rescue mission where other rescuers informed the pair about the widespread abuse of Podencos in Spain. Irene and Steve started helping shelters with their rescue efforts but soon realized that many shelters were overcrowded and unable to give adequate attention to a particular breed in need: the Podencos. Irene and Steve Allen eventually founded their rescue, Hope For Podencos, with the intention of helping all dog breeds in Spain. However, they eventually shifted their focus to the specific breed of Podencos due to their maltreatment and neglect that typically go unrecognized. This rescue works to save and rehabilitate Podencos while funding their care in Spanish kennels. They work to provide full support to adopters that wish to take these animals home, giving them a second chance at life. While doing so, this rescue also raises awareness about Podencos who are often considered invisible and unprotected by Spanish law.

Podenco's

Podenco, meaning “hound” in Spanish, refers to a group of ancient hunting dog breeds from Spain. Slender and agile, the dogs are especially used to hunt rabbits. The three breeds Hope for Podencos most commonly rescues are the Podenco Ibicenco, Podenco Canario, and Podenco Andaluz. The Podenco Ibicenco (Ibizan Hound), originally came from the Balearic islands off the Mediterranean coast of Spain. As the largest of the three, this breed has also been used for deer and wild boar hunting. The slightly smaller Podenco Canario, often called a warren hound, derived from the Canary islands and along with the Ibicenco is considered the purest subtype as a result of isolation on the islands for over 500 years. The third and smallest type is the Podenco Andaluz, which is found primarily in the south of Spain and can be traced back to the pharaoh hounds of ancient Egypt. There are many other varieties of this breed that can also come into this rescue, each one often deriving from a specific region or hunting type in Spain or even Portugal. Podencos are clever, loyal, and curious dogs that are extremely adaptable to a large variety of settings. With a drive to hunt prey, the dogs can climb and jump large obstacles making a secure household important for potential adopters. Podencos have been seen to be loving companions with their immense sensitivity to humans and social disposition.

Podenco Abuse and Protection Laws in Spain

Spain does not enforce mandates against the breeding and maltreatment of Podencos due to not being technically pets to the hunters. Until recently, animal protection fell to a regional level, leading to potential inequality. After recent advancements were made towards national protection bills in Spain, the following amendment excluded hunting dogs all together,

“e) Animals used in specific activities (sports animals recognized by the Superior Sports Council, falconry birds, shepherd and livestock guardian dogs) as well as those used in professional activities (dedicated to a specific activity or task carried out jointly with their handler in a professional or work environment, such as rescue dogs, pets used in assisted interventions or animals of the Security Forces and Corps or the Armed Forces). [...] Likewise, hunting dogs, re-halas and auxiliary hunting animals will be excluded, which will have their own legislation as established in the National Hunting Management Strategy”

Although the original bill showed promise in creating a safer environment for animals in Spain, this amendment symbolizes a significant step back for Podencos and Galgos. As a result of this lack of national protection, any mandates regarding hunting dogs are left to autonomous communities and are essentially non-existent.

External links

• https://www.hopeforpodencos.com/
• J. A. Garrido Perez. 1963. A contribution to the study of the Spanish or Andalusian Podenco. The hunting type. CABI Digital Library. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/19630100618
• González, A., et al. 2011. Uso de variables morfométricas para la diferenciación de razas de Sabueso Español. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana-Gonzalez-90/publication/260764113_Uso_de_Variables_Morfometricas_para_la_Diferenciacion_de_Razas_de_Sabueso_Espanol/links/0f31753b53d342990b000000/Uso-de-Variables-Morfometricas-para-la-Diferenciacion-de-Razas-de-Sabueso-Espanol.pdf
• Strecker, C. 2021. My love affair with podencos. Rag of Colts. https://www.ragofcolts.com/rag-of-colts-rag-time-journal/my-love-affair-with-podencos
• American Kennel Club. Ibizan Hound. https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/ibizan-hound/
• Hope for Podencos. The Lifelike Charlie. https://www.thelifelikecharlie.com/hope-for-podencos
• Nina May. 2023. Issue 8 of Wunderdog Magazine is out – Have a look what's inside! Wunderdog Magazine. https://wunderdogmagazine.com/news/issue-8-of-wunderdog-magazine-is-out-have-a-look-whats-inside/
• HUHTASAARI, Laura. “Parliamentary Question: Improving the Situation of Spanish Hunting Dogs and Adopting a Directive on Minimum Standards for the Protection of Pet Animals: P-000675/2020: European Parliament.” P, www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-9-2020-000675_EN.html.
• Gisie, L. (2024). Uncovering the Legal Vulnerability of Hunting Dogs in France and Spain. The Global Journal of Animal Law, 12(2). Retrieved from https://journal.fi/gjal/article/view/148966