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| Galgos: how rescue greyhounds became fashionable in Barcelona | Galgos: how rescue greyhounds became fashionable in Barcelona |
| (18 days later) | |
| For the faithful greyhounds of southern Spain, life is fast, furious and often short. At the end of hunting season each year, thousands are rewarded for their efforts with a swift execution. Some are throttled with wire to save on bullets. | For the faithful greyhounds of southern Spain, life is fast, furious and often short. At the end of hunting season each year, thousands are rewarded for their efforts with a swift execution. Some are throttled with wire to save on bullets. |
| Now, however, the movement to confront such barbarity is gathering pace as rescued greyhounds – galgos in Spanish – become more and more popular among hipster communities and city dwellers in northern Spain. | Now, however, the movement to confront such barbarity is gathering pace as rescued greyhounds – galgos in Spanish – become more and more popular among hipster communities and city dwellers in northern Spain. |
| Dogs on the Streets: helping homeless pets and their owners | Dogs on the Streets: helping homeless pets and their owners |
| As many as 2,000 animals are saved each year. Finding new homes for them used to be difficult, but not any more. According to Anna Clements, the co-founder and director of SOS Galgos, it is becoming more common to see young couples walking the dogs in Barcelona. “It is uplifting to see a happy galgo being walked in the city instead of how it used to be, when they miserably roamed the streets in search of food and water.” | As many as 2,000 animals are saved each year. Finding new homes for them used to be difficult, but not any more. According to Anna Clements, the co-founder and director of SOS Galgos, it is becoming more common to see young couples walking the dogs in Barcelona. “It is uplifting to see a happy galgo being walked in the city instead of how it used to be, when they miserably roamed the streets in search of food and water.” |
| Rescuing galgos in distress is not always easy or possible. “We all know that someone who is cruel to an animal can become violent towards people and unfortunately hunting is widespread and popular in rural areas of Spain, so dealing with hunters is very unpleasant,” says Clements, while taking part in a rescue operation in southern Spain. | Rescuing galgos in distress is not always easy or possible. “We all know that someone who is cruel to an animal can become violent towards people and unfortunately hunting is widespread and popular in rural areas of Spain, so dealing with hunters is very unpleasant,” says Clements, while taking part in a rescue operation in southern Spain. |
| News doesn't always have to be miserable – indeed, the relentless focus on confrontation, disaster, antagonism and blame risks convincing the public that the world is hopeless and there is nothing we can do. | |
| This series is an antidote, an attempt to show that there is plenty of hope, as our journalists scour the planet looking for pioneers, trailblazers, best practice, unsung heroes, ideas that work, ideas that might and innovations whose time might have come. | This series is an antidote, an attempt to show that there is plenty of hope, as our journalists scour the planet looking for pioneers, trailblazers, best practice, unsung heroes, ideas that work, ideas that might and innovations whose time might have come. |
| Readers can recommend other projects, people and progress that we should report on by contacting us at theupside@theguardian.com | Readers can recommend other projects, people and progress that we should report on by contacting us at theupside@theguardian.com |
| Sometimes, dogs are rescued following a call from a member of the public. But sometimes dog owners get in touch themselves, Clements says. “They use emotional blackmail on the phone, saying ‘if you don’t take my useless dogs I’ll have to get rid of them’.” | Sometimes, dogs are rescued following a call from a member of the public. But sometimes dog owners get in touch themselves, Clements says. “They use emotional blackmail on the phone, saying ‘if you don’t take my useless dogs I’ll have to get rid of them’.” |
| “There is a huge loop in the legal system which enables hunters to do as they please with their dogs and there is no concern from the authorities whatsoever.” | “There is a huge loop in the legal system which enables hunters to do as they please with their dogs and there is no concern from the authorities whatsoever.” |
| Klea Levin, a Swedish former model and galgo activist, has also noticed a rise in interest in rescued greyhounds. “For a long time our awareness campaigns highlighted the horrible ways in which greyhounds are treated, showing images of mistreated dogs. This mobilised people from animal protection associations,” she says. “We realised, however, that we would reach a wider audience if we talked about this terrible situation but showed greyhounds as they really are – elegant and beautiful.” | Klea Levin, a Swedish former model and galgo activist, has also noticed a rise in interest in rescued greyhounds. “For a long time our awareness campaigns highlighted the horrible ways in which greyhounds are treated, showing images of mistreated dogs. This mobilised people from animal protection associations,” she says. “We realised, however, that we would reach a wider audience if we talked about this terrible situation but showed greyhounds as they really are – elegant and beautiful.” |
| Levin has used her villa in the foothills of the Tibidabo mountain, in Barcelona’s exclusive Sant Gervasi neighbourhood, as a temporary home for rescue dogs: currently two greyhounds, Jungle and Nico, are awaiting adoption. | Levin has used her villa in the foothills of the Tibidabo mountain, in Barcelona’s exclusive Sant Gervasi neighbourhood, as a temporary home for rescue dogs: currently two greyhounds, Jungle and Nico, are awaiting adoption. |
| Levin believes that the attitude towards greyhounds in big cities has changed since she arrived in Barcelona two decades ago. She says: “We see more and more greyhounds in the street. Not only has it become normal, but it has become something fashionable: my neighbourhood is full of elegant greyhounds.” | Levin believes that the attitude towards greyhounds in big cities has changed since she arrived in Barcelona two decades ago. She says: “We see more and more greyhounds in the street. Not only has it become normal, but it has become something fashionable: my neighbourhood is full of elegant greyhounds.” |
| “In Barcelona you don’t buy galgos, you adopt them,” says Levin. It does not matter if they are fast runners or good hunters. “The adopters want to know if the dogs are sweet and gentle, and white galgos are the most popular.” | “In Barcelona you don’t buy galgos, you adopt them,” says Levin. It does not matter if they are fast runners or good hunters. “The adopters want to know if the dogs are sweet and gentle, and white galgos are the most popular.” |
| Marc Velasco and Marta Huguet are the founders of Brott Barcelona. They design collars for “modern dogs” and have two adopted galgos – Brot and Penny. | Marc Velasco and Marta Huguet are the founders of Brott Barcelona. They design collars for “modern dogs” and have two adopted galgos – Brot and Penny. |
| “The owners care about the quality and style of the accessories because they mirror their lifestyle,” says Huguet. | “The owners care about the quality and style of the accessories because they mirror their lifestyle,” says Huguet. |
| The galgo movement is also gaining momentum abroad. A march for galgos was organised in Germany earlier this year, and dozens of galgos are adopted each year in the US. | The galgo movement is also gaining momentum abroad. A march for galgos was organised in Germany earlier this year, and dozens of galgos are adopted each year in the US. |
| Petra Postma lives in south-central Pennsylvania and has been working in international galgo adoption for almost 20 years, the first 10 years in the Netherlands. | Petra Postma lives in south-central Pennsylvania and has been working in international galgo adoption for almost 20 years, the first 10 years in the Netherlands. |
| “Nine years ago I moved to the US and brought my personal dogs with me, within a year Sage [Save a Galgo Español] was born. When I arrived, there were maybe three or four organisations bringing galgos over occasionally. In recent years I have seen how many greyhound adoption groups have tried their hands at galgos: some successful, others not so much.” | “Nine years ago I moved to the US and brought my personal dogs with me, within a year Sage [Save a Galgo Español] was born. When I arrived, there were maybe three or four organisations bringing galgos over occasionally. In recent years I have seen how many greyhound adoption groups have tried their hands at galgos: some successful, others not so much.” |
| Clements says there is still a long way to go. Tens of thousands of creatures are thought to be destroyed in southern Spain alone every year. | Clements says there is still a long way to go. Tens of thousands of creatures are thought to be destroyed in southern Spain alone every year. |
| “We strive to maintain a balance, to not only do rescue, but also to work equally at lobbying for the situation to change,” she says. “There should be a strict census led by the authorities to regularly check how many dogs a hunter has and their whereabouts. This is not the case. There is a huge loophole in the legal system, which enables hunters to do as they please.” | “We strive to maintain a balance, to not only do rescue, but also to work equally at lobbying for the situation to change,” she says. “There should be a strict census led by the authorities to regularly check how many dogs a hunter has and their whereabouts. This is not the case. There is a huge loophole in the legal system, which enables hunters to do as they please.” |
| This article is part of a series on possible solutions to some of the world’s most stubborn problems. What else should we cover? Email us at theupside@theguardian.com | This article is part of a series on possible solutions to some of the world’s most stubborn problems. What else should we cover? Email us at theupside@theguardian.com |
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