About:
Welcome to the site which has been created to highlight the plight of the hunting dogs on Gran Canaria, specifically the Podenco
This ancient breed have been the subject of many welfare campaigns, as they have a short working life and often very little medical care, if any.
One method of disposing dogs that do not work well or are growing older is to sign them over to the local authority pound - Albergue Banaderos.
Sadly for these beautiful dogs, who are gentle, sensitive and incredibly affectionate, the consequence of admission to the public kennel is to be euthanized after the statutory 21 days because adoptions locally are very rare, the breed being considered a working breed rather than a pet.
Many people around the globe are discovering the wonders of this breed as a family pet, and are happy to adopt them, so this site has become a way to encourage adoptions as an alternative to euthanasia.
It also serves as a means to fundraise for the air fare for the dogs to leave Gran Canaria and move on to homes that are waiting for them with families all over the world.​
To find out more about this wonderful breed and the appalling mistreatment of them that is all too tragically common, please take a peek at Beryl Brennan's blog or her book, 'From Pyramid to Pererra'
In order to rescue one dog from the public pound, many people are required to co-ordinate in order to achieve the delivery of a dog into a final or forever home.
The dog is photographed by volunteers when spotted in the pound, and this photo can be shared many times using social media.
If someone comes forward with an interest in the dog, the dog can be reserved at the pound, again usually by a volunteer.
The dog will then be neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and blood tested for Leishmania and Filaria whilst still at the pound.
A volunteer will collect the dog, once ready and deliver it to a private kennels, where he or she can be cared for whilst awaiting transport onwards to the final destination.
This might be mainland Spain, or other parts of the world; these dogs are now being rehomed all over the word and appreciated as the lovely family pet that they truly are.
The dogs often go into a foster family on first arrival in their new country, and are assessed for temperament and house trained. For many this will be their first experience of living in a home.
The end of this long road will be when a family take the dog on trial, and decide to adopt him or her, finally giving these sad souls a life that they had never dreamed existed before now.
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