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I Photographed Abandoned Hunting Dogs In Spain And I Tell Their Story Through My Photos (35 Pics)
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
On the day, Leena, our Galga, adopted through Magnificent Mutts, was no longer needed by her owner. She was to be hung from a tree as the tradition of the galgueros. On that day, evil was not going to win! A woman overheard what was about to happen and stepped in to end the animal abuse and save Leena’s life. The woman brought Leena to SOS Galgos in Barcelona, Spain, and that is where her journey to the US began. The woman in Spain most likely never thought about how that one single act of kindness would change the lives of so many people and in turn, save many more lives of Galgos.
More info: stinkeyephotography.com
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#1
Final score:
97points
Barbara Lewis 7 years ago
That’s a really great sentence you wrote. What sort of computer do you have?
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PhotoJenic12 7 years ago
I am a photographer. I used to sell my work on the streets of Brooklyn. Folks would come up to me, look at my travel photography and say, "Wow! .Beautiful work. What camera do you use?? To me, that is like asking a fantastic pastry chef, what oven they use. It is NOT about the camera. It is about your PERSPECTIVE and EYE.
Vanessa Milato 4 years ago
As a spaniard, and an animal lover who recues every soul I come across, I would have trully appreciated if you had mentioned that what galgeros do in Spain is ilegal and considered animal cruelty. After seeing your photographs, which are awesome, and reading your story, I have the feeling that somebody not knowing Spain would think this is something that spanish society accepts as normal, when it is not. Thank you for what you did saving Leena and for what you continue doing. Please, understand our society is fighting against the same cruel people.
Travis Patenaude (Submission author) 4 years ago
I have many friends in Spain that are animal lovers and do everything they can to try and protect all animals. It is a small group in Spain that does this to these dogs, but there is a very large number of dogs that are abused or killed.
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Sybil Ortego 7 years ago
What is wrong with these people to harm such amazing dog. How can I help them?
Laura Perkinson 7 years ago
Sometimes you just hate these kinds of people who are so mentally incompetent they hurt anythng that does not think as they do! You have made some beautiful dogs shine
Amandajane Hellier 7 years ago
I can't say how much this story moved me and maybe this approach would really help the Dogs and Cats of Yulin/Boknal DCMT. Thank you for sharing your journey and bless you and the beautiful Galgos who have found there angel
Elfriede Banta 7 years ago
How anyone can treat another living being created by God( bet those who commit such cruel acts go to church on Sundays, smugly believing themselves to be good Christians) in such a heartless manner is beyond my comprehension .Doubt they ever see the animal , really see it except the dollars etc it can’t bring, the number of rabbits,terrified in their holes,they are trained to drag out, kill etc and if they can’t measure up hung, per tradition from trees. How do these evil traditions come tok be anyway, certainly not approved by God. How terrible,at times it must be for our loving Father, who knows,sees all to be bombarded by so much cruelty. I know that I could not bear it
PeachPossum 7 years ago
That is a handsome profile. He's the Ronald Colman of pups.
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Angelus Rickenbaker 7 years ago
Same scenario for greyhounds. Some of my dog people rescue greyhounds. This animal is beautiful. Would the ASPCA be able to help. A
RELATED:
#2
Final score:
95points
Annelle Kurtz 7 years ago
Not to upset the apple cart.. but our pampered pet greyhound looked like this a few times during her growth spurts.. they have boundless energy and a tiny appetite. she has good quality food available and still leaves a lot of it behind. gets peanut butter treats, cookies. makes HUGE poo's they are not very good at converting food into fat.
#5
Final score:
89points
#6
Final score:
88points
Anita Werner 7 years ago
If only the 'men' in Spain could learn to respect and love dogs like you do - thank you for always speaking out so well for them!
#7
Final score:
81points
#10
Final score:
74points
#11
Final score:
68points
Ruby Brook 7 years ago
This one looks exactly like my dog! His name is Sancho and he is an american foxhound. This baby's tail makes me want to cry.
#12
Final score:
65points
#13
Final score:
63points
#15
Final score:
57points
Susan McDonald 7 years ago
No. I think you wrote this without thinking and wish you had not spoken/written impulsively. I understand because I have done it too many times myself.
#16
Final score:
56points
#17
Final score:
56points
#18
Final score:
53points
#19
Final score:
51points
#21
Final score:
48points
Susan McDonald 7 years ago
If we were close I would come get you to join our pointy nosed girls ! Twice a day you would eat raw foods, bask in the Arizona sun, go for sniffing walks, have toys if you want them and have neck scratching at your command.
#22
Final score:
46points
#23
Final score:
45points
#24
Final score:
44points
#25
Final score:
41points
Grumble O'Pug 7 years ago
Reminds me of Goya's paintings of the royal family: illustrating both ignorance and excess.
#27
Final score:
38points
#28
Final score:
36points
#29
Final score:
36points
#30
Erizo who was rescued by Fundación Benjamín Mehnert in Sevilla Spain. Erizo now lives in Albuquerque NM and is a therapy dog who visits hospitals, schools, and prisons. Sherry, Erizo’s Mom or manager recently told me one of the meetings Erizo had with an elderly gentleman during a hospital visit.
Sherry and Erizo were walking the halls of the hospital and they came across an older man in a doorway of a doctor’s office. The man and his wife had just received very bad news from his doctor, and his wife and doctor were not sure if he understood what they told him. Sherry asked the man if he wanted to pet Erizo, and the man bent down to pet him and told Erizo he just received some very bad news. His wife and doctor now realized he understood.
The man pet Erizo for a little while and his wife asked if Erizo could visit him in the hospital. Erizo made several trips to the hospital to spend time with the elderly man, and during each visit, several of his family members were visiting with him also and got to meet Erizo. After two months, the elderly man passed away. The family contacted Sherry to asked if Erizo could attend the wake. The family made special arrangements with the location for the wake to allow Erizo to attend.
Erizo not only helped a dying man deal with the end of his life, but he helped his family deal with his passing.
Erizo is also visiting at a residential treatment center. He visits with a group of about 12 teenage girls who have been sexually abused… you name it, they’ve been through it. One particular girl is very tall, thin with long dark hair. Sherry, Erizo’s Mom, mentioned to her that she and Erizo could be twins: tall, dark hair and elegant. She now calls Erizo her “Spirit Brother.” When Erizo visits, she simply lies on the floor with him, her head on his side and she just pets him slowly with one hand. If she stops, he nuzzles her to continue. She stops a lot… she loves the nuzzles.
These are only a couple of the stories of Erizo and how a trash dog from Spain is helping heal and provide comfort to so many people and raising awareness about the hunting dogs of Spain.
Final score:
35points
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Person2638 7 years ago
I hope they live the rest of their lives happy, and that their owners get the karma they deserve.
Ian Carter 7 years ago
What a fantastic post, I am so glad Travis has put this on a platform that has as many followers as Bored panda to highlight the struggles of Galgos in Spain but it is not just Galgos that are persecuted Podencos (Ibizan hound) are a similar breed and are treated in the same barbaric way. I have a rescue "Beezer" called Suzie that was saved from Spain and lives with me in Derbyshire, England there are lots of fantastic charities that do such great work to save these sweet loving dogs. If you can open your heart to one there are many charities that can help. such as https://galgosdelsol.org , http://www.dogwatchuk.com/ or https://pawsuk.org/
Grumble O'Pug 7 years ago
This is heartbreaking to read. I've read about the relentless bird hunting on Malta, decimating bird populations. Hunting dogs appear to have the same fate as overbred Andalusian and Lusitano horses. A real shame.
Dorothy Berry-Lound 7 years ago
Fabulous dog portraits allowing them to tell their stories with their eyes. Great work.
Sarah Rynolds 7 years ago
This is horrible and more needs to be done to solve this and find these dogs new homes.
Kerolos Saleib 7 years ago
This is sad and eye opening. Humans and their rediculous traditions to assume dominance and power is jusr narcissistic.
Travis Patenaude (Post author) 7 years ago
Yes, All dogs photographed are in happy forever homes
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buttonpusher 4 years ago
Anyone I've known with a breed like this have always said they're lovely dogs, very quiet temperament and can get very nervous. I hate the greyhound racing industry. My town is home to a popular racing track and there are a lot of greyhounds around. Sometimes once they've served their purpose they get discarded. 😡 Although in recent years they seem to have clamped down on it, more inspections by animal welfare.
Moo Moo Futch 4 years ago
The way these beautiful dogs are just discarded like rubbish when they have fulfilled their use really really disgusts me. I support a few charities in Europe that rescue as many as they can but there are always those who aren't so lucky. It's so sad.
Hannah Edwards 4 years ago
My brother has adopted two podencos from Spain and they’re the sweetest fur babies!
Char Spinosa 6 years ago
I love them all... they deserve to know the love of a human and a place to call home where they are warm and provided for.
Ramona Lessley 7 years ago
These dogs are beautiful, dispite the fact of the pain and suffering they have been though. Didn't want too focus to long on the picture cuz it would make me cry. I pray that these wonderful dogs find loving homes. They deserve no less. I would love to own one. Karma is a funny thing, what goes around, will come around. Hopefully their owners will get theirs. Thank you again Travis for bringing this to everyone's attention.
Becky Browning 7 years ago
He is an amazing talent with beautiful goals for his photography of these amazing souls from Spain. And my friend!
Spiritofabysmaldespair 7 years ago
I accidentally sent this without finishing. Continued: ls. My first dog was a Spanish racing lurcher, abandoned after he lost one race. Ever since then, I have had a soft spot for them ever since. The treatment of these dogs is unacceptable.
Load More Replies...
Gloria Zielin 7 years ago
The very beautiful pictures by Travis Patenaude are really something special.
Dianne Hall 7 years ago
For a country that celebrates the slaughter of bulls for entertainment why would this surprise anyone.....
Debra Davitt 7 years ago
Yep this sounds right , you think thats bad goto CUBA the government take 40%,then you see skinny cows, no water they die, no one aves them as just under half of it goes to tax
Kiahna 7 years ago
Wow. That's not even casual racism. That's just plain racism.
Load More Replies... 
KimB 4 years ago
You should look up the definition of stink eye...there's nothing kinky about it...your insinuation makes it so
Load More Replies... Person2638 7 years ago
I hope they live the rest of their lives happy, and that their owners get the karma they deserve.
Ian Carter 7 years ago
What a fantastic post, I am so glad Travis has put this on a platform that has as many followers as Bored panda to highlight the struggles of Galgos in Spain but it is not just Galgos that are persecuted Podencos (Ibizan hound) are a similar breed and are treated in the same barbaric way. I have a rescue "Beezer" called Suzie that was saved from Spain and lives with me in Derbyshire, England there are lots of fantastic charities that do such great work to save these sweet loving dogs. If you can open your heart to one there are many charities that can help. such as https://galgosdelsol.org , http://www.dogwatchuk.com/ or https://pawsuk.org/
Grumble O'Pug 7 years ago
This is heartbreaking to read. I've read about the relentless bird hunting on Malta, decimating bird populations. Hunting dogs appear to have the same fate as overbred Andalusian and Lusitano horses. A real shame.
Dorothy Berry-Lound 7 years ago
Fabulous dog portraits allowing them to tell their stories with their eyes. Great work.
Sarah Rynolds 7 years ago
This is horrible and more needs to be done to solve this and find these dogs new homes.
Kerolos Saleib 7 years ago
This is sad and eye opening. Humans and their rediculous traditions to assume dominance and power is jusr narcissistic.
Travis Patenaude (Post author) 7 years ago
Yes, All dogs photographed are in happy forever homes
Load More Replies... buttonpusher 4 years ago
Anyone I've known with a breed like this have always said they're lovely dogs, very quiet temperament and can get very nervous. I hate the greyhound racing industry. My town is home to a popular racing track and there are a lot of greyhounds around. Sometimes once they've served their purpose they get discarded. 😡 Although in recent years they seem to have clamped down on it, more inspections by animal welfare.
Moo Moo Futch 4 years ago
The way these beautiful dogs are just discarded like rubbish when they have fulfilled their use really really disgusts me. I support a few charities in Europe that rescue as many as they can but there are always those who aren't so lucky. It's so sad.
Hannah Edwards 4 years ago
My brother has adopted two podencos from Spain and they’re the sweetest fur babies!
Char Spinosa 6 years ago
I love them all... they deserve to know the love of a human and a place to call home where they are warm and provided for.
Ramona Lessley 7 years ago
These dogs are beautiful, dispite the fact of the pain and suffering they have been though. Didn't want too focus to long on the picture cuz it would make me cry. I pray that these wonderful dogs find loving homes. They deserve no less. I would love to own one. Karma is a funny thing, what goes around, will come around. Hopefully their owners will get theirs. Thank you again Travis for bringing this to everyone's attention.
Becky Browning 7 years ago
He is an amazing talent with beautiful goals for his photography of these amazing souls from Spain. And my friend!
Spiritofabysmaldespair 7 years ago
I accidentally sent this without finishing. Continued: ls. My first dog was a Spanish racing lurcher, abandoned after he lost one race. Ever since then, I have had a soft spot for them ever since. The treatment of these dogs is unacceptable.
Load More Replies... Gloria Zielin 7 years ago
The very beautiful pictures by Travis Patenaude are really something special.
Dianne Hall 7 years ago
For a country that celebrates the slaughter of bulls for entertainment why would this surprise anyone.....
Debra Davitt 7 years ago
Yep this sounds right , you think thats bad goto CUBA the government take 40%,then you see skinny cows, no water they die, no one aves them as just under half of it goes to tax
Kiahna 7 years ago
Wow. That's not even casual racism. That's just plain racism.
Load More Replies... KimB 4 years ago
You should look up the definition of stink eye...there's nothing kinky about it...your insinuation makes it so
Load More Replies...
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