We are still looking for foster homes willing to take in one (or more) of our rescued Galgos coming in from Spain October 2nd. We had originally planned to bring over 15 dogs,
due to particular dogs needing our help, American Greyhound is increasing that to 25 dogs. Something that makes this group of dogs unique is the fact that they were hand chosen by the volunteers at Scooby Medina in Spain. The dogs they chose for American Greyhound are the ones that will benefit most from being out of a shelter environment and in loving foster homes awaiting their forever families.
So why galgos?
If you attended our Winning Hearts Auction this year you will remember that we have been slowly expanding our mission over the last few years to not only find forever homes for racing greyhounds, but rather all Sighthounds in need.
You may also recall our recent letter about out resources being blocked by the NGA from placing dogs from Florida. If you missed this letter please read it here
:
https://conta.cc/32elmym
American
Greyhound has developed a strong base of supporters who have spent years filling the needs of sighthounds. Now the galgos are a group of sighthounds in desperate need, and we can help.
The galgo, although very similar to the greyhounds we are familiar with, is actually an entirely different breed. While they are genetically different, most of the traits you have come to love in greyhounds are shared with galgos. They are generally claim, quiet, and laid back, still sleeping most of the day away. The majority of galgos are shown to be good with dogs, cats, and children. They can be a little shy at first, but open up quickly. When American Greyhound first began bringing in these dogs you may have heard us preach about the remarkable abilities of Galgos to jump and/or climb over tall fences. While this is true, jumping is typically a flight or escape response. With this now being known, we have no fence requirements, and after a duration of leash walking, fosters/adopters can typically let the dog out in the fenced yard leash free. The key is to establish trust with the dog. Galgos tend to stick like glue once they warm up to you. After several weeks of leash walking the dog realizes its safe, and will be less likely to test the fence. Keep in mind that this will vary for each galgo. Safety is critical and each dog is unique in terms of how long it may take to establish trust.
Our partner in Spain, Scooby, rescues around 600 galgos per year. Most of these dogs are left abandoned in the streets, hungry and injured. Scooby takes in these dogs and provides physical and mental rehabilitation. They further organize twenty trips around Europe annually to take dogs to their forever homes. Thanks to American Greyhound, among several other groups, Scooby has been seeing an increasing number of dogs coming to America. The flights are booked and the galgos are ready to find their forever families. Now, we need the foster homes to support them as they start their new life. If you have any questions about galgos or if you're ready to be part of their journey, call, text, or e-mail me. They will be landing in less than a month, let's prepare now.
Nicole Graves
Foster Coordinator
219-395-4432
