Gotcha and Gonna Getcha Days - Back to Scooby

Bless Rescued in 2011

Bless in Her Forever Home in California

Gotcha!
Three years ago, I made my first trip to Scooby Medina del Campo in Spain to volunteer and bring my galga, Bless, to the USA.  Happy three year "gotcha day" to Bless and one year "gotcha day" to our other galga rescue, Sara! Both of them have stolen our hearts and changed our lives forever.  They are magnificent pets who give us so much love and affection each and every day.

Sara Rescued in April 2013

Sara In Her Forever Home 

It is astounding that dogs who were so neglected, abused and unloved could be such perfect pets.  Both are snugly bugs who love to get under the covers and sigh with pleasure when they hug up next to us to sleep every night.  They love to chase after the squirrels, bark at the dogs who walk past the house, sniff and run around our swimming pool in the back yard, lounge around on every bed and sofa in the house, take multiple naps, eat their treats and meals, and sleep cuddled up with us at night.  Galgos are so resilient. They adjust to being adored pets from being treated like nothings so quickly, are so forgiving and quick to love. I just can't get over it!

Galgas Sara and Bless Living the Good Life in California

Back to Scooby
In just a few short days, I will return to Scooby to volunteer. It is my passion and one of my favorite things to do in this World. Feeling so blessed because so many of my "Scoobette" friends will be there as well: Sabine and Simonetta who reside on site, Jacqui and Lucinda from the UK, and Miss Lebreles from Italy, will all be there when I visit.  Love all of them and looking forward to seeing and working with them again!

Gonna Getcha, Liam and Tinga!

Tinga and Liam Have Been Patiently Waiting for Their Forever Homes in the USA

On this trip, I have a very special mission. I'll be bringing back two very special Scooby dogs to New York for fostering and adoption, taken in by the very wonderful 11th Hour Rescue NY.  The two dogs are Tinga and Liam,

Both are mixed breed who have been waiting for over three years for their forever homes. They have been living together in the perimeter area of Scooby, just waiting for their chance to be loved.  I have the honor of bringing them home.  Cannot wait to hear about and see photos of them in their forever homes. So happy for both of them!

Partnership with Greyhounds Friends for Life

Great news! Greyhounds Friends for Life, San Francisco Bay Area, is partnering with Scooby, and will take several galgos in for adoption each year.  The two galgos that I will bring back on my next trip in November 2014, will be available for adoption in December. So happy that these two wonderful groups with greyt people will be joined together as kindred spirits rescuing greyhounds and galgos! :-)

Not Sure? Greyhound, Galgo – What’s the Difference?
Not sure about adopting, or about the differences between greyhounds and galgos?  Rest assured that these dogs make absolutely perfect pets.  They are so resilient and are easily acclimated. I now have two lovely galgos, and could not be happier about adopting them.


You can also Google “difference between greyhounds and galgos” to find lots of great articles about having galgos as pets, but here are some of the differences I’ve observed:

      - Greyhounds are bred and trained for racing. Galgos are bred and trained for hunting:. Breeding and training conditions vary, but in general, galgos come from much more difficult beginnings where they often experience cruelty, abuse, neglect and ultimately, a very sad ending to their lives. 

         

     - Greyhounds and galgos look very similar, but there are differences: Galgos may be a bit smaller in stature, have floppier ears, longer tails, shallower chests, bigger paws.  They come in all shapes, sizes and wonderful colors, with unique brindles and markings that make them especially unique.

·    - Both have these things in common:

     -- Affectionate and loving

     -- Gentle, calm, laid back

     -- Many get along well with other dogs and pets (other breeds, small dogs, cats, rabbits)

     -- May have strong prey drive – should be tested and may possibly need training

     -- Couch potatoes

     -- Love food and treats

     -- Will steal your heart!

Want to Know More About Scooby Medina del Campo?
Scooby started in 1987 as a shelter, providing refuge for the stray cat and dog population and numerous galgos discarded, mainly by the local coursing fraternity in the area of Medina del Campo, Valladolid. Scooby was founded and is lead by honorary President, Fermín Pérez, a science teacher at the main senior school in Medina del Campo. 

Tens of thousands of galgos are bred annually in Spain, in the hope of producing the national coursing champion. Medina del Campo is the focal point for those with a coursing interest in Spain. Many galgueros (breeders and owners of galgos), live in Medina and the surrounding areas.  Since Fermín made the World aware of the galgo situation, the association has grown throughout the years. What began in an old ruins, with bed frames as fencing, and an old warehouse, without electricity, heat or water, has moved and grown into a new, large refuge sanctuary, all with the help of international supporters and volunteers, dedicated to Scooby and its important work. Over the years, the galgueros have started to bring their unwanted galgos to Scooby after hunting season.  On average Scooby houses 450 dogs, mainly galgos. From there, Scooby rehomes the galgos and many mixed breed dogs via partner organizations, mainly in Europe and North America. (More about Scooby in Spain: http://www.scoobymedina.org, USA: http://scoobynorthamerica.org/.)

Back to Spain
Looking forward to spending time in Spain again! Aside from the issues with animals, I really love Spain. At the end of my trip, I'll spend 3 nights in Madrid touring and sightseeing. Never get tired of the wonders of Spain.  Very thankful that I have the chance to visit a couple of times each year, to visit Scooby and to bring back dogs who get to live rock star lives in the USA.

Stay tuned for more updates, as I embark upon my next Scooby adventure.

Hasta Luego! Thank you for reading my blog. More to follow. Bless sends her blessings. Sara sends smiles!





Our gorgeous Galga, Bless!



Our gorgeous Galga, Sara!



Please support Scooby!
Know an organization that will donate dog food? Please let me know.