Spain update October 2024 follow - up

Monday the 30^th of September 2024

After Dirk had been busy with the bookkeeping for days until the night, he started a few days ago to empty the reserve above the clinic, which is chock full of all kinds of medical equipment that is about twenty years old and that he wants to clean up by the time Marianne arrives... A long-term job because, to his displeasure, I keep an Argus eye on things to make sure that nothing is lost, because like most people, I find it difficult to get rid of anything. Argus eyes or not, his frenzy cleaning results in more than 10 large garbage bags full of old reserve equipment that has been unusable since we got it. When his work is done, after days of merciless downpours and gusts of wind, he goes to the shelter on Friday under a watery sun to inspect where photos must be taken. I will come along I say decisively when he is ready to leave. He does not agree but his tirade about what the doctor would say and the fact that he even threatens to tell the doctor has no effect because I stick to my decision. A few minutes later I must clench my jaw to keep from screaming in pain as we drove through the country road full of mud and bomb craters to the shelter. As always, after seeing the many galgos who are all desperately waiting for a home, I return home an hour and a half later with a head full of worries and worry about the approaching hunting season. The galgos that do not pass the inspection are already being released in full force, the living example of which is a very young male of barely a year who looks like a living skeleton full of wounds and sores. The bastards I say in disgust, how can you do that to an animal and go to bed without remorse. Dirk answers laconically “how naive you still are after all those years of misery, suffering and sorrow”. When we arrive at Casa Belgica our dogs are crazy. As if we were away for a week. Because of their enthusiasm I can hardly keep myself on my feet, only Pistorius stays lying down. When I treat them with sweets, a tradition when we come home, I even must put the beloved Nic-Nacs on his lounger. Both Dirk and I are worried about the knackered dog ​​that was dropped off at our place 8 years ago after he got caught in a trap, gnawed off his foot and walked around with the rest of it for weeks. It took almost 2 months before a rescue group could “catch” him and bring him to us. Fortunately, Anne and Fred were here to operate and sterilize and Anne managed to create a stump with what was left of the mangled skin, bones and tendons that he could walk on. Since then, he has always been discreet but very happy with his new life and has always traveled with us and his dog family from Spain to Belgium and vice versa. Maybe the fact that a toe was recently amputated on his front leg, which has healed nicely by the way, has something to do with it I think worriedly.

Friday the 11th of October 2024 

After days we wondered if some hurricane had taken the wrong route and dumped everything over Calypo. A real misery for the dogs and us and especially for Pistorius because the poor guy could hardly stand on the wet terrace to pee and could hardly get out of his donut because of the fear of falling. I was also afraid because falling was not an option, especially not when Dirk was somewhere behind or upstairs because alone, I could not get Pistorius who always panicked terribly upright. He is too heavy and always screams out in pain when you want to lift him, something I cannot do because he is quite heavy. Fortunately, it clears up a bit after a few days and today we can finally take new pictures in the shelter. Despite the same discussion about whether or not to go, I go along and with my jaws clenched I endure again the winding muddy road where the recent rains have left their mark and created even deeper grooves and holes full of mud and slippery bumps and I am relieved when we finally make it to the shelter. As always, I am touched by the barking and howling of the many dogs whose only entertainment is visitors and believe me, they know us. Especially my perfume they know, claims Marie-Carmen… In any case, taking pictures is a long-term job and it takes time and above all patience to let the dogs pose. Some candidate adopters find to my frustration that some dogs look so scared but know that posing is not for everyone. You should especially know that they are put in the indoor enclosure and brought to us one by one to have their picture taken, something that is completely out of their comfort zone. So, tell me how we would feel. They can still explain to us what is happening and reassure us, an advantage that dogs do not have. Of course, there are always those who are, in fact, born in front of the lens and feel at ease, others throw themselves into it and enjoy posing. Some others absolutely do not like it and need more time to be convinced. Personally, I belong to the second category because I also do not feel at ease in front of the lens and hate being photographed, but usually I do not have a choice. When we walk back home after a couple of hours, I tell Dirk that there are a few things on my mind that I will find difficult to get out, his answer is an unmistakable look...

Saturday the 12th, Sunday the 13th of October 2024

Today is the national holiday of Spain, a holiday that is accompanied by the start of the hunt for rabbits and other animals that the gentlemen hunters catch sight of… In principle, the hunt only starts on the 15th of October but who cares if a few days earlier. Outside, it is pouring cats and dogs, and a storm wind is almost blowing our palm trees from their roots. Nevertheless, all hell has broken loose, and a barrage of gunfire resounds in the extensive campo that surrounds us. I can only hope that the hunters get stuck in the mud and that as many dogs as possible can get away. Unfortunately, galgos are trained by their owners in such a way that they are too traumatized to run away and always return to their tormentors because they are afraid of reprisals. Despite the terrible weather, the shooting continues all day long. After all these years, our galgos still know what that means, especially Pistorius lies shivering in his donut. Although the vet said after a blood test that everything is fine except for his old age, he is getting worse. Nobody knows his exact age but when they brought him in, he was 4 or 5 years old, and he has been with us for 9 years now so he could be 13 or 14 years old. I can hardly believe it. It is as if they brought him in yesterday, the years are passing so quickly, hallucinating and frightening especially for me because if I add 9 years, I will be 87!! Anyway, if I ever get that far… In the afternoon it is still pouring rain and while we are sitting at our computers Pistorius manages to get up because he most likely must pee or maybe more. He has apparently stumbled onto the veranda, fallen there, urinated on himself and is crying heartbreakingly. With great difficulty Dirk puts him back in his donut but he continues to whine. Because I think he is in pain Dirk gives him some Metacam. In the evening, he refuses to eat and continues to whine all evening and night and is given some more Metacam for the pain. We are out more than in our bed and feel infinitely helpless. 

Early in the morning we call Marie-Carmen to tell her that we think that for Pistorius death is near and to ask her to call the vet. When she arrives with the veterinarian at the door half an hour later and he examines Pistorius, he can only confirm that he is very old and dying. Despite all the signs, Dirk and I are shocked. While shooting is still going on in the campo at dawn, Pistorius leaves for the dog’s heaven surrounded by those who love him, and I whisper tearfully in his ear “we will see each other again someday.”

Thursday the 17^th of October 2024

In the morning Marie-Carmen calls to say that a man (a galguero) has reported to the local vet with a galgo with a broken front leg. After the vet has taken an X-ray of the fracture, he tells the owner that the dog urgently needs to be operated on by a specialist. Whereupon the owner makes a scene and shouts that he has no money for that and that the dog, who is barely 4 years old, must be euthanized. When the vet refuses to put the animal to sleep, he leaves the dog behind on the spot. As soon as Marie-Carmen gives her story, I send an email to Dr. De Frutos, who turns out to be on holiday. The clinic is only open for consultations and Dr. De Frutos will not be back until the 28^th of October, so far… Of course, the little man comes to Casa Belgica. He is quiet, well-behaved, calm, beautifully brindled with a touch of white and above all has a lot of pain in his deformed leg, poor soul. Fortunately, we were able to prevent his untimely death. When I think of how much grief we feel about our old Pistorius, I revolt at the thought that they treated the poor dog, whom I name Icarus on the spot, like old trash. No longer usable, throw him on the garbage mountain of murdered galgos. In Spain, that is nothing to write home about, it is just a “fait divers” a negligible trifle, after all, they are only galgos, aren’t they? The hunters have them. To make you tear your hair out with anger, annoyance and frustration. I do not even have to bother to pull out my hair, it falls out by itself from all the misery and horrors we are confronted with. After a few photos, Dirk takes him to our clinic, puts on a new, stronger bandage and gives him a bowl of food and drink, which he thoroughly enjoys. After consultation, a skilled surgeon will come to operate on him tomorrow at 13:00h at the local vet. After that he will come to us at Casa Belgica to recover and he will go to Belgium in November.

Anyway, it has really started now. The first victim of the hunt has arrived. After a quiet night, he is taken to the vet shortly after noon and comes home 5 hours later, operated on and castrated. Before he is installed in a box in our clinic, Dirk puts on a new bandage. In the evening, he is given a light meal and while Dirk changes his bloody bedding, he goes outside to pee in my company. Then he presses himself softly against me and a shiver runs through him. Through me too, sigh…

Tuesday, the 22^nd of October 22, 2024

After one day in the clinic, Icarus decided that his stay had been long enough and barked pitifully from his box from which he had “freed” himself upon closer inspection to add strength to his wailing. We stood there in amazement but knew that insisting was no longer of any use. So, we let him out on the patio where our dogs were crowding at the fence to get to know the newcomer. After some sniffing back and forth, they had assured him that he had nothing to fear and the galgos had most likely told him that they had all come the same way and that some were even allowed to stay forever, what gossips. Knowing that we could trust our four-legged “long-nosed” nurses and psychologists who accepted all the dogs and put them at ease, we let him get to know them.

Everything went great and, in the evening, he ate a bowl with the gang and towards the evening when everyone was on the sofas he came reluctantly into the veranda, then it was the kitchen's turn where he awkwardly nestled himself in a donut. At night he slept soundly for the first time in his life and when we got up in the morning our 2 remaining galgos Tito and Hyppolythe had laid themselves in the donuts that were on his left and right.

Beautiful and endearing to see. Unbelievable our dogs, dialogue without words, they do not need them to communicate and reassure newcomers. Same for our borzois, greyhounds, right, they are something special. Anyway, since that day it is as if he has always lived here. He calmly lets his wound be treated and for a few days now he has been crowding between the dogs in the morning wagging his tail to greet us. Disaster oh disaster, another one who thinks he has arrived where he should be, I think. Bad for my heart and conscience and also Dirk’s because we must keep room for coming victims. But those are worries for tomorrow so until then he must stay because his leg needs to be treated, and so on, and so on we comfort each other. Moreover, next Friday we are leaving for Belgium for the Halloween Walk and our dogs must go to the boarding house and yes, Icarus' place is also reserved and so is his care. Sigh...