Barking dogs and control of dogs

1. That thread on Dogs Barking was only the latest “dog” subject to be deleted. I wonder how long even this thread will last? I’ve seen posts where dreadful personal abuse occurred, left on the forum. But criticise the bad behaviour of dogs and their owners and wait for the inevitable attack on the forum, by PM, text, phone and perhaps physically.

2. Who is responsible for the pulling of the thread? I don’t know, but I have my suspicions. I bet the forum moderator came under pressure from the crowd who think they are dog lovers. They couldn’t hack the truth and when challenged, just got the whole thing deleted. Do the right thing regarding any animal on this forum and prepare to be obscured. It’s not new and they’ve always resorted to this.

3. The thread as Devo said was good and informative, but instead of the so called dog lovers learning something and behaving in a good way they merely chose to have the subject closed.  Out of sight, out of mind.

4. My advice to anybody challenging the misbehaviour of dogs is just put up with it. If a dog savages an innocent child, the unconcerned stupid brigade will defend the dog and pretend to be concerned about the child. If you don’t believe me, just challenge a person who allows his/her dog deficate on the Paseo and you’ll suffer abuse like you never heard. It’s the same on the beaches where dogs are prohibited from using. Dogs are left unattended on food terraces of restaurants - complain to their owners or the staff and suffer the consequences. 

5. So, you’re like me and don’t condone law breaking by pet owners you need nerves of steel. Use your phone to take pictures/video and send them by email to the Policia Local, Ayuntamiento etc. if you’re in a restaurant and you feel a dog is being allowed to run free or is being unhygienic in any way, just ask for the Complaints Book which must be supplied although it’ll eventually come albeit at slower pace than the Cuenta. Take a photo of your complaint if you wish.

or better again . . . 

6. Do nothing and wait for the inevitable to eventually happen and when some real caring person gets savaged or killed by dog(s) take out your hanky and cry. At least, you’ll look good.

Hi Matthew, you know me, I'm the shy and retiring type. But if I see a dog been mistreated or mis managed by the owner, I have no problem in putting 6ft 240lb of angry Geordie in thier face. There is a Podenco that comes into the Bar Trinidad looking for food. The poor thing is all skin and bone, I actually buy sausages from the kitchen and feed him. I'd love to meet the owner and tell him what I think of him. My Spanish isn't great but I'm sure he'll get my meaning.

Dogs are the most trusting of animals and don't deserve bad owners.

To report animal abuse, or bad behaviour by owners, photo / video is FANTASTIC - but to get it into the right hands, use the "AlertCops" app on your phone that is designed and supported by Spanish Law Enforcement.  It has a variety of different "complaints" you can make and connects you directly to Guardia Civil - they very much like it when you take photos and videos as it enables them to very quickly respond, locate and fine irresponsible owners - which they do.

Geordiemark - I fully understand your annoyance and anger at abusive and irresponsible owners.  We support Kim Halliwell animal rescue and she has a massive amount of Podencos and Galgos just dumped on her at the end of each hunting season - poor things are generally very very underweight having been fed on scraps and bread only, then dumped when they are of no further use.  This mindset of using animals simply as "things" that can be dealt with as you please has to change and I hope with the younger generation in Spain it will do so

Hi Devo, I think its only the admin that can pull out a post, so perhaps something was said he/she didn't like or perhaps it had just run its course. The incident you mention in Surrey was a terrible freak accident, it must have been horrendous for all concerned. as you know like you I have multiple dogs 7 at the moment, which wont be increased now we are back in UK. Mine never turn on each other, I am the lead of the pac and they know it (including the hubby).Hope you are well, and happy JX

Good on all counts thanks Jenni . Yes it was just that I’m not a fast one finger typer and I’d spent minutes typing out a reply and then the post disappeared for no apparent reason. None of the occasional slagging . On the hole in our area of East Sussex you seldom see dog mess on public paths. Probably more people about and cctv everywhere these days . I have hardly ever walked a dog on a street as furtunate enough to have fields to roam and dogs never on leads . Hence the likes of flint on the quad bike in my profile photo . Sadly passed away now . The dogs that Geordie mentions , hunting dogs , are they used for boar hunting . And are they used in conjunction with shooters ?? 

Hi Devo,

Yes they are used for Boar hunting, kept in cages 6 days with very little food and then on the 7th let out to hunt, if they dont hunt then they get dumped. my Harley a Italian Spinona  was dumped at the side of the road, when I found him, beautiful gentle giant but terrified of guns, so he wouldn't have been any use to them, so the bas**ards dumped him. I dont agree with hunting anything, (except perhaps the 'lesser spotted Matthew') but its the fact that they treat them so appallingly that really gets my goat. But sadly Spain will never change, they can pass as many laws as they like, the hunters, farmers and Giardia will do what they want. where animals are concerned.

We also see very little dog poo here, people have just been educated to pick up.

You have a nice evening JX 

Spain *IS* changing - slowly.  SEPRONA are the branch of the Guardia Civil tasked with investigating and prosecuting contraventions of animal laws.  A whole raft of laws giving greater protections to animals were passed last year, and one in particular now makes the dumping of animals illegal.

The trick is catching people doing it - the hunters of course care nothing about the law and will continue to do what they do, SEPRONA will continue to prosecute - and they very much do.

The future of the country lies with the youth though and it’s pleasing to see attitudes are changing, with the youth being much more animal aware and sympathetic.  It won’t change overnight - but the tide is turning; even the days of bullfighting are numbered. Whilst it still occurs in Andalusia and a couple of other communities that grimly hang on to these aged cultural traditions, bullfighting has been outlawed in many parts of Spain.  The day will come for Andalucia as well when the pressure to outlaw it can no longer be ignored.

Thanks for responses . It seems that a lot of the animal charities are run by expats . Paws being a main one in mojacar/ Turre area with shops and various events . Uk has the issue of various older hunting hounds and greyhounds that are put down when they can no longer do their job . Some greyhounds find loving homes but the likes of foxhounds etc that are used to being in kennels in a pack don’t make good pets . Also all the designer dogs that where bought for crazy money during lockdown are now pouring into charity shelters with the economic pinch . Always seems to be the animals that suffer . Anyone know if the fouling of footpaths is coastal thing where it’s perhaps not policed as much and what are the cities like as I don’t do them unless I have to . Country boy me . 

I would hazard a guess that it is coastal - and smaller coastal at that.

My last trip to Granada revealed a very clean city; even in the Albaicin and the Moroccan quarter there was no fouling to be found