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| These are just some of the dogs looking for a home. Cats aren't even featured, let alone horses, mules or donkeys... Estos son algunos de los perros que buscan un hogar. Ni siquiera presentamos los gatos que también lo necesitan, ni mucho menos los caballos, mulos o burros ... |
EDITORIAL You saw our feature about seven puppies and their mother found by the side of the road, didn't you? The Spanish media is full of reports from all over the country about abandoned pets - mostly owing to la crisis, apparently, although it has been going for many, many years. But this site is dedicated principally to the Campo de Gibraltar and because I live in Jimena, I choose to use my village as a microcosm, an example of what is going on beyond its municipal frontiers.>>>
The other day, someone came in to tell me that the Local Police had handed her a bag full of six two- or three-day old puppies. They had found them somewhere, and would she take care of them. Next day, I get a frantic call from a friend (with whom I share the dog at top left) saying she had found a mother, with very swollen teats, and seven puppies in a 'nest' in a field at the side of the road.
The above happened earlier this week. Similar stories have been coming in since the Spring. A total of thirty-two dogs reported since Easter. And these are just the ones we get to hear about here. And only the dogs...
The common thread among all of these cases is that, save for the last story, all these puppies were dumped at the doorsteps, or through the fences, or over the gates of foreign, mainly British, residents. The question is Why?
Is it because Brits prefer animals to people, as many Spaniards contend when looking at the UK's donations to the RSPCA vs. NSPCC?
Is it because los ingleses are a soft touch? We don't make official complaints much, do we?
Is it because those who get rid of their unwanted pets have what I might as well call a 'rural' mentality? Or because they really can't afford to sterilize their dogs or cats? Is that not crueller than putting puppies in a bag expecting them to die of starvation or asphixiation? It's certainly less expensive - for the original owner, anyway.
Is it because our neighbours just don't care? Or because they lack a conscience?
The authorities have done very little about it and too often just want the problem to go away, but animal neglect and cruelty are ILLEGAL, with jail time in some cases. If this country truly wants to belong to the 'First World' this subject will have to be dealt with sooner rather than later.
The other day, someone came in to tell me that the Local Police had handed her a bag full of six two- or three-day old puppies. They had found them somewhere, and would she take care of them. Next day, I get a frantic call from a friend (with whom I share the dog at top left) saying she had found a mother, with very swollen teats, and seven puppies in a 'nest' in a field at the side of the road.
The above happened earlier this week. Similar stories have been coming in since the Spring. A total of thirty-two dogs reported since Easter. And these are just the ones we get to hear about here. And only the dogs...
The common thread among all of these cases is that, save for the last story, all these puppies were dumped at the doorsteps, or through the fences, or over the gates of foreign, mainly British, residents. The question is Why?
Is it because Brits prefer animals to people, as many Spaniards contend when looking at the UK's donations to the RSPCA vs. NSPCC?
Is it because los ingleses are a soft touch? We don't make official complaints much, do we?
Is it because those who get rid of their unwanted pets have what I might as well call a 'rural' mentality? Or because they really can't afford to sterilize their dogs or cats? Is that not crueller than putting puppies in a bag expecting them to die of starvation or asphixiation? It's certainly less expensive - for the original owner, anyway.
Is it because our neighbours just don't care? Or because they lack a conscience?
The authorities have done very little about it and too often just want the problem to go away, but animal neglect and cruelty are ILLEGAL, with jail time in some cases. If this country truly wants to belong to the 'First World' this subject will have to be dealt with sooner rather than later.
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| Estos son algunos de los perros que buscan un hogar. Ni siquiera presentamos los gatos que también lo necesitan, ni mucho menos los caballos, mulos o burros ... |
¿MASCOTA O PELMAZO? PERROS Y GATOS ABANDONADOS POR DOQUIER Y ¿A QUIEN LE IMPORTA UN CUERNO?
EDITORIAL Quizás hayas visto el artículo que publicamos hace unos días sobre unos cachorros abandonados que buscaban un hogar. (Quizás no, porque lo publicamos en JimenaPulse). Los medios de comunicación españoles están llenos de reportajes sobre el tema de animales abandonados - aparentemente gracias a la dichosa crisis, aunque ha venido ocurriendo durante muchos, muchos años. Pero esta página se dedica principalmente al Campo de Gibraltar, y como vivo en Jimena, utilizo a 'mi' pueblo como un microcosmo, un ejemplo de lo que ocurre allende sus fronteras municipales.
Hace unos días, apareció una mujer que me contó que había llegado la Policía Local para entregarle una bolsa que contenía seis cachorritos de apenas unos dos o tres días. Los habían encontrado no recuerdo dónde. Que los cuidara, le dijeron, ya que ella tiene unos cuantos perros.
Al otro día me llamó una amiga, con la que 'comparto' el cuidado de un perro abandonado (arriba, izquierda en la foto) casi histérica, contándome que se había encontrado una perra en medio de la carretera, con las tetas hinchadas pero muy flaca (en la foto, la segunda por la derecha, en mucho mejor estado). Sus cachorros estaban en un 'nido' al costado de la carretera.
Lo anterior ocurrió esta semana. Pero historias similares nos han llegado desde el principio de la primavera. Un total de treinta y dos perros desde Semana Santa. Y no contamos los gatos...
El hilo común de todas los casos es que, salvo en la última historia, los animales han sido colocados a la puerta de familias extranjeras, mayormente británicas. O se han introducido en fincas de 'ingleses'*, o pasado por un alambrado. Nos preguntamos ¿por qué?
¿Será porque se dice que los 'ingleses' prefieren a los animales que a los niños, según se comparan las estadísticas de donaciones a ONGs de ambos?
¿Será porque los 'ingleses' se quejan poco? ¿Porque son más 'facilones'?
¿Será porque aquellos que abandonan sus responsabilidades tienen lo que solo se puede llamar 'una mentalidad rural'? ¿O es que realmente no pueden costearse una esterilización (a l@s mascotas, digo, aunque ... bué)? ¿No sería esto acaso menos cruel que colocar unos cachorritos en una bolsa de plástico con la tremenda idea de que se mueran de hambre o asfixia? Desde luego es más económico, al menos para los iresponsables dueños originales.
¿Será porque a nuestros vecinos realmente les importa un comino el tema? ¿O será porque realmente carecen de consciencia?
Hasta ahora las autoridades han hecho muy poco respecto a este tema; más bien, han hecho todo lo posible por quitarse el problema de encima. Pero la crueldad y la neglicencia hacia los animales son ILEGALES, con penas hasta de cárcel. Si este país realmente quiere pertenecer al 'Primer Mundo', este es un tema que se debe encarar lo antes posible.
*¡No todos los extranjeros son ingleses! (Es como decir que todos los españoles son catalanes.)
*¡No todos los extranjeros son ingleses! (Es como decir que todos los españoles son catalanes.)
2 comments:
Alberto, what a well written article, hopefully it will reach those people who are the culprits of this abuse.
Thanks for caring!
Thanks for this article, great , hope it makes an impact with the guilty parties!
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