Split Topic: Spanish Drive Hunt - Monteria

[Martiniblack577]

Can you confirm what hounds you use and how their welfare is supported within your company?

My reason for asking is Spain has a wretched history of hunting dog abuse as evidenced by the multiple rescues working to save Pondecos and Galgos.

Thank you.

 

[Top Spanish Hunting]

In Spain, a particular breed is not used, they are usually crossed dogs of different breeds. Mainly "podencos". We as a company don't have the dogs, remember that in a drive hunt normally about 200 dogs are released, many times more. Each kennel has approximately one "rehala", each with between 20-30 dogs and they usually hire about 12/15 rehalas per hunt, if it is larger, more. Some have 40 rehalas to give you an idea. In Spain, dog owners are obliged to comply with animal welfare and health standards, in addition to having all their papers in order.

It is a shame that you receive the animal propaganda made by political parties like Pacma, which live off of subsidies and take out or pay associations to make false reports, especially as you say about "greyhounds" and also attacking hunting dogs a lot. . There are many articles dismantling these reports that you are talking about, mainly because they talk about figures that when the authority has been consulted, the number of complaints and altercations is not even 1% of what they say, but they invent it. In Spain, hunting dogs are the best cared for, as I imagine they would be in your country. We hunters love our dogs and take care of them as part of our family that they are.

 

[Martiniblack577]

Thank you for your response. However, dismissing the widespread abuse that has been recorded by multiple sources and agencies over many years is challenging. I’m glad you don’t have or use hounds. I would hate to be party to the suffering so many ‘working dogs’ end up experiencing.

 

[7upwestmids]

I agree with Martiniblack. Yes many British hunters are interested in going on a Monteria but if there was any evidence of Monteria hunting dog owners killing or dumping their dogs after the hunt, for me it would be the last Monteria I would be going on. The dogs have done their job and deserve to be treated with respect afterwards end of story.

 

[Martiniblack577]

I appreciate your supportive comments 7up. The abuse really is widespread in the Spanish hunting community and wholly put me off being any part of it. You don’t have to dig too deep to come across quite disturbing stories:

Spanish Hunting Dog Horrors Exposed

AnimaNaturalis and CAS International uncovered the crudeness of hunting with dogs in Spain, at the moment when the PSOE announced that it is not a priority to draw up specific legislation for dogs…

euroweeklynews.com

 

[filzee]

I have spent 5 days hunting in Spain over the last few years. 1 professional monteria and 4 traditional smaller village driven hunts. All of which rent the teams of dog handlers and their dogs for the day. I can honestly say I have not witnessed a single incident of abuse towards the dogs. All dogs have looked healthy and clearly enjoy what they do. I have seen one dog receiving medical treatment after it had an altercation with a disgruntled boar.

 

[Martiniblack577]

I have spent 5 days hunting in Spain over the last few years. 1 professional monteria and 4 traditional smaller village driven hunts. All of which rent the teams of dog handlers and their dogs for the day. I can honestly say I have not witnessed a single incident of abuse towards the dogs. All dogs have looked healthy and clearly enjoy what they do. I have seen one dog receiving medical treatment after it had an altercation with a disgruntled boar.

That’s very pleasing to read. However, the wanton abuse and destruction of many Galgos at the end of hunting seasons is well documented and hard to ignore. In some cases the manner in which the hounds are killed are really quite disturbing. The rescues get overloaded with hunting hounds at some point, many struggling with appalling underlying health issues. I follow half a dozen charities out there based at various places and I take my hat off to them for the job they do.

 

[Top Spanish Hunting]

I have spent 5 days hunting in Spain over the last few years. 1 professional monteria and 4 traditional smaller village driven hunts. All of which rent the teams of dog handlers and their dogs for the day. I can honestly say I have not witnessed a single incident of abuse towards the dogs. All dogs have looked healthy and clearly enjoy what they do. I have seen one dog receiving medical treatment after it had an altercation with a disgruntled boar.

This is the truth, as I said those reports are all fake and blame all the bad that happen to animals on hunters which is not true.

 

[Top Spanish Hunting]

That’s very pleasing to read. However, the wanton abuse and destruction of many Galgos at the end of hunting seasons is well documented and hard to ignore. In some cases the manner in which the hounds are killed are really quite disturbing. The rescues get overloaded with hunting hounds at some point, many struggling with appalling underlying health issues. I follow half a dozen charities out there based at various places and I take my hat off to them for the job they do.

This is not true, the rescuers find lost dogs from the drives that get desoriented and instead of giving them back to the owner, they keep them (steal them) and then use them to say hunters abbandoned their dogs. this has also happen with cattle dogs, animal rescuers see them in the country and think they are abbandoned when they are looking after the cattle. then the owners go for them as they cant find their dogs and the rescuers dont give them back. is ridicoulus, if you want to belive it is your choice.

 

[Martiniblack577]

This is not true, the rescuers find lost dogs from the drives that get desoriented and instead of giving them back to the owner, they keep them (steal them) and then use them to say hunters abbandoned their dogs. this has also happen with cattle dogs, animal rescuers see them in the country and think they are abbandoned when they are looking after the cattle. then the owners go for them as they cant find their dogs and the rescuers dont give them back. is ridicoulus, if you want to belive it is your choice.

Seriously challenge your alleged explanation of events . If we go along with your comments, the volume of hounds who get ‘lost’ is really quite remarkable. Your hunting owners must be quite unfortunate and very forgetful where their ‘loved’ hound went missing. Rediculous!

 

[Jagare]

We would never put down foxhounds or any other hunting hound if the did not make the grade, got old or have other problems. They all go to good homes where they can spend their days laying on a sofa some where. Much the same with racing greyhounds.
I've been on many Monterías in Portugal and their hounds seem to be as well looked after as their English counterparts. Spanish and Portuguese hunting will still be going long after the UK has lost its field sports. Monteria is some of the best hunting I've had in my long hunting life.

 

[levigsp]

That’s very pleasing to read. However, the wanton abuse and destruction of many Galgos at the end of hunting seasons is well documented and hard to ignore. In some cases the manner in which the hounds are killed are really quite disturbing. The rescues get overloaded with hunting hounds at some point, many struggling with appalling underlying health issues. I follow half a dozen charities out there based at various places and I take my hat off to them for the job they do.

You have been reading some rubbish. The Only abuse Ive seen in Span was as the hands pf gypsies who like the gypsies here, left their dogs for dead when not happy with them. Then we come to the rescue places, you seem to like looking things up, well look up how many are registered! how many have been prosecuted for all manner of things, including cruelty! Worry about the abuse in your own country before pointing fingers.

 

[Martiniblack577]

You have been reading some rubbish. The Only abuse Ive seen in Span was as the hands pf gypsies who like the gypsies here, left their dogs for dead when not happy with them. Then we come to the rescue places, you seem to like looking things up, well look up how many are registered! how many have been prosecuted for all manner of things, including cruelty! Worry about the abuse in your own country before pointing fingers.

How do hound owners ‘lose’ hounds they then can’t identify as theirs? Rather suspect…..

I’m also concerned for all sight hound abuse in all countries but Spain has this habit of denying anything is wrong! Your responses underline this position and raise more questions about your business than it answers.

 

[Lancashire1]

I've got friends who are big into coursing and often travel to Spain and Portugal....I'm sure there are abuses but their visits to a number of packs of hounds and to dozens of running dog establishments have satisfied them that in the main everything is above board and dogs are well looked after.
I'm sure googling abuses of British foxhounds will turn up dozens of 'facts' and 'abuse cases'.....but after a lifetime of hunting and years directly involved with numerous hunt kennels I can assure you I have never ever seen anything but the highest standards.

 

[Martiniblack577]

I've got friends who are big into coursing and often travel to Spain and Portugal....I'm sure there are abuses but their visits to a number of packs of hounds and to dozens of running dog establishments have satisfied them that in the main everything is above board and dogs are well looked after.
I'm sure googling abuses of British foxhounds will turn up dozens of 'facts' and 'abuse cases'.....but after a lifetime of hunting and years directly involved with numerous hunt kennels I can assure you I have never ever seen anything but the highest standards.

The sheer volume of sight hound abuse in Spain is honestly baffling. Thankfully, there is movement to bring it into the public domain in the same way the U.K. greyhound industry gets called out for its appalling practices. What always surprises me is the sheer volume of hounds discarded by Spanish hunters on an annual basis. Add to this the Irish Greys also exported out there and the whole use of hounds in hunting is pretty abhorent. It needs to stop.

 

[Lancashire1]

The sheer volume of sight hound abuse in Spain is honestly baffling. Thankfully, there is movement to bring it into the public domain in the same way the U.K. greyhound industry gets called out for its appalling practices. What always surprises me is the sheer volume of hounds discarded by Spanish hunters on an annual basis. Add to this the Irish Greys also exported out there and the whole use of hounds in hunting is pretty abhorent. It needs to stop.

Hounds in hunting needs to stop????.....err ok

 

[Martiniblack577]

Hounds in hunting needs to stop????.....err ok

Many would argue assuming all is well using them is a poor starting position. The husbandry of sight hounds is a major issue. Coursing also being another barbaric practice I look forward to being banned.

 

[Lancashire1]

Many would argue assuming all is well using them is a poor starting position. The husbandry of sight hounds is a major issue. Coursing also being another barbaric practice I look forward to being banned.

Coursing is barbaric? What the only fieldsport where the escape of the quarry is the ideal out come?
You don't sound like any sort of sportsman and it's strange your on a a fieldsports forum

 

[levigsp]

How do hound owners ‘lose’ hounds they then can’t identify as theirs? Rather suspect…..

I’m also concerned for all sight hound abuse in all countries but Spain has this habit of denying anything is wrong! Your responses underline this position and raise more questions about your business than it answers.

My Business is my own and not in Spain.
I have however spent many happy hours in Spain, both hunting and fishing and I assure you that the abuse you speak of is not true, well certainly no more than here in the UK.
Firstly they[the dogs] are all marked, so not lost.
The hounds [grey]that are lost, shot, hung etc by Gypsies, and like the UK, they dont answer to the law. And even then the vast majority of the Gypsies are not like that.
Most of these stories are made up to make money out of stupid people.
I have first hand experience of this, a GSP advertised here in the uk for rescue from Spain, Abused by the hunter, left to roam the streets and full of heart worm.
To get the dog here, it was going to cost £2000 with all the medication! A period of 2 months past and dog was clear of worms and price was reduced to 1800.
A copy of pet passport and rabies cert was requested and then the vet was contacted.
He stated the dog was in good healthy when he got it from the hunter who was to unwell to look after it, it didn't ever have heart worm and certainly never lived on the streets!
This is one example and most of these so called animal rescue charities are in the same league.
Believe what you like but your being had.

 

[greylag]

Scrolling error,, which is proving difficult to delete