THE ABUSE OF ALL BREEDS OF HUNTING AND WORKING DOGS IN EUROPE MUST BE STOPPED. 

EVERY DAY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOGS ARE IN NEED OF OUR HELP BUT WE CANNOT BE THERE TO HELP ALL OF THEM, THEREFORE LAWS MUST BE PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT AND SAVE THEM FROM A LIFE OF CRUELTY AND CERTAIN EARLY DEATH.

The continual and ever increasing issue of neglect, cruelty, not spaying or neutering, negligent and irresponsible ownership and breeding of ALL Hunting  and Working Dogs in EUROPE, primarily Spain, Italy, the Balkans, Greece and Cyprus, needs to be addressed URGENTLY with LEGISLATION in the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT. There are also major issues regarding the welfare of Working Dogs in the Republic of Ireland.

The breeds at risk include Setters, Pointers/Wire-Haired Pointers, Brittany Spaniels, Griffons, Spinoni, Galgos, Podencos, Beagles, Vizslas, Retrievers,  Collies and Greyhounds although this list is not exhaustive and there are many cross-breeds and other breeds which come under the category of HUNTING/WORKING DOGS.

The MAIN ISSUE here is to address the TREATMENT of the DOGS used merely AS TOOLS by the Hunters who have little or no regard for the DOGS' WELFARE.

There are numerous Rescue Groups throughout Europe, however they are underfunded and cannot cope with the endless queue of unwanted, ill-treated and abandoned dogs in need of veterinary care, shelter, food and ultimately re-homing. The Rescuers, Shelters and their Staff work tirelessly to try to save discarded, unwanted dogs but they are all at capacity and under constant stress looking for solutions to re-home the dogs. 

As Hunting Dogs are not classed as pets and come under the category of Working Dogs, there are not currently any specific Regulations regarding their welfare. This has allowed the negligent ownership of Hunting and Working Dogs to continue in a time when Animal Welfare is supposed to be a Public and Government concern.

Here is a link to the UK Registered Charity Settusfree:

https://www.settusfree.org.uk/

Here are some of the groups on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/NewLifeForEnglishSetters/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/sbprescue/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1589419698051271/about/​

https://www.facebook.com/saving.setters/​

https://www.facebook.com/setters.home.uk/​

https://www.facebook.com/settusfree/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Griffonrescue/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/526588424163693/​

https://www.facebook.com/Griffon-Adoption-UK-1693082904236920/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogrescuecyprus/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/GWPneedUKhomeGALLERY/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pleasehelpapollo/​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/487828234706315/​

https://www.facebook.com/VizslamentesUK/​

https://www.facebook.com/Spinone.SOFA/​

https://www.facebook.com/hopeforpodencos/​

https://www.facebook.com/sos.podencorescue.7/​

https://www.facebook.com/galgopodencosupport/​

https://www.facebook.com/Galgos-del-Sol-175718192447988/​

https://www.facebook.com/BlackRetrieverXRescue/​

https://www.facebook.com/ItalianSetterRescueOnlus/

This CAN be reduced and ultimately STOPPED with Legislation regarding these beautiful Hunting and Working Dogs with the introduction of strict REGULATION and LICENSING on conditions of ownership and PROSECUTION for the consequences of any negligence and ill-treatment of the animals.

Presently, after a life of neglect and abuse, the hunting dogs are either taken to Kill Shelters, abandoned to starve with no access to food or water or left to wander and die as strays. They are also exposed to serious disease such as Leishmaniasis (from parasite infected Sandflies), Anaplasmosis (from ticks), Canine Parvovirus, Distemper and Rabies.

There are thousands of dogs currently looking for homes, but many of us who want to help and would love to re-home a dog or dogs are unable to due to our living, financial and working circumstances. We can send funds to the Rescues, but the costs keep spiraling no matter how much money is donated. Therefore we must address the ROOT CAUSE of the problem which is tackling the issues of why these dogs are neglected, mistreated and abandoned in the first place.

Articles:

"Hunting Dogs in Spain" by ESDAW - European Society of Dog and Animal Welfare: http://www.esdaw.eu/hunting-dogs---spain.html​

https://www.thedodo.com/the-pain-in-spain-the-saving-of-the-galgos-1102421730.html

ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANISATIONS:

Eurogroup for Animals   https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/

The European Parliment's Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals  http://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE -Office International des Epizooties) http://www.oie.int/

ORCA https://www.orca.rs/en/

EXAMPLES OF CURRENT EU POLICY/GUIDELINES:

The European Parliament adopted on 13 October 2011 a declaration on dog population management in the European Union calling on Member States to adopt comprehensive dog population management strategies.

The World Organisation for Animal Health – (OIE) guidelines on stray dog population control highlight the human health, animal health and welfare problems posed by stray dog populations in many countries across the world. The OIE recommends control measures which do not cause unnecessary or avoidable animal suffering.

On 21/11/2018 at the Brussels premiere of ‘A Dog’s Life – The Homeless Dogs of Romania’ in the European Parliament, viewers were exposed to the shocking conditions that thousands of dogs have to endure behind the closed doors of shelters in Romania. The film questions why the Romanian government is not dealing with this issue as Romania prepares to take on the EU Presidency in 2019.

In 2014, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) launched the Regional stray dog Roadmap for the Balkans. All Balkan countries, including Romania, agreed to be fully compliant with OIE Chapter 7.7. on stray dog population control by 2025, a project financially supported by the EU. The aim is to develop national roadmaps, monitor their situation on a regular basis, and reduce the stray dog population with humane methods.

This year ORCA launched a new model aimed at permanently solving the problem of stray dogs in the Western Balkans. The multilevel approach includes the expertise of veterinarians, ecologists, lawyers and sociologists from Serbia, the UK and Switzerland and makes the model a one of a kind in the region. Named ‘For people and dogs’  the programme is set to be in line with the World Health Organisation standards while responding to the needs of local self-governments in Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo....(see full article here: https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/orca-new-dog-population-control-programme-for-western-balkans and here: https://www.balkandogs.orca.rs/en/orca-model )

***WE MUST ASK "EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS" TO URGENTLY LOOK AT THE PLIGHT OF ALL HUNTING AND WORKING DOGS IF PROGRESS IS TO BE MADE REGARDING THE WELFARE OF DOGS AND DOG OWNERSHIP IN EUROPE.***

****PLEASE SPARE A MINUTE OUT OF YOUR DAY TO SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION TO PROTECT AND SAVE THESE PRECIOUS DOGS. THAT'S ALL IT TAKES TO HELP SUPPORT THE CAUSE AND CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE - JUST A SIGNATURE.****

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THANK YOU.