Alpha Dog Centre

Leaders of the Pack

Greyhounds

Since 2001 we have been working in collaboration with Greyhounds in Need (UK), Greyhounds Rescue Belgium, and more recently with L'Europe des Levriers (France), to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home Spains most abused and abandoned dog - the Spanish Greyhound or Galgo Espanol. Paul makes good use of his years of dog training experience to address the behaviour issues of these often traumatised dogs, and April specialises in working with the most timid galgos, helping them to gain confidence in their response to people.

Every year thousands of Galgos are tortured and abandoned when their 'owners' discover they are too old, or simply not fast enough to win any prizes in their hare coursing competitions.

We would like to help in making people living in Spain and elsewhere more aware of the terrible cruelty inflicted on this gentle breed, and also to emphasize what wonderful family pets they make, if they are just given the chance.

If you would like to help make a difference, take a look at the websites of the associations mentioned above, where you can make a donation, buy merchandise, or even find out about adopting a Galgo yourself.

A big thank you....

To all those who have supported us in our efforts with the galgos, people who have collected bedding, donated food, leads and collars, and those who have donated money.

A special thank you to Pip and Martin whose efforts helped us to buy a vehicle to transport the galgos from Rota to France and from Rota to Malaga Airport.

2008 Begins with pleas for help

This year began with a cry for help from Saskia and Juan of Acogido San Anton in Villamartin. Every morning over the Christmas period they arrived at the shelter to find another 8 or 9 galgos tied to the gate.

Some of our wonderful Galgos, past and present.......

Photos below shows Flavio when he first arrived at Alpha, and what he looked like 8 weeks later....

First transport of 2008

On January 5th, 5 more lucky galgos travelled to Belgium to become beloved family pets. Lucy, Farruquito, Lancelot, Dulce and Rayo were a pleasure to have here and we wish them long happy lives with their new owners.

Malu, Castro, Morgan, Cebrian and Lacio travelled to Belgium on February 9th to meet their new owners.

Another 10 galgos left for Spain for Belgium during April. The photos below show some of them meeting their new owners for the first time.

Annie (below), an orphaned galgo puppy who was brought to us in March by a member of the public, spent several weeks with us and was re-homed by SOS galgos. She will be going to live with her new family in Galicia.

Extramena, who we collected from Acogida de San Anton in February, is the first galgo we have sent to Switzerland, where she now lives with her new family. The new owner flew to Jerez Airport to collect Extramena on 12th April, and she has apparently settled in quickly and completed the family.

So far this year we have sent 6 galgos and 2 podencos to France, where L'Europe des Levriers has worked hard to find families to adopt these dogs. We have another 8 galgos all looking forward to going to being adopted by families in France.

On 9th May, 3 lucky galgos travelled to France for adoption. Mora, Noela and Paloma arrived safely Irun where Beatrice of L'Europe des Levriers was waiting to collect them to complete the long journey to France where new owners were waiting for them.

We received a letter from Reino 3 weeks after he went to live with his new family, pictured left -

Dear Paul,

Here in Belgium my name is FIERO (Fierito for the ladies) . Once I was a king in my shelter, but today I am the only hombre between 4 lovely senoritas. They all like me very much because I am so SWEET, LOVABLE, ADORABLE, and a very fine fellow!!!

Daily I get lots of carresses. For me I'm living in a dream....4 times a day a walk and one to run free....I can sleep wherever I want....and then the meals...HEAVENLY!!!Nothing could have happened better to me than this lovely place to stay. I'm really the lucky one!!!

Best love to all at my shelter and the other shelters. Sometimes I see them in my dreams and hope that someday...it will be even for them all a big dream to come true and to be adopted and have a nice lovely family to stay.

Love you Paul, thank you for letting me go and for all the carings,

Fiero alias Reino

Another 5 galgos are adopted in Belgium...

That's 10 galgos adopted in Belgium this month! Harmonia, Churrette, Imperio, Martin and Alegria flew from Malaga Airport to be united with their new owners.

Tux & Mellow leave for France

Two galgos, Tux and Mellow, were transported with MRW to Irun last Friday (31 Sept), where they were being collected by L'Europe des Levriers and taken to homes in France. Our thanks goes to Saskia and Juan of the San Anton Refugio, who organised the transport to Irun. Tux has been adopted and Mellow is going to a foster home until he becomes confident enough to deal with a normal life as a family pet. These two galgos had been with us a long time because both were very timid and traumatised by their experience at the hands of galgueros who mistreated these sensitive animals before they arrived here. We hope their lives are now happy and long with families who care about them.

5 more Galgos go to Belgium

On October 21st October Flavio, Hispano, Jara, Penny and Consuelo travelled from Malaga to Brussels to go to new homes. All 5 dogs were adopted thanks to Josephine of Greyhounds Rescue Belgium, and thanks as always to GIN, for funding these galgos.

Paul waits at the Airport with the dogs (left), Consuelo settles down for a nice snooze in his new home

(above right), and Penny (right) makes herself comfortable on her new sofa.

Belgium here we come.....!

Another 5 galgos left Spain to begin new lives in Belgium. Paul took Campera, Lechuga, Gwenivere, Merlin and Naranjo to Malaga Airport on 25th November.

People waiting to check in couldn't resist a chance to meet the dogs (Above left). Naranjo gets a hug from a young member of his new family (below).

ph: +34 651 106 670
dogschool@yahoo.com