Winter Warmer

This dog belonged to a neighbour. She was chained up outside his house in a tiny 'shed', for a better word. The owner came somedays to feed her, others not. She cried and howled for 2 years. About 8 months ago he started to let her off the chain occasionally, probably becuse the noise was driving him crazy, and she quickly found her way down to my house. I didnt feed her at first ( well, not much ) as I didnt want problems with the neighbour, however, she then took up roost on my sofa, and I fed her, de flead her, shampood her and fed her up. I spoke with my neighbor after she had been here 3 months, that I would like to keep her, and he promptly tied her up again. These are hunting dogs, descendants of Egyptian Pharo Dogs, and are pedigrees but often treated appallingly here. They are chipped, by law, so I had no hold on her. This routine went on for months...she would be tied up, loose weight and howl, she would then be let free, come straight back down here, get fed, cleaned, de flead and given affection. She was at the vets with me to get vaccinations, worm tratment and the rest. This dog is SUPER affectionate.
I warned the neighbour it was dangerous to let the dog free. Rat poison in the fields, she was chasing cars all the time, but to no avail.
About 4 weeks ago she crawled into my house with all her back end covered in blood. As predicted she had been hit by a car. I took her straight to the vets......they knew the story by now of course, and she was treated, stiched up in 5 places, and I was told to keep her warm and clean. I then kept the dog for another 3 weeks whilst she recovered, but, when the vet said she was free to go out, I had to let her go.....and , like all forgiving dogs, she decided to visit her 'owner', who promptly tied her up.
All the times she had been here, he had know she was here, but had never enquired, nor even looked for her.
Now I was angry. I went to see him again, told im what had happened, took the remaining painkillers with me for him to hopefully give her, and offered to buy the dog. It must have been guilt. Having seen all the scabs and the stitches, he had realizesd what had happened and that I had taken things into my own hands. He would have left her outside to live or die.
He said I could take her as a gift.
He agreed to change the chip ownership, I built sufficient fencing around the back of my house so she could be out and free inbetween walks ( that was €2000 I habnt thought about :)) ) otherwise it would have been a chain again as I didnt have sufficient walls to retain her, but she's worth the cost.
So....I might not have many Hoyas blooming, but the dog is....:))
She's 2, Ive never actually owned my own dog before, and had always said, I wouldnt look for one, but if one found me, it would be a different story, and thats what happened.......and she gets on great with my 3 cats, which is perfect




I present Lima

And another

Dom,

That is the most heartwarming story I have heard in a very long time. You are a really special person to have done all that you did for Lima. She is also an incredible looking dog - very unique. She would get a lot of attention here in the States as I have not seen a dog exactly like her. That story made my day. Thanks for sharing it!

Doug

Dom,

Lima is beautiful! Your story had made my day. My husband and I are both animal lovers, growing up with both cats and dogs in our families. It amazes me when I hear stories of people who are so cruel to their pets. Canines are pack animals by nature, and it's cruel to chain them up alone with no companionship, and neglecting them. I know Lima will be very devoted and appreciative for the love and care you are giving her. She is a real beauty and you are both lucky to have each other, I know she will bring you a lot of joy.

Please follow up on the chip transfer ... I'm not too sure you should trust that neighbor to actually transfer ownership into your name, so I hope you got something in writing from him. Is Lima a Phraoah Hound? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharaoh_Hound

She really is a pretty girl and it's great that she gets along with your cats. Keep us posted on how she is doing!

Lin

Some things you just do without asking, Doug. These dogs get a rough time here....not everyone is cruel to their animals, but these hunting dogs tend to get the brunt of it. You have to look the other way a lot of the time, but when they arrive on your doorstep, theres no looking away. Theyve been known to abandon these dogs and break their front legs to stop them finding their way home, oh, and cut the chip out with a knife so they cant be re traced.....all these hunting dogs have to be chipped by law
Working dogs are different....in Ireland they used to hang dogs that bit sheep...You have to accept some things with workig dogs.....but this breed is exceptionally loving...It breaks your heart, sometimes.
Chip's been changed over officially by the vet Lin...all signed for by both parties and registered with the Police, officially mine now.:))
She's a Podenco Canario Lin, a descendant of the Egyptian hunting dog....there are 3 or 4 variations around southern Europe now officially recognized seperately...One in Ibiza, one Canary Islands, etc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podenco_Canario

Dom, such a wonderful person, she is a beautiful. I love that pose, it is if to say "I am Majestic". I believe she has found whom she wanted to be with.

I just don't understand the terrible treatment of those dogs. such a shame

Dee

Dom, thanks for that link! I enjoyed reading about the Podenco Canario breed of dogs, one I've never heard of.

Oh my goodness, the cruelty some of these dogs suffer is just unimaginable, it breaks my heart! Humans have a highly developed brain but sure don't show humane compassion for other creatures sometimes ... so sad! I just hope the so called human beings who inflict such pain on any creature will get what's coming to them some day.

Lima was meant to be in your family, I'm so glad she found a good home.

What a wonderful story!!
She is a beautiful creature and you're a good man for taking her in.

:grouphug:

She's so beautiful Dom. You're a good person.


C.

I never tire of hearing rescue stories! Dom, you and Lima are both beautiful!

Kelly

Aw...I just found this thread and love Lima! Living in Spain for 12 years, I grew to love the Podenco. There were many on the island of Menorca where we lived....and some VERY large ones ....said to be the ancestor to the Greyhound. I, infact, met a 18 year old Podenco Canario in Seville...a pig hunting dog and who loved, at 18 to chase rabbits at night!! Sweet and loving and so dignified and regal at the same time. So happy you found eachother! The road was rough gtting there and when a prize you both have!

Carol

Glad you met one, Carol....they are vey dignified and very affectionate.....Not going to be the easiest to train as a first dog, but.a challenge is a challenge..She's fine on a lead, until she gets scent of a rabit...then my arm is out of its socket. I pass the same farmers every day walking her...they all wave, and I'll bet they're all saying under their breath.'he'll never train that type of dog'...:)) Time will tell

Dom...my son had a labrador like that. Used aversion therapy (elec. collar...didn't harm her, just scared her) and now she thinks I am the best thing since canned food!!!

I always felt, when I was around a Podenco, that they knew more than I...and that they knew it. It was their acceptance of their long and interesting history/past...

Carrying little pieces of cut up sausage in your left hand and slipping her a nibble once and again....

Oh yes..the little bag of chopped up Chorizo.....already in my pocket Carol.....;))
Electric Collar? sounds a bit severe....
She's good as gold at home.....shes playing 'tag' with one of my cats as I type...the cats the boss, by the way....but once she's out....she is a Hunting dog. Its keeping her concentration I seem to be lacking in.....rabbits are much more interesting to her than the idiot holding her back with a lead, wether he's the never ending source of Chorizo or not.:))

The elec. collar is really not drastic. The dog quickly learns to associate the sting with NO. Trained my puppies not to go in the garden with it on the gentlest frequency...but as grownups they could run through FRY without a blink!!!

Train her to retrieve? Would she make a good rescue dog?

Ive a lot to teach her, Carol....She responds well to affection at the moment and thats all..:)) Havig been tied up the first 2 years of her life, she dosent know much. Like I said, its my first dog....my own dog. If I find Im getting no where, I will take her to see a trainer on the island, but first Im trying on my own.
What do you mean by a 'Rescue Dog' ?

Just been browsing elactric collars on ebay. Are these the ones which worlk with an electric fence, or ones you use on a lead for walkies you were talking about. The latter I havent found

Some you can use for both... I spoke not remembering her horrid former life.

A Rescue Dog is a dog with such a 'retriever' mind set they can be trained to rescue people in earthquakes etc., or track people, or find them under a bunch of snow.

Please post more photos!!!!

well, we dont get much snow in Lanzarote.....:))
Only joking.!!!!!!.
I get what you mean.....sniffer dog. Dunno, hadnt really thought of that.
A lot of them do have a horrid life here, Carol. You could spend your life rescuing these dogs. There are a 3 or 4 people on the island who do that, but then they end up with around 100 dogs to feed and care for and it completely takes over their lives. The vets are very good here and do a lot of volountary work for these rescue centres, but its not easy for the people running them ( indeed nor for their neighbours who have 100 rescue dogs next door )

How sad, Dom. Lima sure lucked out!!!

Dom,
Lima is a beautiful dog! What a heart-warming story. I'm so glad Lima has found you and you have found her.
What the neighbor was doing borders on abuse and I would have called someone to report him. No dog should have to endure treatment like that. I'm so glad Lima now has a warm, loving home!
All the best,
Mike

Its not that easy Mike. Some dogs, the same breed, are kept 5 or 6 to a small cage , only let out to hunt and then tied up again. Some dont even see daylight, and some of the worst offenders are Policeman........so reporting dosent carry much weight here. There is a special department you are supposed to be able to call, but they dont do much. unfortunately, much of this is overlooked. Foreigners are seen as interferers, and once you get into a war with a neighbour here, it can be difficult as they constantly denounce you to the Police for whatever you do around you land. Much as I love it here, the 'people' can be rather difficult.
This islands economy has boomed during the last 30 years, and Im afraid its been straight from the Donkey to the Mercedes for a lot of them...They see animals in a very different light to me, but you can only help so many.
I had seen a dog owned by the same owner previously that had been so neglected that when some kind Austrians finally coaxed the dog off him, the dog was immediately put to sleep back in Austria on arrival, as the vet said she had never seen such a neglected dog brought back from anywhere in the world before and it just couldnt survive, it was too far deteriorated. I wont go into details, but i saw it.
Luckily I got this one from him before she went the same way...but, Im sure, sometime this year, Ill hear another poor dog howling from his direction..and the Police will do nothing.
He should be banned from keeping dogs, as should a lot of the folk here, but.............things wont change. I hate to use the word, but a lot of the dog owners here are no better than savages.

Unfortunately, this is fairly common in isolated almost improverished areas all over the world. Folks at the bottom of the ladder, having felt such a lack of passion from above tend to beat up on their animals. Rare is the pacific islander cherishing their pet ... usually chained somewhere and neglected just to prove the owner is rich enough to have a pet! All thru Central and South America....one of the saddest things of life. When one 'feels' they have nothing...how can they give anything to anyone or anything? Lima is a very lucky dog!!!