Galgos - the Spanish term for a racing greyhound.
The above video depicts the potential fate of many racing/hunting greyhounds in Spain, Ireland and the United States. Dog racing, a sport glamorized by Matt Damon's breakout film 'Good Will Hunting', has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dogs being abused, mutilated then killed when they no longer have any intrinsic value at the racetrack.
The dog featured in the video, Lucas (Luka), was hung at the end of the hunting season in Spain - he managed to break the chain, despite being hung with his feet barely touching the ground. This is how they do it in Spain, for "good luck" - but not for the dog!
Hanging is an economical way to dispatch greyhounds when their value to the hunters or the racetrack is negligable. Rope is cheap and reusable - a common game among the dog handlers in Spain is to bet on how long it will take for the dog to die after it is hung.
Disgusting.
What struck me most about this video is the connection it makes between animal abuse and human violence. In a 2005 review of research, published by The Forensic Examiner, the following statement is made: "The literature suggests that animal cruelty is not uncommon among children and may be associated with certain family and child factors, as well as adult criminal behavior."
You can read more about the plight of the Galgos in Spain HERE
You can help by supporting NGAP (National Greyhound Adoption Program)
Without the help of organizations like NGAP and people like you, Polar would have become another sad statistic of the dog racing industry. Polar thanks you for your attention to this matter.
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