This is What a Rescued Dog Looks Like
Recently I donated the print of one of my photographs to one of the many auctions for the galgos that you can find on line. The winner seemed exited and contacted me soon after she had paid for her bid. Much to my surprise, she asked me if she could exchange the print for one that would remind her of a true rescue. One that would remind her of what the money would be spent on. One that would show her what a true rescued dog would look like. And so, I told her the story of the dog in the picture. The beautiful brindle galgo, a healthy 2 year old boy that looks like he just walked out of a fairytale. Gazing at a soap bubble, wondering about the new things he just saw. Seemingly without any scars and without a worry in the world. I told her Lehto’s story... It starts with a lovely white galga, abandoned by her owner, a galguero in the Toledo area in Spain. Highly pregnant, she tries to survive in the streets of Fuensalida. Scared of the world, knowing her time to give birth is near, she is desperately looking for a save spot to have her babies. It needs to be close enough to town, since that is where the food is. And food is something she will need to feed her babies. She doesn’t trust anyone, not even the people who are leaving food behind for her in hope they can catch her before giving birth. Hoping to save the puppies from being stolen by the same people who threw their mother on the streets of this little town. A town full of hunters and gypsies that will only keep a galgo alive as long as it is useful to them. Finally she finds a spot. Safe, dark and soft, she feels. She gives birth to several healthy pups in a storm drain, just under that road that scares her so much. The puppies are safe, on a soft layer of trash that got stuck in the pipe. The big rainstorm that will make people flee their homes is still a few weeks away. And they are still too young to crawl out of the drain, onto the busy road. All this time Leti and Pili, volunteers for BaasGalgo, were keeping an eye open for this girl and her babies. They found her, and her babies. Never giving up and found Mom and babies before others did. And one of those puppies is our beautiful, happy brindle boy Lehto. And yes, she kept the print…
