Meet the Spanish Podenco – Spain’s “Invisible Dogs”
By Kris Needs
“What sort of dog is that?” I’ve heard those words so many times on my daily morning walks with Binky that it’s hard not to have a stock answer ready.
“She’s a Podenco.”
“Oh, I don’t think I know that breed. Where is she from?”
“Spain. They’re bred for hunting.”
“Oh, she’s lovely. Is she a rescue?”
“Yep, there are thousands like her. The most abused dogs in that country.”
By this time, Binky is in full show mode: sniffing their pockets for treats, batting her semaphore ears and all but fluttering her eyelashes. The inquisitive ladies (for some reason it’s always ladies) will already have been charmed by the ever-shifting entertainment of Binky trotting at my side, stopping to sniff, head tilted in lookout mode, or glancing up at me with a smile.
Friendly, irresistibly cute and blessed with one of the most expressive faces you’ll ever see on a dog, Binky is every bit as appealing, loving and lively as the black labradors, cockapoos and spaniels we meet along the way. And yet she doesn’t look like any ordinary dog, because she isn’t one: Podencos are descended from the Pharaoh Hounds of ancient Egypt, the oldest breed of dog in the world.
The circumstances into which Binky was born, and what those deeply expressive eyes may have seen or endured growing up, are shocking, stomach-turning and often barely believable. She still flinches at the wheelie bin if I move it near her, as though it stirs some dark memory from her past.
Often referred to as Spain’s “Invisible Dogs” or “The Great Forgotten”, Podencos are bred as working hunting dogs, frequently enduring cruel, squalid conditions: chained up and fed rotten scraps to keep them hungry for their day-job. The methods used to train them to hunt are cruel and outdated, and combined with appalling living conditions, usually cramped concrete blocks, the result is predictable. When the hunting season ends, Spain’s shelters are overrun with injured, sick, traumatised and invariably doomed Podencos.
Some are left with steel rods forced into their mouths to stop them barking. Those considered too slow or too old for the next season are dumped, thrown down wells, hurled into ravines, drowned, burnt alive or hung from trees. Between 60,000 and 80,000 dogs are disposed of this way every February.
Adoption is the only way to save them, but because they aren’t regarded as pets, it’s usually only possible through active rescue. With so many in need, it’s lucky to save one in several hundred, or even one in a thousand, unless the laws change.
Podencos are not protected by Spanish law. In 2023, hunting dogs were even excluded from an overhaul of the country’s animal rights legislation, because they are seen simply as tools, like a shovel, a machete or a garbage bin. Spanish law recognises dogs as sentient beings, but excludes Podencos and Galgos (the Spanish greyhound) to the point where they may even be classified as livestock.
There are three main breeds of Podenco: Andaluz, Canario and Ibicenco, though there are many spin-offs and regional variations, including the little short-legged Maneto. In short, Podencos come in all shapes and sizes, with different personalities and mannerisms to match.
Binky is an Andaluz, a type usually bred for rabbit hunting. Podenco activist and serial dog lover Nina Walsh (pictured above with Binky) rescued her as a puppy in Malaga eight years ago. The first thing Nina learned is that Podencos need a lot of exercise, plenty of mental stimulation, a fair degree of patience, and a great deal of love as they learn to trust the first humans ever to show them any kindness. When they do, as in Binky’s case, that love is returned a grateful thousandfold.
It’s agonising to think what thousands of dogs just like Binky are put through by these inhuman hunters. Nina is not alone in her campaigning, and marches have been held in London, Exeter, Manchester and Glasgow: all glorious displays of Podenco solidarity. “We raise banners and our voices to tell the world about these beautiful hounds,” says Nina. “Their magic, their loyalty, their quiet grace. We adopt them, love them and we speak out for them, until Spain grants them the recognition, freedom and life free of cruelty they deserve.”
The first move is to keep telling the world about this barbaric cruelty, which at the very least needs to be addressed, and ideally outlawed altogether.
Find out how to help Podencos via the following links:
https://www.freespanishhounds.co.uk
https://www.podencosinneed.org
Find out more about Binky and Nina at http://www.ninawalshstory.com/podencos