When a sweet doggo named Avellana first arrived at Galgos del Sol in Spain, she was paralyzed and could barely lift up her head to say hello.
- Things were not looking good, but after she gave some encouraging thumpety-thump-thumps with her tail, rescuers refused to give up hope!
- Believe it or not, that actually makes her one of the LUCKY ones!
- Much like the Running of the Bulls, Galgo hunting is a brutal tradition where the animals are always the loser.
- Thankfully we have people like Tina Solera, the president and founder of Galgos del Sol, to balance the scale against the evil-doers of the world.
- Even though it was the worse day of her life, she still had some swagger left in her tail!
- “How scary it must be when you just don’t understand why you suddenly can’t move.”
- “The more we were cheering on and praising her, the harder she would work. It was very emotional to see her take those first steps and not fall over.”
- Avellana may have come to them unloved and unwanted by her previous life-bringer, but the caring staff at the rescue center gave her a life worth living.
Things were not looking good, but after she gave some encouraging thumpety-thump-thumps with her tail, rescuers refused to give up hope!
In the grand tradition of scumbags who don’t deserve good things, a hunter abandoned Avellana after she was no longer of use to him.
Believe it or not, that actually makes her one of the LUCKY ones!
Usually, hunting dogs like her are not so kindly “disposed” of.
Tens of thousands of Galgos, a type of Spanish greyhound, are left to die en masse every year. They were once owned exclusively by nobles, but these days they’re bred by “galgueros,” people who race them in hare and lure coursing competitions for big $$$.
Much like the Running of the Bulls, Galgo hunting is a brutal tradition where the animals are always the loser.
According to National Geographic, “Galgos have been thrown down wells, cast into rivers to drown, burned to death, and doused with acid.”
Thankfully we have people like Tina Solera, the president and founder of Galgos del Sol, to balance the scale against the evil-doers of the world.
The animal-lover taught herself Spanish and established a non-profit in order to save these dogs’ lives.
Vets at Tina’s rescue center quickly determined that Avellana’s paralysis was due to a rare immune disorder that caused severe inflammation in her nervous system.
Even though it was the worse day of her life, she still had some swagger left in her tail!
Tina told The Dodo, “We have patience, the best physios, and we made sure she was going to walk again.”
Her daily gym routine included reps on an inflatable exercise ball, and having her foot rubbed against a textured mat to help stimulate movement in her legs.
“How scary it must be when you just don’t understand why you suddenly can’t move.”
The sweet pup would need to undergo lots of intense rehab in order to regain mobility, but “she was never angry, never complained.”
Avellana’s prescription for a long and happy life included walkies in a pram and dips in the pool several times a week.
It didn’t take long before she went from not being able to stand up to taking her first steps.
“The more we were cheering on and praising her, the harder she would work. It was very emotional to see her take those first steps and not fall over.”
As she began to regain her strength and mobility, her tail wags became much stronger and spunkier too!
Avellana may have come to them unloved and unwanted by her previous life-bringer, but the caring staff at the rescue center gave her a life worth living.
She was eventually adopted by a woman named Anne, who spoiled her and gave her all the attention she deserves!
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