Sadly, just like their English cousins, Spanish greyhounds can fall prey to human cruelty.
But thankfully Monique, 30, and her partner Martijn ten Voorde, 31, rescued Ketama and live with her in the Netherlands.Monique said: ‘For her breed, she’s an exceedingly long girl. She is longer than most of the females of her breed I have seen. She has the measurements of a boy. ‘We get a lot of attention on the streets. There are not a lot of breeds like Ketama over here. And also, when I am walking her, she has so many leashes on. She wears a collar and a safety harness.
‘Because she’s so very slim and agile, she can escape easily from a normal harness or only her collar.’
She said: ‘I found out that there is a big problem in Spain. The Galgos are used for hunting which is a big tradition.Make a Simple Puzzle Toy With a Muffin Tin. Looking for a simple way to keep your dogs mind busy? Create a simple puzzle toy with a muffin tin, treats and a few tennis balls. And if you’re looking some more boredom busters check out 26 simple ways to relieve dog boredom.
‘But if the dogs are not good enough for the hunter they get killed or dumped. Also, at the end of the hunting season, some dogs who didn’t hunt well also get killed or dumped.’
Monique found Ketama thanks to a network for rescue centres specifically for Galgos which have sprung up in Spain to combat the problem. She said: ‘Ketama turned out to be a really goofy and funny dog. I am glad that she could be an ambassador for the Galgo español.
‘I hope that because of her unusual features there will be more awareness for the breed, and the troubling situation in Spain.
‘Ketama is very present in our household. She always wants to be with you. She’s also very smart and will do anything for a treat.’
Monique added: ‘She can be very naughty. If you are doing your own thing and she thinks that she deserves more attention, you can see in her eyes that she will do something naughty.
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‘She will start looking at something to grab, and if she finds it, she throws it in the air and starts playing with it.
‘When I was having breakfast, she put her ball under the couch and started crying. When I stood up from the table and went on my knees to grab the ball, she immediately ran to the table to steal my breakfast. That was a great laugh.’
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