Overview from Marylou: Months ago, we saw a Facebook plea from Lisa Fry, an animal activist and protector in Spain. She had found a little pod girl dodging busy traffic and without any effort, coaxed the dog into her car. With a literally bulging home full of cats, rescued puppies and adult dogs, the only spot they had for the new pod girl was their bathroom. At the same time we contacted Ibizan Hound Rescue to see if they could help, Lisa and Diane Hughes (IHR) had already connected. Lisa named the pod Skylar and brought her to the GDS/IHR charity shop where Mandy Simpson, a regular fosterer for both groups, agreed to take her on. Facebook friend Joanne Love and her son generously stepped up to contribute to fostering costs. Shortly afterwards, I traveled to Spain for a transport and had the opportunity to meet Sky. I knew immediately that she would be the perfect fit for the Jasmin family. The Jasmins live very close to me and I was thrilled at the prospect of having another pod in the NH/VT Upper Valley. Tina, Galgos del Sol, was able to fit Sky into an upcoming transport the following month. Sharron Thomas, Fast Friends Greyhound Rescue, myself and the Jasmins were on hand in Boston to greet Tina, Sky and a few lucky galgos. After hearing praise after praise for Skylar, we asked Alexis, the eldest Jasmin child, if she would be willing to share the family’s experiences of being a first-time pod family.
When my family of 5 decided we were ready to welcome a dog into our hearts and home, we had several conversations about what kind of dog would be the perfect fit for us.
Of course, each one of us had our own ideal vision of a family dog. Those dogs being of a well-known breed, until we happened upon the amazing organization of Galgos del Sol, located in Murcia, Spain. We followed this organization through the wonders of social media and Facebook for several months. Through daily posts and pictures, we witnessed the countless, heroic rescues of hundreds of brutally abused, neglected and abandoned dogs. Most of these dogs being either a Galgo or Podenco. Two breeds we were very much unfamiliar with. With each post, we quickly fell in love with.
One afternoon, we decided to inquire as to how an adoption could possibly happen and what it all entailed, since we lived in the United States and the dogs were in Spain. The most rapid response came within minutes, through a contact in the United States, who works hand-in-hand with the organization. Marylou of Galgo Podenco Support was so wonderful and had rescued two dogs of her own. One, being a Galgo and the other a Podenco.
Within 8 weeks of our initial inquiry, we welcomed our sweet Skylar, a 10 month old Pod, and our lives will be forever changed. During those 8 weeks, we were able to prepare our hearts and home. We read all we could find about Galgos and Podencos and found a lovely blog of a family in the United States that had welcomed their own. They had two small children and said these dogs are the most wonderful family friend. And, indeed they are.
Our Skylar has settled in to our busy lives and we honestly do not know how life before her was. She has been a perfect fit for our family. We cannot imagine ourselves with any other dog. She is not only one of the brightest dogs we have ever met, but very, very social. She LOVES people! She is beyond friendly, loves children and eats up all the attention she can get. Her personality is contagious. She loves to be silly, entertain whomever will engage and will find any plush toy she can, to call her own. Playing frisbee is a sure favorite and being outdoors for family time we all adore. We are in the process of training her now and she is responding so well. She is treat motivated and loves to be rewarded for her obedience.
We absolutely LOVE Skylar and are more than grateful we found this organization. And, we now support and have found several other organizations based in the United States that rescue thousands of Galgos and Podencos. They truly are, one of the most perfect family pets and most importantly, a forever friend.
Alexis Jasmin
