The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) recognizes around 400 breeds. However, there is a World Galgo Day on February 1st. Galgos are wonderful dogs, as are many others. What is particularly impressive is the speed of 60 km/h that they can reach, in addition to their gentle nature and elegant appearance. However, if it was only after that, there would have to be a world day for every single dog, because each one is characterized by individual, special characteristics. There is a sad background to why there is a World Galgo Day. February 1st was not chosen for nothing, because on this day the hunting season in Spain ends and heralds the suffering for thousands of these dogs.

Because of their speed and their ability to make independent decisions, they are bred for hunting rabbits in Spain, especially in the south in regions such as Castile-La Mancha, Castile and Leon, Madrid and Andalusia, being produced in such quantities that they are hardly worth anything. In backyards, sheds, without adequate care, let alone veterinary care, they are made like factory goods. After birth, the best or most promising are filtered out. The rest usually ends up in the garbage. They are treated like any other so-called livestock in the world. Competitions are held during the hunts. These are organized by associations such as the FEG (Federación Español de Galgos), whereby the winner of the championships, which are held nationwide, can look forward to the King’s Cup and a sizeable prize. In addition, however, there are a large number of unofficial competitions that are organized privately. Again, there is a lot of money involved and the reputation of the breeder. If the dogs no longer perform as desired or are no longer needed at the end of the hunting season, they are cruelly disposed of. A particularly perfidious way of killing, known as „playing the piano,“ in which animals that „disgraced“ their breeders were hung from a tree with their toes just touching the ground, causing the dogs to tiptoe up and down in panic, what reminded of playing the piano could be contained. But that doesn’t change the fact that thousands of these animals are still disposed of at the end of the season. Many of them are still being hanged, which, by the way, used to indicate that the owner was held in high esteem. However, it is also common to simply let them starve or throw them into the sea with broken legs.

One could now make the excuse that there are still traditions all over the world that use animals for the most absurd purposes. Ultimately, they are no better off in so-called intensive animal husbandry. Therefore, it is actually perfidious to emphasize the suffering of these creatures. On the one hand, it is time that such traditions were ostracized to the point that they are no longer carried out, because with the prestige the incentive also falls. On the other hand, it ultimately doesn’t matter which species is being abused. Behind this is always the same idea that humans have the right to use other living beings for their own purposes. No matter what form the exploitation takes, we must not stop pointing out the injustice that animals are not there for us, but with us, that life cannot be owned or used. The root of all this evil lies in the rights that man gives himself to be able to deal with living beings as he pleases. Only when we manage to convey that every life has a value in itself and never represents a purpose will it be possible to break out of the animal exploitation machine and achieve a healthy coexistence that is friendly to everyone. Man does not need animals for his survival, for emotional stabilization, or for fun, but he needs nature and a functioning biodiversity for his own survival. The end of the animal exploitation economy would be the beginning of a thriving coexistence between man and nature. That is why it is important to draw special attention to the suffering of these dogs on this day, just as on any other day for that of all other animals in a global society that does not have problems with slavery and mass murder.