For years, The controversy surrounding the abandonment of hunting dogs in Spain It is built on a terrain full of inflated numbers, unfounded estimates and repeated statements without verification. In fact, it was common to declare certain groups of animals … Because every season 50 thousand hunting dogs are abandoned. But until a few months ago, there was not a single official study or reliable methodology to confirm or deny such an accusation.
king Ministry of Social Rights, Consumerism and Agenda 2030The General Directorate of Animal Rights, in 2022, acknowledged the complete lack of reliable data. Then the launch was announced The first serious study on animal protectionThis is the work that finally saw the light in March of this year 2025.
That document (the first document prepared with verifiable technical and methodological precision) It completely deconstructs the narrative of mass abandonment. It also provides something more important; Data that helps shed light on what dogs really represent to hunters and How they are cared for, appreciated and maintained Of living with them for years. A field where personal testimonials speak as much as numbers.
“for me, My dogs on a daily basis are my everything. I started hunting with them because my father had one and I used to take care of them. “I’ve always said that if my dogs go to the countryside, I want to go with them,” he says. Annabelle Romeroa young hunter from Jaén who was recently declared champion of Andalusia in small-scale hunting with dogs. And also for Diego Gilwho was an Andalusian delegate for Budenco and is currently a national delegate for the Spanish Hunting Federation, says his dogs are “part of the family. It’s a way of life. At home, I instilled in my son the meaning of hunting when he was fourteen years old, and we talked every day about hounds and hounds.” He also recounts his experiences with these animals. Juan Francisco Pinedaa young Galguero from Sierra de Yeguas (Málaga): “I devote a lot of time to them. I have to get them out into the field and I spend more time with them than I do with my friends“, he comments.
Juan Francisco Pineda, with his two greyhounds, Juanita and Cantora
Real data versus inventions
“Study on animal protection management in Spain”, published in March 2025 and carried out in collaboration with Information about 284 shelters (between shelters and municipal services) allowed for the first time to accurately measure the profile of animals entering these places. Thus, the end results deconstruct decades of repeated messages without contradiction. For a start, Only 12.9% of dogs arriving at shelters in Spain are hunting breeds; This means, in absolute terms, that fewer than 3,000 hunting breed dogs have actually been lost or abandoned. next to, Only 2.8% of greyhoundsone of the more traditional breeds highlighted by anti-hunting groups.
These numbers leave no room for interpretation, which reliably proves this The real data is very far from 50,000 annual abandonments Some organizations have spread for years without an empirical basis. Therefore, this study invalidates these inflated narratives and lacks accuracy. Likewise, the publication of this report means A turning point for the fishing sectorwhich has suffered for years from a media campaign with enormous costs to its reputation.
“I have never seen one of our hounds abandoned. “It’s a trick,” confirms Diego, who in turn comments: “I see thousands of hunting dogs that don’t hunt, and I see it as abuse, putting a jacket on them, a bow in their hair… When the holidays come, that’s where the abandonment comes from. What happens is that, because they are a hunting breed, hunters are singled out. I, the child who is not a hunter, would never give a dog a dog.” The dog cannot be a gift from the Three KingsUnless you are a hunter and know that you will take care of them and educate them as we do.” For his part, Juan Francisco points out, in the case of greyhounds, that “people raise them, focus them on competition, and when they are no longer useful, with the perfection of the breed that we have had for many years, they are worth hunting to enjoy in reserves. The image that attracts attention is that of an abandoned and sad greyhound. That’s what sells“.
In keeping with this, Annabelle presents a more emotional story by expressing that “For us hunters, dogs are family. There are people who can get it at home, in their garage, yard or designated area because they can’t get it at home. This does not mean that they are not important to them. Dogs must be cared for all year round; After that, the hunting season is three or four months, but we have to take care of them and get them in good condition. Regardless, There is always an emotional connection with the animal. “I would say 99%, if not 100%, have an emotional bond with their dogs, regardless of whether they are hunters.”
Anabelle Romero, Andalusian champion small dog hunter
On the other hand, this young hunter from Jian focuses on the issue of abandonment of game animals, which is theft: “Theft of hounds is one of the aspects that produces the greatest amount of abandonment. For example, in my house, I could have one helpful dog and two large dogs, but I will keep them until they die because they are my dogs. And maybe the person who steals those running dogs because they are greyhounds, or whatever, doesn’t need them and abandons them. It’s something that, if you ask many hunters, they can say. Stealing greyhounds is one of the things that most produces abandonment.” Juan Francisco agrees with these statements, and that is why this hunter from Malaga keeps his greyhounds “in my house, because of the situation that occurs with the thefts, which I have suffered many times throughout this time because I was a galguero“.
The relationship between hunters and their dogs
Aside from numbers and percentages, there is an aspect that is impossible to measure, although it is essential to understanding the true dimension of this issue, which is The emotional relationship between the hunter and his dogs. In this sense, for the hunting world, the dog is not an accessory or a replaceable object; It is the companion with whom you share areas, work, learning and often everyday life. Moreover, the different types of hunting (hare, hare, partridge, game, hound, greyhound or signal dog) depend specifically on the ancestral relationship between humans, territory and dog.
«I can’t imagine hunting without dogs. They are my main companions“Obviously, for the competition I do, which is a little hunting game with dogs, I need it, but that’s not the case anymore,” says Annabelle emphatically, who also points out that, “Obviously, for the competition I do, which is a little game hunting with dogs, I need it.” I always say that a hunter without a dog is not a hunter, but a shooter. My dogs are not just companions. I’m trying to create a link. They know I’m the one killing the game. I know that without them I would have fewer chances to remove the pieces. In other words, we are a team.”
For his part, Diego, what he likes most is “When I raise them from a young age, I make them dogs, in the sense of taking them hunting. They have their instincts and they have some innate qualities, but I refer to those that they acquire from me in terms of behavior. For example, having a puppy that finds a trail, follows it, picks up the rabbit and even picks it up and brings it… It is the greatest fun a boudenquero can have.“. In this sense, for this hunter from Malaga, this process and everything that comes after, which strengthens a very close connection with his dogs, »Represents very large values; Respecting the animal, having a connection to the field, the dog looking at you or you looking at the dog when hunting… there is a connection that cannot be explained. These are too big.”
Diego Gil, with one of his hounds in the field
Juan Francisco also explains his opinion. In his case, referring to personal experience: “I have two greyhounds, one is fourteen years old and the other is thirteen. I have them in my house because they are older. How will I remove them from what they have given me? In fact, the eldest got pinched in the spine this summer; I found her lying in the yard and she couldn’t move, except her head. With veterinary and other treatment we were able to get the dog to stand. That’s why I wasn’t going to sacrifice her, I gave her the chance to move on.“He reveals with enthusiasm.
Everything expressed by these three heroes must also be linked to adequate care of these animals. As Diego puts it, owning a dog “means responsibility. In the field they give you everything, but at home or in the kennel you cannot let them down.. Here there are no Saturdays, no Sundays, no holidays… You have to always be there.” In Annabelle’s case, her daily life with her dogs depends on taking care of them and ensuring that they arrive at the weekend to go hunting or compete in the best possible way; in terms of medications and supplements, and to be in good condition… not only so that they can hunt well, but because they are my family and my life. I treat my dogs like another member of the family.“.
Likewise, this fisherman and sportsman from Jaen realizes that “The dog is happy to run, jump, get covered in mud… This is what they have in the countryside and can live in. They are free, even if they have to obey orders. “My dogs see me wearing green, and they go crazy because they know we’re going to hunt.” Juan Francisco agrees with this idea. What’s more, this greyhound from the Sierra de Yeguas region emphasizes that for a dog to be balanced and physically and mentally satisfied, more than hunting itself, “it needs to run and have fun, that’s for sure.” The Saluki runs because he enjoys it. “In short, every dog requires »The time that should be allocated to them“. So, when you see your greyhounds running in the countryside, what you feel is “inexplicable adrenaline” as you contemplate “the battle of nature between beautiful animals like the Iberian rabbit and the greyhound.”
A fact that must be told
The publication of the first official study on animal protection has made it possible to establish real numbers where previously there had been only noise. This way it can be confirmed Spain does not suffer from a large abandonment of hounds. Statistics confirm this precisely. Furthermore, hunters themselves demonstrate a deep, emotional, emotional, and daily relationship with their dogs. A relationship built on Care, dedication and bond It is an essential part of his life and his way of understanding the field.
Thus, with the data already available and the testimonies showing the daily reality, it is clear that this story of mass abandonment hides a simpler and much more human truth. Which is that, For the hunter, his dog is not something that is used for one season and thrown away; He is your life partner.