Imagine Luna, a two-year-old hound, dragging a fractured leg while chasing wild boars in a driven hunt. Her reward for surviving: being thrown into a well when her owner decided she no longer ran fast enough. Her story is not exceptional. According to investigations by CAS International and AnimaNaturalis, 40% of abused dogs in Spain are used for hunting. In 2023, inspections of 29 kennels revealed animals chained, drinking putrid water, and with wounds stitched without anesthesia.
"Greyhounds are treated as disposable tools. If they are no longer useful, they are hung from trees like macabre trophies," denounces Aïda Gascón, director of AnimaNaturalis in Spain. The evidence is overwhelming: a study by the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2024) details how the mutilation of tails and ears, a common practice in breeding facilities, violates the European Convention for the Protection of Pets. Meanwhile, proposed amendments in Brussels seek to legalize these crimes under the euphemism of "tradition."
Why exclusion worsens the crisis
European legislation has recognized animals as "sentient beings" since 2009 (Article 13 TFEU), but Spain has systematically avoided its implementation. In 2022, an amendment by the PSOE explicitly excluded hunting dogs from the Animal Welfare Law, creating a legal limbo that leaves them at the mercy of cruelty. "It is an ethical aberration: does their capacity to suffer depend on the use we give them?," questions Gascón.
Science is clear. A 2023 report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirms that tail docking in puppies—falsely justified as "prevention"—causes chronic pain and disrupts their communication. Despite this, France and Spain, responsible for 80% of hunting with dogs in Europe, allow these practices. Laure Gisie, author of the study Uncovering the Legal Vulnerability of Hunting Dogs (2024), warns: "Legal exclusion reinforces the idea that they are objects, not living beings."
Hope lies in mandatory registration. The European proposal requires identifying each dog with a microchip, linking their life to a legally responsible person. "It is a master key: if every abandoned dog is registered under their owner's name, abuse will no longer be invisible," explains Gascón. Countries like Germany reduced abandonment by 70% with this measure.
Additionally, organizations like AnimaNaturalis are pushing for the EU to:
- Ban cosmetic mutilations.
- Require mandatory veterinary care during hunts.
- Fund specialized shelters for hunting breeds.
- Prohibit practices of extreme cruelty like driven hunts.
This is what dogs' lives could be like if Europe chooses to protect them
If the European Union decides to close the legal loopholes that currently leave hunting dogs unprotected, their reality could change dramatically. According to the study Uncovering the Legal Vulnerability of Hunting Dogs, the harmonization of laws under Article 13 of the TFEU—which recognizes animals as sentient beings—would force Spain and France, responsible for 80% of this practice in Europe, to implement mandatory microchip registration. This would prevent mass abandonment: currently, 40% of abused dogs in Spain are greyhounds or hounds discarded by hunters. "A registry would link each life to a responsible person, ending impunity," the report states. Additionally, the European ban on mutilations like tail and ear docking—endorsed by EFSA in 2023 for their cruelty—would eradicate practices currently justified under false arguments of "injury prevention."
If Europe were to ban hunting with dogs—as the Netherlands and parts of Italy have already done—the challenge would be the reintegration of over 300,000 animals estimated in Spain and France. Here, the study proposes European funds to create specialized shelters and international adoption campaigns, following the model of the documentary Yo Galgo. However, it warns that a ban without economic alternatives for hunters could increase abandonment. Therefore, it suggests tax incentives for those who convert their kennels into rescue centers.
Gisie emphasizes that any progress requires pressure on Member States. For example, in 2022, the historic conviction of two hunters in Córdoba—18 months in prison for abusing 29 dogs—demonstrated that penal laws exist, but their application is inconsistent. The EU could establish an independent observatory to monitor cases and sanction countries that fail to comply, as it did with the complaints from the Intergroup on Animal Welfare in 2021.
The most hopeful future, according to the study, involves redefining tradition. In regions of France where educational programs have been implemented, 34% of young hunters reject cruel practices. Efforts must be made to ensure that "laws prioritize sentience over profit," as the study concludes.
If you want to help make this a reality, sign the campaign by AnimaNaturalis and CAS International to stop hunting with dogs in Spain and Europe.
"Every dog saved is a triumph, but we need laws, not just tears," cries Gascón. The vote in the European Parliament to reform its animal welfare regulations will take place in March of this year, barring further delays. Which side will you be on?
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