I have a long complicated story involving a wonderful dog down here in Valencia Spain. Multu. My dog Maddie and I came to Valencia from the NYC Usa area about a year ago, met a dog who lived in an abandoned building here near the beach, he's beautiful and wonderful, a podenco, he and my dog became great friends, eventually the police threw the woman out of the house, homeless, the dog (Multu) wound up in the animal shelter, he was there about 5 or 6 months, now and then I would post things (photos, videos) and try and get him adopted, it's not even close to a possibility for me to keep him, HERE'S WHERE THE STORY GETS WEIRD: suddenly: here's Multu geting walked around my neighborhood by this young Swiss man (a boy about 20) best I can gather: he and his aunt are friends with the original vagabond woman who owned Multu, kid gets Multu out of the local shelter here (adopts?) loves Multu but then finds out he can't keep him, story goes: he lives with his grandmother in Luzerne and it just can't be, meanwhile: they have to return to Switzerland in just a few days (supposedly, this Friday) if I or someone can't find Multu a home by then - back to the shelter he goes... I know, I know: the whole thing is bonkers. There's something edgy and secretive and just plain 'off' about the whole thing - but there you have it. There are also language issues. No time or space to go into all the obvious stuff here: "Why did you take the damn dog from the shelter!!" Multu has been coming to our local dog park: Ayora, and doing really well. So, I say to the kid today, just thinking outloud: "Why don't you bring him to Switzerland and put him in a shelter there?" He'll be nearby, if you get your act together, and maybe the shelters are way better there. Just a thought. What a story. Of course, there's even more to it all: but it's such a saga. I'll try and post some videos and photo collections of Multu I have. I have a huge dog photo website where I'm also covering this. you could google dotfur if interested: and I've got facebook (marty watt, valencia) where there's usually a daily Multu update with videos and pics. Guess I'll start with a Maddie visit to Multu in the Shelter down here in Valencia. I'm even gonna talk to the kid tomorrow about looking into 'dog walking' etc in Luzerne. DOGS: the stories they can get us into.

Good on ya for caring about Multu, and trying to help in this situation.

Having seen what goes on in a killing station in Spain, I know what may lie ahead for Multu in the local shelter, and understand all too well why you want to do whatever you can to avoid that bleak outcome. Having adopted a dog from a perrera in Spain, I certainly understand what is driving you to bring Multu here.

But I have to say something: if you (or this young man) bring Multu here, you/he need to be responsible for her. If you or he cannot care for her, you need to first contact the shelter and find out if they would have room for her, or if they are even willing to take a dog from outside the country - and if you/he go that route you need to think about providing financial support for her here. The problem is that shelters are stretched thin, many are barely making ends meet financially - to bring a dog into Switzerland with the intention of dumping her in a shelter here is not the way to go about it.

The BVet has a campaign running to discourage bringing dogs into Switzerland as 'holiday souvenirs' - simply because this happens frequently. And Swiss animal welfare organizations are finding it hard to cope.

Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying: I am all for adopting from outside Switzerland, I very much encourage people to do so, my own dogs came from abroad where welfare standards are shocking, where they would have had no chance in their home countries. I brought them here to give them that chance - with me. I could not stand by and do nothing when I heard about each of my guys; but when we step in, we need to take personal responsibility, not just pass the responsibility on.

Could you take Multu on as a foster, and try finding her a home yourself?

Alternatively, this is a good rescue group in Spain - I'm awful at Spanish geography, but if they are too far away, perhaps they can point you to somewhere closer:
http://www.tierhilfe-in-spanien.de/papoo_pro/

A Swiss group that helps dogs in Spain:
http://www.animal-happyend.ch/index.php?philosophie

As Multu is a podenco, you might also try New Graceland in Glarus, a rescue specializing in the greyhounds, galgos, whippets, podencos, and related breeds:
http://www.newgraceland.org/

And another Swiss group specializing in helping dogs in other countries:
http://www.sos-strassenhunde.ch/neu/index.php
(They work with dogs in Italy, but might be worth contacting nonetheless if you are bringing the dog here)

You are correct that Multu may not have a chance in Valencia - and I honestly do applaud you for trying to get her here when life might be brighter. But as you consider this, please prepare first - make sure that Multu has a definite place to go before you bring her here.

All the best to you and to Multu, and thanks for trying to help.

.

Thank you Meloncollie. Sorry, in a rush here - can't write as much as I'd like. Everything you say has already occurred to me. Space & time (given the strange complexity of the tale) didn't allow for going into all the apologies and such. Everything (except the dog: Multu) is a complete and total train wreck - and extremely angry making. No: I've got nothing to do with coming to Switzerland or anything Swiss - I'm just someone who became aware of Multu: through his friendship with my dog. Thanks for all the info of quality animal care groups here in Spain. That's kind of what I was looking for. I'm just putting a lot of stuff out there to see if something works out - even if completely unexpected. I just became aware of "teirhilfe" they are some distance away - but possible. The swiss groups in Spain my be very helpful - maybe these two Swiss people can speak to them and get some ideas.
Yes, Gee: don't I know about: being responsible for the dog etc: tell me about it: but what can I do: here is the situation as presented: freaking out on these two now doesn't help Multu.
I would LOVE to foster Multu - but it's a complete possibility: I'm pretty much penniless myself and live in an apartment provided by my brother and his family: their furniture etc... my own dog Maddie is already a source of strain & stress. Yea: this story doesn't want for woe.
Like I said: thanks. Just trying to see what shakes out in every direction.

Marty