EXCLUSIVE By Wendy Williams
EXPATS are demanding swift justice after a horse died when it was dragged down the road for refusing to get into a horse box.
The mare – who was with her five month old foal – had to be put down after being beaten with iron bars and then practically flayed alive on the tarmac.
The horrific incident occurred when the thoroughbred collapsed as she was unable to get into a horsebox, which didn´t have a ramp.
Local expats watched in horror as she was first beaten, before being dragged by three men – believed to be gypsies – up to 100 metres down the road, in Secadero, near Sotogrande.
The three men only stopping when a passing motorist intervened.
The men then drove off, leaving the horse and its terrified five month old foal, in the road.
“By this time the mare had lost a lot of skin all down one side of her body,” explained Briton Tracey Parker, 48, a horse trainer and equine podologist who was called to the scene by her friend who had witnessed the horrific ordeal.
“When I arrived we were met by a very sorry sight.
“After an hour of rehydration and system boosting drugs the mare was still clearly showing no signs of recovery.
“They had been pulling her by the neck and she couldn’t lift her head, there was clearly some nerve damage to the spine, she would never have got up again.
“We eventually had to put the poor girl out of her suffering,” continued Parker who runs a website dedicated to sharing information about horses.
“In the meantime we managed to quietly corral the foal away, into my friend’s yard where we shut him in with a good supply of water and hay. But the situation is absolutely horrendous,” she added.
Now Parker, who has lived in Spain for 13 years and owned horses all her life, is calling on the authorities to bring the three men to justice.
“It is beyond time that people were made an example of. What they did is absolutely barbaric.
“I am in contact with the town hall who will hopefully go forward and prosecute those responsible.”
shoot them
And it would appear now, the police have located the owners of the mare and they want the foal back.
Apprently, the police have said the foal is to go back to them!!!
So presumably, if this had been a run away child refusing to get back into a car with it’s ‘carers’ and then had been beaten to a pulp and dragged down the street, leaving a good bit of its skin there too, with it’s little brother or sister looking on. Then left where it lay, when someone intervened.. the sibling would have been handed back to the abusive home, once it had been establish which address of hell it came from!?
I think not and it shouldn’t be any different for an animal who is abused either!
EVIL B…….s
I agree entirely with the comments above…the foal should not be returned to the owners and the owners should be dealt with by the law.
Its truly barbaric…. words fail me.
Absolutely disgusting…Castration is the answer and i dont mean for the horse. If the police are going to hand the foal back they are as bad as the criminals who inflicted the injuries….Attitudes desperately need to change in this country in respect of the people who behave in this unacceptable manner and the authorities who obviously condone it.
no gypies,romanys,or didicois i know would treat any of their animals like that!!!! but people!! this is andalucia so the police will not want to know…there is a mind set down here it is ingrained in a lot of people inc the police.
I know not to tar all with the same brush,but this still does not make it right may be they should be beaten with a stick to make them learn.
Then Gary, it’s time for change!! :o)
As the saying goes ‘all that is needed for evil to prosper, is for good people to do nothing.’
There are plenty of laws in place which could have stopped the needless pain and subsequent distruction of this mare and a foal loosing it’s mum.
What is also not mentioned in this article is the policia local drove passed when this was happened and did nothing!
Surely there are enough animal lovers on the Coast to sign a petition against the non prosecution of these evil people. At least sent to the Ayuntemento concerned.
Nothing much more can be said about these scumbags, except God help any children they might have; that is if any of them are man enough to father any.
The present keepers of the foal should hang on to it, in effect they rescued an abandoned foal and the owners would need to start a court action to get it back, risking disqualification to keep ANY sort of animal in the process.
Everybody knows that down here in Andalucía, animals have no rights in practice, regardless of what the law says. The policía local don’t bother to protect people, still less are they likely to help animals in distress. People like to think it’s all sunshine and cerveza down here.
Well things are happening, the foal can stay where it is for now and the police have had the law explained to them so they know which ones, of the many, have been broken!!
A meeting is scheduled (hopefully) with the town hall and police to see if something can be done to stop this sort of thing from being ignored by those that have the power to do something about it.
Thank you Wendy for posting this article, the more people who are appalled by this and who comment, might increase the chances of justice… you never know.
Complacency is the big problem here. Ex-pats and locals alike just accept far to much as read and are not prepared to stand up for the voiceless. Trouble is many people talk the talk, but very few will walk the walk.
Another witness to this horrendous scene is ´too stressed by it´ to go and make a denuncia. She needs to ´get over herself´ if she has any true conscience.
The foal has had a ´stay of execution´ until Monday as fortunately on this occasion the police have listened and are investigating further the laws that have been broken- they didn´t know/were not aware of the law – which yes, I know is despicable in itself.
I can confirm two of the men responsible for the death of this mare have been found and summoned. The owner of the land where the mare was left and the presumed owner of the mare and foal still need to be bought to justice. These people need to be made an example of and hopefully coverage like this will galvanise the authorities into ´moving their over-cushioned protected butts´and acting correctly for once.
Everybody keeps passing the buck. That is a specialist area of the civil servants in this country.
How many of you reading this will contact your local town hall and ask them to confirm where their contracted registered “explotación equino” is where they take all the abandoned, abused or lost horses to be properly cared for until justice does her part? Because I can tell you, every town hall is obliged to have such a place, by law. And not one does! Simply putting the pressure on in this way, is of little consequence for you, but could make a huge difference one day, if even for just one horse!
Seems that the entire civil service of this country just take their salaries and do little to earn it – top to bottom. The whole country is being dragged down to its knees but few worry as long as the pay cheques don’t bounce.
A few real capitalist administrators could soon sort out this overweight so-called democracy.
This horse death is a scandal which reflects on the whole of Spanish society and similar incidents must go unreported every day. Much of the Spanish life revolves around the ‘family’ but Spaniards need to know what democracy is all about, you don’t just look after your own.
I am appalled by this story but not surprised – I think one problem is that many people ‘passing through’ I have a home on the coast and live in the UK just dont know who to contact or how (or who will translate the comment)when they wish to report a cruelty case. I have had many rows with spanish riders and rescued two spanish dogs… but always felt frustrated not to be able to do more! We must push for a prosecution and make this case very public – the foal can never be returned.
Thank you Olive press for covering this story – please ask your business associates to back you in a national campaign for welfare laws to be improved and applied in spain.
Disgusting, Disgusting, Disgusting, words fail me, at least words you can publish
……. Spanish society has seemingly reached a social development stage comparable to the mid 80s in N. European countries.
On top of that their democratic understanding, is almost non existent, as someone mentioned in an earlier post, the family is their central focus of live. This is where the infamous Tio System stems from ….
This explains why they seemingly “me no care” about:
Corruption – in the last ten years that I have been following the Spanish news, there was a new case reported almost daily – strange I can not remember reading of one conviction ……
Economics – The feudal business environment insures no middle-class, the base of any working democracy, but rather a poorer badly educated class and a rich, it seems just as badly educated ruling class, that control the corrupt politicians and the useless judicial system while cleverly falsifying statistics to get more money from the EU Tonotos.
The bill has arrived in the form of an economic recession that hopefully will open the eyes of the blind EU administrators (pressured by public opinion and national interests) in not sending more money to be lost in this bottomless pit ……..
Maybe out of survival necessity, this country will then pick up the pieces and and start a better a little more “ME CARE” society
What a brilliant excuse to have a go at the horse-beating backwards, selfish, corrupt and lazy spaniards. Wonderfully constructive comments.
I am equally disgusted by this story and find it hard to believe that police drove past and did nothing as they watched such an act of cruelty, as someone suggests.
Justice is always too slow here, just as it is in your own country, and animal welfare, sadly, is not a priority. Perhaps educating animal handlers would help, maybe a campaing. But hey, this is Spain, and societies take time to change, here the law tends to focus on protecting children, the elderly, the disable. ALthough it is still far from perfect. Sadly animals are not regarded as a priority and police might even be unaware of certain laws.
I appreciate your sentiments, Isabel, but the problem is that it’s not just the law. In the UK also the law prioritises people. But cruelty, whether against children, old people, animals, is a mind-set of a population, too big for the police alone to deal with. It’s no use saying in effect that the police here spend more time and money than the UK protecting people, it’s just not true.
Education is a key, but unless this is independent, a child is likely to pick up the habits and attitudes of his/her parents. We’ve seen much evidence of this, children kicking dogs, cats, hitting ponies with big sticks, etc. It appears to be endemic. And just look around you, see the horses in the baking sun, no shelter, no water and trying to eat dried up weeds. Look at bull-fighting, the hundreds of thousands of followers watching this ‘cultural’ act of human depravity toward magnificent animals. Sure, the matadors are brave, admirable, but the odds are stacked against the bull’s survival, it’s so badly tormented before it even enters the ring.
I believe that a person capable of inflicting grievous cruelty to a harmless animal, is also more likely to harm children/people. I certainly wouldn’t like to meet those three horse-beating thugs on a dark lonely road.
Antonio2, your comment is spot on and extremely accurate. All societies need to examine themselves and try to address their flaws and problems. No society is in perfect condition. Look at the UK, it is a disaster with general family break down,youth gangs as substitutes for normal socialisation and all the consequences of that in daily life, and the consequences of a deregulated and greedy financial system. Let us if the Brits are going to seriously address these problems or not. But Spain also has terrible social and cultural problems and its neglect of animal welfare and the endemic cruelty in the culture you refer to seems to be among the worst in Europe. I was born in India and there, despite nightmarish third world conditions for a majority of the people and the stark contrast between a large rich class and a larger very poor class, cruelty to animals, while it does occur, is certainly not condoned or even celebrated, as it can be in Spain.
What a sick world we live in! That poor mare didnt deserve to die at the hand of those bastards, i hope to god the foal isnt allowed to go back to them, if only someone could drag them along the tarmac! an eye for an eye.
If the police stopped hiding in the bushes pretending to work, and did something about the cruelty, hundreds of animals wouldnt have to die!
They need to be punished! i would happily sign a petition banning these scum bags from being able to own any animal ever again!!!!
This comment is mainly for Tracy. I am out raged by this story. Tracy, I was in the process of writing to the town hall in Canillas Albaida after a riding display took place there tree weeks ago. One horse in this display was certainly abused. You can read about it on http://blossom-the-pony.blogspot.com/2011/08/sangre-and-serreta.html
So thank you for the info on the ”explotación equino” I will be using that. If you have any other advice about the law and animals in Spain I would be glad of it. I am quoting the European trading standard law on financle gain and animal welfare. And if you do have a meeting I will come. If you need to hide this foal he can come here. I live in a remote place. Its a secret though. Who is Tracy Parker? Where can I contact her? Please contact me Tracy. This is our web site. http://www.salares.net
best wishes
Helen
three week ago; even
download the map giving directions to Helen Carver’s super secret hideout
http://www.salares.net/?en_find-us,2/
com on Helen just because you like horses, you don’t have to think like one …..
Thanks Isabel, couldn’t have said it better …..
“horse-beating backwards, selfish, corrupt and lazy spaniards”
maybe add
ignorant, self proclaimed world leaders in protecting children (feeding them crap on a daily basis – not just food), the sick (por favor ???) and the elderly (who thanks to greedy opportunistic countrymen will be in the streets mañana because few will be able to afford the extra square meter for abu) …….
change for the better comes from admitting whats wrong and not from celebrating what one “thinks” thanks to – lack of education, travel (outside of mothers garden), chronic interest in general and brainwashed by idiotic propaganda news coverage – is better then elsewhere.
Time to open your eyes or go back to being the Spain Banana Rep. you where 20 years ago – cadetos but at least autenticos ……
hay m?? if more humans had the thought process of horses the world would be a much better place. As you have most likely read in Johathans Swifts Gulliver’s travels first published in 1726. where the houybnbnmare are a peace loveing, and gentle nation. And remember horses have no ego or violence in there hearts unlike the human race. and i don’t mind admitting i would rather think like one!!!!!!!!!!!!
Walk on the earth in peace, M
Helen, if it wouldn’t be for the utter stupid – I would try to walk the earth in peace.
In my humble opinion its the “educated” human race who have a responsibility to make sure “dumber” creatures are protected from “uneducated” or even worse, greedy humans without a conscience.
I am certain the three man who supposedly beat this poor horse where less or just as intelligent as the poor creature itself ……… the cure from this type of behavior is education, education, education.
BTW – They have special care centers for people who want to be a horse – carrots and all.
Helen – I will contact you – I am Tracy/Tracey (been misspelt in the article).
M – your comment is of no use whatsoever. If you have that much spare energy please try to use it in a more positive and constructive manner.
Isabel – I fully understand your rage, but please remember this kind of abuse goes on the world over. Not just in Spain. The difference being that their are charities, supported by governments, to eradicate this barbaric treatment in other countries, whilst in others still the situation is actually far worse. It is a long, slow process. Here in Spain it is aggravated by the police themselves not knowing their own laws. Not entirely there fault, though in this instant I hold them wholly responsible, but it is due to the archaic system here. Meanwhile, as they get themselves up to this century, we can not sit by and let this kind of ignorance continue.
Antonio2 is quite correct – education, starting at home. Trouble is we are in a nation of people bought up to believe animals have no souls, therefore don´t feel. We all know that not to be the case. If it bleeds, it feels.
We are also surrounded by ´do-gooders´ who actually do more harm than good. The men that brutally attacked and left this mare for dead, had another agenda. But more often than not many foreigners come here, see a thin, or wounded horse and pay the owner some meager sum to ´rescue´ it. What they have done is line his pocket, with more money than the ´matadero´ would have given him, so he can go out and do the same again, selling to another unsuspecting ´do-gooder´. I am a lover of all animals – my house/yard is full of to many of them of many species. I am the first to walk the walk and not just talk the talk, but I will not pay a gypsy to rescue 20 horses at the cost of 200 or 2000 more. The real saviours are the ones who will stand up in this kind of situation, but are also in the other situation are prepared to let 20 horses go to save a further 2000. It may seem almost as barbaric as the men who beat this mare to death – until you really think about it! The chain has to be broken. It is never as simple as many think. The ´tratantes´ will not be stopped whilst people ´rescue´ horses in this manner, and the abusers will not be bought to justice all the time people say ´someone else will denounce it´.
I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read the article and/or comment on the situation. I would like to thank the people who have contacted me personally offering real help. I would like to ask that you all ACT the next time you see a horse hobbled (its illegal), a dog tied up all day (its illegal), or any one of the many far worse scenes that can be found if you look just a little. You only need to take photos, note the time, day and place and take this information to your local town hall. You ask they copy all that you give them and stamp and sign your copies. No, they may not act on your information, but if enough people do this they will begin to realise that no one is prepared to tolerate this behaviour any more, and that includes the Spanish. Yes, one person can make a difference.
Just another short comment, as Tracey and others have said, Spain is by no means the worst culprit for animal cruelty. I will personally never visit China or the rest of Asia because of the endemic cruelty to any animal they can eat, which is the norm for the entire populations. Their treatment of cats, dogs, monkeys, goats, cattle, etc., i.e. anything for their dinner table, is totally sickening, in the real sense of the word. Australia has banned live exports of cattle due to this.
The foal MUST NOT be returned to these barbarians, they must be punished under Spanish law and not be allowed to own animals of any kind.
Tracey,
There are many charities and organisation in Spain that work for the protection of all animals, inlcuding horses and other household pets. IF you are an animal lover, as you claim to be, it is hard to believe that you haven’t heard of any. Too many to list. These, just as the RSCPA in the UK (which, may I correct you, isn’t finantially supported by the british governement) operate with the help individual donations and volunteers, and are always in need of help.
Indeed legislation with regards to animal welfare in Spain is often too vague, it varies depending on the region (it is particularly non existent in Andalucia, so I hear) , and quite more recent than other north european countries. Police may be unaware in many cases, and quite honestly, it is not a priority, nor I believe it should be at this point in time.
Again, educating the younger generations (and the older ones too) is the key to erradicate as much as possible animal cruelty in Spain. Fundacion Altarriba is currently carrying a campaing with that purpose – http://pepa.altarriba.org/- . On a positive note, it is worth noting that much has been achieved in recent decades, as anyone who have lived here for a longer period of time would tell you. I havent’ seen animals being ill treated where I am, and many up here have horses too, as well as other pets such as dogs, cats and even ferrets! and these are very much loved and well cared for, at least the ones I know. So when Antonio says that he sees children kicking dogs or ponies when he opens his eyes and looks around, I feel that he is distorting the facts.
It is also wrong to assume that we are a nation of people “bought up to belive that animals have no soul” and hence, do not feel. With all respect, Tracy, this makes it sound like you should spend more time getting to know your neighbours than with the many animals of many species in your backyard. You may find you are not that different.
Liver, sweety, you sound like the perfect village idiot, but I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume that your piles are giving you are real bad pain the arse. So I’m going to forgive you being so rude. Ah, the old age..
Hola Antonio,
On a closer inspection, you say that a”person capable of inflicting grievous cruelty to a harmless animal, is also more likely to harm children/people.”
WHilst I tend to agree with your statement, I warn you of being very careful with such sweeping generalisations, which sound very reasonable on paper, but in reality this might not the case.
Do you know who were the pioneers in protecting animal rights in modern history? The Germans. More specifically, Adolft Hitler, Tierschutzgesetz,the most comprehensive set of animal protection laws in Europe. You can read more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_protection_in_Nazi_Germany
Point is, that someone that is a devoted protector of animal rights and against animal torture, could also be mounstrousely cruel against humans.
Yes I quite agree Isabel, that is why I was careful to say “more likely”. There is obviously no guarantee that a person who is kind to animals will also be kind to people, in fact it can be just a smokescreen concealing something sinister, as you say.
But cruel people are cruel people, full stop, and their cruelty will manifest itself in many different ways.
It’s clearly reported in this article that the offenders were gypsies yet many people have used this hideous act to have a go at the Spanish people!
Gypsies are an ethnic minority and therefore not Spanish at all! I am Anglo/Mexicana and believe me…. The way animals are treated here in Spain is far more humane than back in Mexico.
I understand the anger though as many comments are from expat English people and they are possibly the kindest people in the world when it comes to animals.
I am in fact helping my expat English and SPANISH friends here in Spain to ban bull fighting here in Spain!
So lets point the blame where it belongs ok? Most gypsies back in England are from Irish stock and most here are from Islamic stock. Lets not let it divide the English and Spanish people. We are both civilised peoples and shouldn’t drag ourselves down into the gutter with insults where the gyspsies are!
Isobel – it has only been very recently that the Pope made a point of blessing animals to assure people that they had souls. It is a known fact that they have been seen as a source of food or beast of burden for many centuries, with no thought for their welfare and that they may ´feel´. I am also aware of various animal charities here in Spain, and their uphill struggle with authorities to be allowed to do their work, much less receive financial support from the public. I have worked alongside a couple of them on a few occasions now. I don´t see how having a pop at me is helping these kind of situations to become a thing of the past. Don´t insult me – “correcting me” when I didn´t specify something, attacking me for spending time with my animals and accusing me of ´being not that different´ from animal abusers! Who the hell are you? All someone like you achieves is, making people not want to get involved and do the right thing.
The legislation with regard to animal welfare in Spain is very clear. It is the same in Andalucia as in the rest of the provinces (which is the same as nearly all of Europe now). But you may be interested to know that various laws against animal cruelty and the basic husbandry of animals were only bought into place in Andalucia some 8 years after the rest of the country! Ask yourself why would that be.
As for my neighbours. One leaves his horse hobbled 24/7 (abusive and illegal), another leaves his dogs tied on short chains every single day of the year, day and night (abuse and illegal), accept for the few days each year he goes hunting – and then leaves the rabbits and pheasants he kills by the way side to rot and affect the food chain. Yet another still, has his horse shut up in a tiny hut with a low roof made of corrugated iron, with no ventilation, and rarely cleaned out, never mind let out. The list is endless. And all these things are seen daily by the local police who do nothing. Oh no wait, I reported a domesticated sow that had one leg half cut off and totally infected that appeared by a river and the police eventually turned up with an illegal horse trailer and beat her with sticks to get her to move and get in the box, with no ramp. So you see, they do do things! I physically put myself between her and them – insisting a vet put her out of her misery and they then move her – they told me they would arrest me for obstruction. Marvelous.
But I digress – the point of this article was to bring attention to these real situations, which some of us our doing our best to put an end to. It was with the intentions that people would write to the powers that be to voice their disgust and that the public are no longer prepared to just ´walk on by´. It was with the intentions of the authorities being made to realise they must pull their finger out, the laws exist, and organise themselves to deal with these situations in a more timely, organised and sympathetic manner. It was with the intentions of taking us all one step closer to equality for all the animals. They have their rights to.
Oh Dear. It doesn’t matter who the hell I am, I was simply commenting in your article and trying to offer a more balanced view and wiser suggestions than the likes of “shoot them” or “castrate them” or those who simply use this terrrible incident as an excuse to insult the spanish people in general.
Whilst I accept that this, as well as other histerical reactions, are born our of compassion for the horse, they sound a little, well, unbalanced. It makes the original article loose credibility.
Anyways, I applaud your effords, and since the law is clear (even thought for the life of me I cant find anything about it!- and what I can find “clear” it is not), then the police should be enforcing the law. That’s their job.
http://noticias.juridicas.com/base_datos/Admin/l32-2007.html
Near where I lived a number of street cats are fed by a local woman. Her efforts to help the cats have a decent life are obstructed by everyone else. The police would prefer to stop her because the town hall is against feeding the cats. That’s because neither the town hall nor the government of Andalucía will deal with a comprehensive neutering programme for street animals that would cut down the number of feral animals that need to be rounded up and re-homed or put down – mostly put down, of course, as there are few homes, especially for cats and most especially for black cats, as these are, since (yes, believe it!) people there still think it brings bad luck. pretty backward, huh? In the meantime, three boys, right in front of my eyes, were trying to torment these cats. These boys are known to be regularly torturing the cats. They were lighting firecrackers and trying to blow them up in their faces. They hung around and eventually moved off, but insolently, knowing that we probably couldn’t do much about it. And they’d be right. I couldn’t. The woman said to denounce effectively, you’d need names and addresses. The police wouldn’t care even if you did have this information. Secondly, as it was illegal for her to feed the cats in the first place, she’d get in trouble reporting the boys. If I tried to do anything physical to stop them, I’d end up on the wrong side of the law. Even if the boys were successfully named and denounced by someone, being under age (probably around 13 or 14) they wouldn’t face much sanction anyway. Therefore there was nothing, really, anyone could do to stop the boys breaking the laws against animal cruelty. Ergo, it simply does not work!
I know I’ve been going on about cats but the point is the process I am describing. It’s more evidence that there is nothing in place around here to help people who want to take positive action to help animals against abuse.
I am amazed at the laid back attitude of people like Tracey or like Tía who thinks its some kind of racial slur to criticise the Spanish and imply that the British and other Northern nationalities are somehow over-advanced in their animal sensibilities.
I come originally from India, a country where since ancient times, despite widespread poverty and hardship, and very poor or non-existent welfare infrastructure, there has always been respect for ALL forms of life, human and animal. To hurt animals there has always been a sin. We’ve never had any notion there, like the Catholics have had, that animals don’t have souls. In modern parlance, taking removing any religious sensibilities some people may find outmoded, and that’s fine by me, let us, Indians have always regarded animals as sentient beings which is why vegetarianism is such a strong part of the culture, and valued even in parts of the country where meat-eating is accepted (rather than approved). It seems to me that Europeans have much to learn, still, about humane values, from some other civilisations!
…. interesting to see just how many self proclaimed (and frustrated) I and only I know all about it females — get all juiced up about this story – a story that not one participant disagreed is despicable !
I came across this article/photo recently and include the link to illustrate the uphill struggle it will be to change attitudes in Spain.
With apologies to those with a sensitive disposition.
http://varios.casinuevo.net/legal-killer-asesinato-legal_valladolid_100917122656
What a brave bunch those ‘men’ are!!
Tia, I give you credit for just one thing: you are aware that Gypsies are an ethnic minority. Beyond that, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Your statement that they “therefore are not Spanish at all,” is patently absurd. Is Obama not American because his father was African?
The Gitanos (which is what the Gypsies in Spain are called) have lived in Spain for hundreds of years. Their arrival on the peninsula has been traced back to the 1400s by some scholars. Only a racist would argue that they are not Spanish.
Further, your remark that, “most Gypsies back in England are of Irish stock and most here are of Islamic stock,” is simply wrong. The Gypsies in England (who, historically, have been mostly Romnichals) arrived in the British Isles in the 16th Century. Their roots are in India, as is probably the case with all the Romany peoples.
As for your comment that Spanish Gypsies are “of Islamic stock”–it’s just silly. If you knew your Spanish history, you’d know that mostly all Spaniards are “of Islamic stock” as you put it. Most of Spain was an Islamic society for many generations–for close to 800 years in parts of Andalucia. Spaniards weren’t simply “ruled” by the Arabs, the vast majority spoke Arabic, thought in Arabic and dreamed in Arabic. They were Arabic. If you think you can somehow separate the blood lines to prove some sort of racial or ethnic purity, you are mistaken.
However, the Gypsy groups who came to Spain probably originated in the Indian subcontinent about 1000 years ago. They had travelled a long way, through many cultures, by the time they reached historically-Arabic Spain. So saying the Spanish Gypsies are “of Islamic stock,” and placing this in opposition to Spaniards and Brits (or even British Gypsies) is meaningless
As for your final remark that, “we are both civilized peoples and shouldn’t drag ourselves down into the gutter with insults where the gypsies are” –it’s simply ignorant and racist on all counts. It would be best if you spent less time ranting and more time learning about the many cultures and subcultures that you live amidst.
I am quite sure this foal does not have a chip…. so to put one in quickly in the right name cannot make it the gypsies. Spain is FULL of cases like this one.. FULL!!!!! You cannot expect the system to help the animals out, cos it just doesnt. So the best way to save the foal, is like this. Chip it wont have – but new ownership it could!
There is no protection for animals in this country – none. Even tho the law states there is, it doesnt work or only in few cases. To see it day in and day out, is tiresome, .. help where you can. For the sake of the animals here, galgos, horses and other animals.
Unfortunately it is not easy to chip an animal. Fortunately the easy to falsify, or copy, Green card is now obsolete for all new registrations and a far more detailed passport is required. But a vet completes this and if you did not notify the O.C.A. within one month of it´s birth or you do not have the document details of dam and sire they can´t/wont complete the paperwork. There are vets that will, and it would be good to find one, but they are usually the vets that also work with the dealers and unscrupulous for a ´small payment´. As the foal is registered with the police, with regard to circumstances, if the current carer were to microchip it they would be liable for a fine. Equally if the O.C.A. decide to do a random inspection of the premises and find an unregistered equine they are also liable for a fine (yes, it´s all crazy) despite having a letter from the Police confirming why the foal is there (until the court case – at least) . The O.C.A don´t/wont recognise paperwork from the police and are complete “jobsworths”. Typical civil servants – this is how it is and how it should be, there´s nothing in my book about this kind of situation so ´you´ (whoever that may be) are in the wrong! You see the O.C.A. go for the easy targets – the people that try to keep everything in order, along with the level of care of their animals.
They were asked to attend the mare and foal – they have official vets and microchip readers and are the only people privy to the computer program with data on owners and explotaciones – but they couldn´t possibly do that on a Friday, so near to lunch time!!
it said words to the effect, ‘many people stood + watched in horror’ WHY DIDN’T THESE HORRIFIED PEOPLE DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS EVIL ABUSE’ I WOULD NOT HAVE STOOD BY + WATCHED THIS UNSPEAKABLE CRIME TAKE PLACE, I’d HAVE JUMPED IN TO STOP IT ANYWAY I COULD, ITS DREADFUL WHEN PEOPLE SAY THEY ARE SO SICKENED BY THIS EVIL TREATMENT OF THIS POOR HELPLESS ANIMAL, YET THEY DO NOTHING…. WORDS FAIL ME FOR THEIR FEAR OF INTERFERING, GUTLESS…..my thoughts would only focus on helping to save the horse, not, ‘OH I can’t get involved….cowards, so they watch a horse beaten to death,sick sick sick…..
God MONA, do we need a history lesson when animals lives are being abused in such barbaric ways,who cares who these people are, what their origins are, what colour they are, were they came from or when + how long they have lived here/there/ anywhere, they are ANIMAL ABUSERS + EVIL/BRUTES, WHO CARES FOR WHO OR WHAT THEY ARE OR WHERE THEY COME FROM, THEY WANT THE SAME TREATMENT AS THEY INFLICT ON THE HELPLESS, BEATEN TO A PULP AS THEY SO FREELY DO IN FULL PUBLIC VIEW, maybe get one of their beloved family + dish out that treatment, make them feel the pain/fear + suffering as that poor innocent horse did….God,I am so angry…..