My mother and grandmother were dog nuts, so at least I know that I come by it honestly! My personal brand of nuttiness is geared towards sighthounds, and in particular, my own adopted greyhounds and Ibizan Hound. I have been involved with the adoption of retired racing greyhounds for 17+ years, and have volunteered with various adoption groups. I started making collars for my own hounds just for f
un, and then for the dogs of friends, and then to donate for fundraising events for greyhound adoption groups. Then, through some of the many friends I have made in the "grey" world, I began to hear about the horrendous plight of the Galgos and Podencos in Spain. Galgos are a Spanish breed, quite similar in appearance to a greyhound, but with some distinct differences, and they are used widely in Spain for sport hunting. Podencos are actually a group of several hunting breeds, but they are also used for hunting in Spain. Unfortunately, both Galgos and Podencos are grossly overbred and considered only as disposable tools by the hunters. Literally hundreds of thousands of these Spanish dogs, who, for whatever reason, are deemed useless or unfit to hunt, are abandoned, brutalized and killed every year. But there IS hope. There are small but growing groups of caring, dedicated people, in Spain as well as here in the US and in Europe, who are trying to end this suffering. They are trying to help these dogs, and give them the love and the chance at the safe, pain free life that they so desperately deserve. They have started rescues. They are getting the dogs out of the fields where they have been dumped, and out of the sewers, and off of the roadways where they have been abandoned, hit by cars and left to die. They are getting them much needed veterinary care, and finding them loving, safe, and permanent homes. Most often, these dogs are adopted to homes outside of Spain, often to the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, and the costs associated with this are high. I began sending boxes of collars to several of these rescues, both for fundraising efforts and in order to help with the huge influx of dogs coming into the rescues. But I still felt I needed to do more. This is why FreetōFeet Collars came to be! FreetōFeet, so named for the fabulous corn chip smell of a contented dog's feet when it is sleeping, is a way for us to get much needed funds directly to these rescues. All profits from the collar sales at FreetoFeet.com will go directly to some of these rescues to help save more hounds. The rescuers are on the front lines fighting everyday. They are trying to educate, and to change and enact legislation (no easy task!) to help protect these beautiful animals. The statistics are gruesome and staggering, and the brutality and the inhumanity inflicted on this helpless creatures is heartbreaking, yet these rescuers keep forging ahead. But EVERY dollar makes a difference and helps get another dog to safety. THAT is my goal. There are NO borders when it comes to dog rescue, and EVERY dog deserves a chance at a life of safety, love, and peace. So, thank you for shopping with FreetōFeet Collars and for helping us support those trying to change things for the better. We hope that you enjoy the collars, as well as the knowledge that the money you spend is helping to save lives.
