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Portuguese sailors took Podengos to the Cape Verde islands from the 15th Century onwards, to keep down the rats on their sailing ships. There, as in Portugal today, they live semi-wild , hunting whatever they can find to eat but mostly these days relying on tourists dropping food from their tables. Darwinian survival instincts helped Podengos to survive tenuously where other breeds, such as the Labrador brought by Portuguese fisherman from St John`s Newfoundland found it more difficult to find enough food. As in Portugal the two breeds have mixed but the survivors today still have Podengo spirit, courage and intelligence.
The dog population naturally tends to exceed the local food resources. For years the locals have used strycchnine to poison them, causing a horrible death. They even killed the American Ambassador`s pet. European and American expatriates living in the islands have tried to stop this practice by bringing out German vets twice a year to neuter dogs and bitches. This is having limited success due to shortage opf funds.
We with others have now rescued four and brought them to Europe, where they show the delightful speed, agility, intelligence, strong sense of small and loyalty of the breeder-produced Podengos.
Here is the story of two of them at www.capeverdeinfo.org.uk/cape_verde_dog_rescue.htm.
If you travel to these islands please contact the local rescue organisations, who desperately need help.
The dog population naturally tends to exceed the local food resources. For years the locals have used strycchnine to poison them, causing a horrible death. They even killed the American Ambassador`s pet. European and American expatriates living in the islands have tried to stop this practice by bringing out German vets twice a year to neuter dogs and bitches. This is having limited success due to shortage opf funds.
We with others have now rescued four and brought them to Europe, where they show the delightful speed, agility, intelligence, strong sense of small and loyalty of the breeder-produced Podengos.
Here is the story of two of them at www.capeverdeinfo.org.uk/cape_verde_dog_rescue.htm.
If you travel to these islands please contact the local rescue organisations, who desperately need help.
