🇪🇸Adopting a rescue dog from Spain

Spain is the closest of the five countries to the UK, and its rescue scene is distinctive: it's dominated by galgos (Spanish greyhounds) and podencos, sighthounds used for hunting.

Getting a Spanish dog to the UK

Spain is an EU country, so the entry rules are the standard microchip, rabies vaccination, 21-day wait and tapeworm treatment — see the rabies and 21-day guide. Being closer, transport is often road-and-ferry rather than the longer hauls from Eastern Europe.

The health tests that matter

Spain is a Mediterranean country, so the profile leans towards sandfly- and tick-borne "Mediterranean diseases." Reputable Spanish sighthound rescues routinely test dogs before UK adoption for Leishmaniasis, Babesiosis, Heartworm and Ehrlichiosis — diseases that occur in Mediterranean countries but are not endemic in the UK. Ask which of these your dog has been screened for, and confirm follow-up testing with your vet.

The dogs

Galgos are used for hare coursing and are often abandoned or killed after the hunting season; podencos are bred to hunt rabbits and small game. Both are described by rescues as adapting well to home life, though some are wary after harsh treatment. Non-sighthound mixed-breed dogs are rehomed from Spain too.

Sources

• GOV.UK — bringing your pet to Great Britain
• Greyhounds in Need — galgos in the UK
• Galgos del Sol
• ESCCAP UK & Ireland