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Three malnourished greyhound puppies have been rescued from a remote cave in the mountains near Santomera, thanks to a joint operation involving the Guardia Civil, local police and animal protection groups.

 

The rescue effort began after a hiker spotted a female greyhound hiding in a cave in the rugged Sierra de Orihuela and alerted authorities. The dog appeared to be nursing puppies and was seen acting defensively to protect them.

 

Officers from the Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection Service (Seprona) were sent to the scene, where they carefully approached the cave. Using a lasso pole designed for animal rescue, they were able to recover two of the pups, both of which were underweight and in poor condition. A third puppy was rescued shortly after by an animal recovery team.

 

The mother dog had already left the cave by the time the pups were recovered and had retreated further into the mountain. It’s believed more puppies may still be hidden in a deeper part of the cave, though access is difficult.

 

The dogs were handed over to Santomera’s Local Police, who then transferred them to a care company authorised by the local council. The pups are now being looked after and will be put up for adoption once they are strong enough.

 

Investigators have opened a formal enquiry to trace the owner of the mother dog, who was wearing a collar. This suggests she may have been abandoned rather than born in the wild. If the animal is microchipped, her owner could be identified.

 

Greyhounds, known in Spanish as ‘galgos’, are among the most mistreated and frequently abandoned breeds of dog in the country.

 

A spokesperson for the Guardia Civil reminded the public that abandoning pets is a punishable offence under both national animal protection laws and the criminal code. They encouraged anyone struggling to care for their animals to contact one of the many animal protection organisations in the area, who can offer help and rehoming support.

 

“There are always other options,” they said. “No pet deserves to be left behind.”

 

 

 

Images: Guardia Civil