Dogs on the Camino.

[RENSHAW]

I once met a Hospitalero that had a tiny dog with her during her stint of service. This was her 'child' and there was no ways that it was going to be left at home.She also boasted that she had walked from Le Puy to Santiago ,hiding the dog on her during stays at traditional Albergues.
Then there was a Hospitalero in the old Burgos Park Albergue - his dog was no larger that a rat .Any interaction with the dog would result in it lifting a paw as if injured and flop on to its back in absolute submission - he he
Also , what would Castrojeriz be without that Bar with all the pets snuggeled up to the fireplace where Bernie the German shepherd would latch on to a pilgrim and follow them to the next town.

There was a young chap that I met who had a German Shepherd that had followed him from some small town all the way to Santiago. He then had the dog 'chipped' , bought a 3 man tent and headed back in reverse. It was his dream to form a frienship and fill the empty berth in his tent , any takers Ladies??
Finally , there was a Dutch Lady who had acquired a rescue dog and walked all the way from home to Santiago.I met her in the Meseta. It was freezing that night and with the absence of a Hospitalero ,I suggested the dog sleep in the small reception area . Another difficult pilgrim who had caused other problems , threatened that if the dog barked , they would have to go.
So late at night , there was a sound and of course the dog did its job in protecting us and barked - the difficult pilgrim had a fit which woke everyone up and shamed the Lady into departing at 3 in the morning - what an ar*%@le ( sorry Ivar -edit if you have to) :mrgreen:

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

June 2004 at Olveiroa on the Finisterre route a pilgrim turned up with a dog that had travelled with him from SJPP.

The warden would not let the dog sleep in any part of the refugio so the guy slept outside under the veranda where pilgrims ung their washing.

Several of the younger pilgrims took their sleeping bags and joined them in solidarity.

 

[renegadepilgrim]

There was a fellow walking with 3 dogs last year when I walked. He had tried to find them homes before leaving for his Camino, to no avail. I felt bad for the animals, though. I saw him towards the end and the dogs were really suffering from the long distances, not to mention, I think he was low on money for food for them. There were three SA ladies who explained his story to me in Azofra and said they had been periodically giving him money to buy food for the dogs. I do not believe he was one of those "pobrecitos" but was a genuine pilgrim who just couldn't find good homes for his animals before he left. I really felt bad for him and the animals because I know he was sleeping outside with them as they are not allowed in the albergues.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Pilgrims shouldn´t take dogs with them, even if a stray dog follows them.
We have three dogs, all of them "gifts of St. James," who are refugees picked up by pilgrims along the camino. We have kept a few more, and later found homes for them, when pilgrims decided they no longer wanted to have canine company on the trail. (we had a couple of pilgrims return here and take dogs home with them to Belgium!)

I wonder sometimes whose pet I am keeping, whose hunting dog, whose companion that wandered away and hasn´t been seen by them again. The dogs are happy here, well-loved and cared-for. But the strays keep coming, and we really do not need any more dogs.

It seems like a picture-book image, walking west with Old Shep by your side, or some strarving mongrel who "adopts" you along the Way. But 20K+ per day is too much to ask from any critter. And he has to end up somewhere. Who will take the dog when you return home?