Alan de Herrera
Freelance writer & photojournalist
Spanish dog rescuer Edwardo Puerto goes viral rehabilitating dogs deemed too aggressive for adoption.
Spaniard Edwardo Puerta poses with his rescued dog Coco at the Asproan dog shelter, which helps dogs labeled as aggressive, located in Santander, Spain. © Alan de Herrera
Dogster Magazine
Published February 25, 2023
Story and photos by Alan De Herrera
SANTANDER, Spain
“Give me two minutes and I’ll give you a new life.” This was the title for a 2020 video about Coco, a young Spanish Bulldog condemned to a government shelter in Spain. Deemed too aggressive for adoption, Coco was scheduled to be euthanized until one man arrived to offer him a second chance.
In the video, which has since racked up over 1 million views on social media, dog rescuer Edwardo Puerta offers viewers a glimpse into his process for calming aggressive dog behavior.
A rescue for aggressive dogs
“I’ve been recovering dogs with serious behavior problems for over 10 years now, offering them a chance when nobody else would,” Edwardo says. “This is the one thing I have chosen to fight for the most. Others see hopeless cases while I see opportunity to mend aggressive behaviors before they are sacrificed by the government shelters.”
Coco’s rescue story
Coco, a large Alano Español breed (Spanish Bulldog), was only 10-months old at the time of his rescue, having spent nearly four months locked up in a cell without intervention. “He would lunge and show his teeth in order to protect himself,” says Edwardo. “He was so frightened and no one dared to approach him, thus worsening his isolation and condition,” he adds.
In the video you see Edwardo enter Coco’s cell and lasso a leash as the dog violently struggles to defend himself. “Once we got outside the kennel, Coco began to show his true personality once he knew I was there to help him,”says Edwardo. “Embracing his new found freedom, Coco was reborn on that day.”
Coco, a large Alano Español dog breed (Spanish Bulldog), was only 10-months old at the time of his rescue in 2020. Coco was labeled as an aggressive dog, but Edwardo Puerto, who works with aggressive dogs, brought out a playful and social side of Coco.© Alan de Herrera
Misunderstanding aggressive dog behavior
Hearing that a dog is “aggressive” or “reactive” can strike fear in people that don’t understand what’s driving these behaviors. Many of these dogs have deep-rooted traumas that cause their defensive reactions. Fear and anxiety are two of the biggest components of acting defensive.
Scared dogs are suddenly flooded with emotion. They feel unsafe, whether there’s real danger or not. Scared dogs react instinctively, guided by their primal urge to stay safe. So, at the very essence of treating aggression, you need to first find out what’s driving it.
“Give these dogs the chance they deserve,” says Edwardo. “Knowing that many dogs like Coco are alive because someone took a chance and cared enough to help them,” he adds. “For me, this is the greatest gift that life can give me.”
Legal help for aggressive dogs
In January, 2023, the Spanish Council of Ministers initiated a landmark National Animal Protection Law that identifies Spain’s pets as sentient beings, banning the sale of pets in shops, imprisoning animal abusers and converting zoos to wildlife recovery centers. The hope is to encourage a shift in citizens’ relationships with animals. In doing so, animal shelters will no longer be allowed to euthanize pets, like Coco, regardless if they are considered aggressive.
