Annette Marchioli first took Gracie home, a 4-year old Beagle rescue from Envigo’s breeding farm. She was shaking and shedding a lot of hair.
On seeing Gracie for the first time, Marchioli remarked, “She looked so pitiful and puny. Tommy DeSanto, Richmond SPCA’s animal control officer, was holding Gracie in his arms. She was so small and timid. Her tail would not come out from between her legs.”
But with the aid of her new beagle brother Rocky and in only a few short days at her new family’s residence in Henrico County’s Lakeside neighborhood, Gracie has developed “leaps and bounds,” according to Marchioli.
“I assumed it would take her years to adjust, yet we saw her tail come out from between her legs in just a few days. She wags her tail. She’s incredibly warm and loving. She is the best cuddler,” according to Marchioli.
Gracie and 4,000 other beagles were rescued from overcrowded, filthy conditions at the Envigo breeding center in Cumberland County, July.
Envigo dubbed a “house of horrors,” kept thousands of beagles in appalling conditions. According to authorities, they were kept in filthy conditions, fed moldy food and suffered from untreated medical issues. They spent their entire lives in chains, never getting out of their cages. Some beagles were killed, while others were left to die.
Envigo, however, consented in an “unprecedented case” to release 4,000 beagles from the facility and cease operations. The Humane Society of the United States is working with shelters across the country to place dogs or puppies for adoption. The U.S. government was quick to move the dogs to them.
Numerous organizations in Richmond have Envigo Beagles, including the Richmond SPCA, Richmond Animal Care and Control, Powhatan County Animal Control, Fredericksburg Regional SPCA, and Green Dogs Unleashed.
Richmond Animal Care and Control has received 84 beagles to date. As of August 31, there were still 41 dogs. Moms and puppies remain in foster care while they wait for the right time to adopt them. This usually takes around eight weeks.
“A lot of the puppies we received in July were just a day old,” according to Robin Young, a RACC spokesman. Young recommends that the puppies be weaned, immunized and scheduled for spaying/neutering after they reach eight weeks.
RACC stated that when canines are available for adopt, RACC would post pictures and information about how you can apply to social media.
Homeward Trails was the rescue with headquarters in Alexandria that received approximately 500 beagles from Envigo.
“The first night after we announced we’d have some of the beagles, I woke up to over 1,000 emails. This continued for three more weeks. I was getting emails from people as far away as Australia and Puerto Rico wanting to adopt these dogs,” said Sue Bell, executive director for the shelter.
Bell stated that mature beagles can be shy and hesitant at first but quickly adapt, much like Annette Marchioli with Gracie and Ron Stilwell with Gracie.
“The most rewarding thing is to watch them put their feet on grass for the first time — watching their little brains start to process, put their noses to the ground and run. They were running like deer and jumping like they could. They had never done it before,” Bell said.
The canines received their first baths and a “spa day” from Homeward Trails. After that, they invited volunteers to watch “Homeward Bound” with them while they cuddled up to the beagles on their brand-new beds during a Netflix night.
“I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and it was one of the best nights of my life,” Bell remarked.
She estimated that each beagle would have cost Envigo $1,000 to get ready for adoption. These fees include shots, spaying/neutering, heartworm medication and medical care.
“The dogs came to us with horrific teeth. Every dog required dental cleaning or extraction, which runs $300 to $800,” according to Bell. Adoption ads for each of these beagles have been posted since then.
Older beagles may have difficulty with housebreaking, walking on leashes, and climbing stairs. Shelters advise first-time homebuyers patience.
“We still have some issues with Gracie. She seems to be really worried about food: getting it and protecting it,” according to Marchioli. “She still has accidents in the house, but we’ve only had her for two weeks. The positives so outweigh anything else.”
Christi Hast and her husband, Justin, expanded their “pack” of three rescue beagles and hound dogs by adopting a 3-year-old beagle called Dita from the Richmond SPCA.
“She’s an amazing dog, very happy and fun, so easygoing, really sweet and snuggly. She’s super confident, not shy at all,” observed Christi Hast. Dita has a six-letter serial number in green tattooed inside one of her ears. This is just like the Envigo adult canines.
“I know a lot of people want the puppies, but I think it’s important not to forget the mama dogs. They’re wonderful, sweet pets,” Christi Hast said.
She and her husband own a large home in Gum Spring (Goochland County), where their dogs have lots of room to run and play. She remarked, “I think having the other dogs around has helped her blossom”.
“This is truly an unprecedented case and one of the largest dog rescue efforts ever coordinated,” Bell said. “To know that these dogs will get to have the lives they deserve and not languish in cages for the rest of their lives is just so rewarding.”
The fact that more people are becoming aware of beagles’ employment in medical research is another plus. According to the Los Angeles Times Envigo, which produces around 25% of the breed, is the second-largest beagle breeder in America.
“I’ve had so many people tell me they didn’t know that beagles were used for medical research,” Bell said. “We’re hoping to harness this momentum and educate the public.”
There is still a lot to be done for Envigo beagles. Richmond shelters and rescue dogs like Hast encourage potential pet owners to consider adopting one of the many thousands of dogs there.
“Many thousands more dogs find themselves homeless for any other number of unrelated reasons but are nevertheless in need of good homes,” said Tamsen Kingry, CEO of the Richmond SPCA. “Visiting a shelter or rescue in search of your next pet is always the best decision you can make.”
