A short tirade.

[grntuscarora]

The shelter I work at has recently taken in a flood of stray beagles. I've only been a worker for just over a year, but apparently this happens every fall. We are a very rural shelter. From what I've been told, these dogs are probably kept for hunting and are dumped in the countryside by their owners when they are too old to hunt effectively anymore.

The latest addition to the shelter, whom I met today, is an elderly, graying, female beagle. She had been on her own for almost a year, frequently spotted scrounging garbage cans by folks who were unable to catch and help her. She is old and achy, probably with lyme disease---a sweet, sweet lady who deserves so much better than she has received.

I will not express an opinion on hunting. It is a common and accepted practice where I live. I've come to terms with that.

BUT, the hunters that DISCARD their beagles like USED TISSUES when they get too old to hunt INFURIATE me. What is wrong with these people??

Thanks for giving me a place to vent.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. Vent away.

I am infuriated too, and I haven't even met any of these sweet dogs. I wish there was a way to prosecute people who do this.

[Hoyt]

2. That's pretty low, but not a big surprise.

[Tien1985]

3. What is wrong with people?

Poor puppy

[Sunlei]

4. There are a lot of beagles in the animal shelters & you're right some may be dumped.

Or even lost during whatever pack hunts people have in your area of the country. In Florida it's coon hounds always showing up in animal shelters. In Texas a lot of brindle 'hog dogs' in rural animal shelters.

It's to bad people don't microchip every dog. Sure would help connect dog to owner.


As a breed beagles tend to wander very far when they get out of their yard, so do most hounds. I have 3 friends with beagles as pets. All the dogs came from shelters. They were strays. Unneutered males, found stray and all very sweet as house pets. But they still will wander if given the chance and 2 of them are excellent fence climbers. They have to take extra care to watch them.

[IrishAyes]

5. Sub-human, that's what people are who abandon animals.

[Walk away]

6. Here in the burbs these poor Beagles get dumped from cosmetic and...

pharmaceutical testing labs. Most place euthanize them but many show up in shelters. They are all terrified of being out doors and even out of their crates and they have tattooed numbers in their ears or bellies. Many have vision problems from eye testing. They have virtually been tortured all of their lives.
When they are given a chance in a quiet and understanding home, they make fantastic pets.

[Auntie Bush]

7. That's sooo sad!

Yes, they should all be chipped and traced back to their owners...who will be heavily fined for abandoning their dogs after they have lost their usefulness. The same goes for chimpanzees, fighting dogs, racing dogs, and all other animals. Bless all their poor little souls.

[douglas9]

8. Beagle Freedom Project

http://www.beaglefreedomproject.org/about