OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Harbor Humane Society in Ottawa County will be helping some of the beagles rescued from a breeding and research facility in Virginia.
It’s a story that made national headlines about 4,000 dogs saved from a facility where numerous animal welfare violations were found.
Now, the beagles are being sent to shelters across the country.
Last week, we reported that the Humane Society of West Michigan is expecting 25 beagles and we learned Harbor Humane is getting 10.
“We really feel compelled to help no matter what the originating zip code is, these dogs definitely deserve a chance. And, the hope is, you know, bringing them to our shelter or raises awareness about our shelter in general and adoption,” Jennifer Self-Aulgur Executive Director of Harbor Humane Society, said.
Staff say a lot of people are interested in these beagles but it’s important to remember that they won’t be available for adoption right away.
They need time to decompress, learn how to be dogs and trust humans again.
“These dogs, they don't know how to walk on a leash, they've never experienced grass, they've never really experienced being outside and being free. So, they tend to be a little bit shy and a little bit withdrawn. And so, it's going to take a special type of person to be able to get them to trust humans,” Self-Aulgur said.
The shelter needs donations from the community in the form of food, toys, treats, blankets and cleaning supplies.
Plus, they're always looking for more foster families so the shelter can help save more lives.
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