The start of a new life

Thanksgiving for my husband and I began like many times years before. While eating our food a friend of ours began telling us about this non-profit they started working with, Beagle Freedom Project. The non-profit had just taken in, the night before, 40 beagles that were rescued from a guy in Spain.

These beagles were the property of an animal testing lab that had gone out of business and were scheduled to be euthanized. Read more about their story here.

They needed foster parents and we both realized that we had to help. S. and I have fostered animals before so we knew the risks ahead. We filled out our app and were approved. Today we picked up our pup.

The cliche that a pet choses you, you don't chose the pet couldn't have been more true. Beagle #1 of 40 told us that we were to be his foster parents.

Leaving the rescue site was a shock. We had to carry Beagle #1 out as he had no idea how to walk on a leash. Driving home was an incredibly anxious ride for our Beagle and it was a major realization that everything my dogs know as normal is new and scary to Beagle #1. He only knew a crate, humans via testing, and whatever food and water they gave him - that's it.

On our way home, S. started calling Beagle #1, "Uno" and although I tried to fight it, I really liked his suggestion.

Once we got home, Uno made himself at home. He was sniffing everything and made sure to continuously check in with S. and I. We had our first in-home accident and the cats didn't really have the reaction I thought they'd have, which was better than I thought.