What To Look For In A Beagle Rescue Center
There is no national organization for animal shelters in America, let alone any monitor for Beagles rescue centers. One animal shelter will look drastically different from another. Although many animal shelters use the words “humane league” in their names, they are not affiliated with the Humane League of the United States (HLUS). You definitely do NOT want to support puppy mills by buying puppies from pet shops or Internet sites. So, how can you tell if one Beagle rescue centre is better than another?
You need to do your homework and be patient. If every large pair of brown eyes sways you, then perhaps you are better off visiting very small, specialized Beagle rescue shelters rather than a bigger, local animal shelter. Beagle information books usually don’t mention that sometimes members of their favorite breed are abandoned. The American Kennel Club (AKC) gives out only very generalized Beagle information.
The best place to start looking for a Beagle rescue center is on the Web. There is a website of a charity known as The Beagle Rescue Foundation of America, which tries to be a “one-stop shop” for you to hook up with a Beagle rescue dog. They do not do rescues, but help financially support Beagle rescue centers. They also have the most comprehensive link page of all Beagle rescue centers in America. They are not an overseeing organization of any kind.
When you contact a Beagle rescue center, you should not be pushed for any kind of commitment in money or taking a dog immediately. The shelter volunteers should quiz you extensively on your knowledge of Beagle information and dog care. The adoption process should take a couple weeks at least. Your home and your background (just for animal cruelty charges) will be checked out. Don’t take that personally.
A great Beagle rescue centers will do everything they can to be sure the dog will not return to them. This means that they will check out your home, yard, family, work schedule, and dog knowledge to be sure that you and your adoptive furry kid are compatible. Most shelter dogs are dumped not because they are bad dogs, but that they cannot get along with their people’s lifestyle or temperament.
The good news is that there are more good Beagle rescue centers than bad ones. Dog lovers stomp on the bad ones pretty quickly. The Beagle has a special place in the hearts of many people (including the late great cartoonist Charles Schultz, who based his infamous character Snoopy on a real Beagle). Beagles can often inspire the best in people – service, sacrifice and comradeship. You can bet that the rescue center will check up on you long after your adoption.
This author adores all things Beagle, and has a soft spot for the volunteer workers of America’s Beagle rescue centers. The Internet and articles like this one are just some of the leading sources of Beagle information in the United States.
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