Over the past few years, HBHR has seen our donations decrease while at the same time, there has been a steady increase in the number of beagles needing help. Adoptions have also not increased as fast as our intake of beagles. In addition, we have lost some of our reliable foster homes. We are currently paying thousands more each month for care of these dogs than we have in donations coming in. We have been fortunate to have many loyal supporters, but this is not a sustainable situation in the long term. Many of the beagles coming in have had medical/behavioral problems that make quick adoption nearly impossible. We are currently supporting almost 20 beagles whose annual care is $400-$500. You may ask why we have taken in dogs that end up being unadoptable or at least requires long term intervention before adoption. Unfortunately, we can’t always evaluate the special needs of these dogs before admission due to the emergency situation they are in, or their behavioral problems don’t show up until later. We will be featuring one of these long-term fosters each week and asking for people to step up and sponsor the beagle for a year. Every dollar helps so if you can sponsor one of these dogs, please click on the Donate Now button. Be sure to leave instructions telling us which beagle your donation is supporting by clicking on the pen icon!
Hope is a 12-year-old who has severe heart disease from living with heart worms for too many years. With medication, she lives life to the fullest. Hope, better known in her foster home as Peanut, came to us as a shy little Beagle who wanted nothing to do with people. If the humans tried to pet her, she would slip away. If they were loving on the other dogs, she would squeeze herself into the group and accept pets, as long as she could stay somewhat invisible. For nearly a year, she co-existed with the humans but clearly loved being part of the pack.
Then one day, she surprised them by walking right up to her foster dad…no other dogs around…and asking for attention. He scooped her onto his lap and rubbed her belly. She was stiff at first and gave him the classic side-eye, but after a few minutes she relaxed and enjoyed every second. While she still mostly prefers to be loved on alongside the pack, every once in a while, she asks for personal attention. Those moments feel so special!
Like a true Beagle, Peanut loves mealtime. She does her little “front-paw hop dance” every time the bowls come out. She also has her routines down. When she sees sneakers going on after morning coffee, she starts hooting alongside the other dogs to let everyone know it’s time for a walk. She refuses to walk alone! When she’s with her pack, though, she’s in her glory. Her foster dad leads with the other dogs, and her foster mom follows with Peanut. She’ll stop everyone for a good sniff break, but when she’s finished, there’s no waiting around. She will run to catch up with her foster dad and the rest of the pack, her ears flopping with joy. At night, Peanut turns into a bed hog. She doesn’t spread out but insists on always touching her humans. Most often, she curls into the crook of her human’s legs, taking sweet comfort in knowing she is loved, safe, and part of this pack!
Hope napping
Hope Howling
