Beagles going homeless after hunting season, spike in house pet surrenders
There's little rest this summer for Beagle Paws, the volunteer-run St. John's group that scrambles after every hunting season to find homes for neglected, abandoned or surrendered beagles.
This year, there is an extra strain on the service.
Many of the new requests are for house pets being given up by their owners.
"We're getting a lot of people moving. We are getting some behavioural issues which creates a big challenge for our organization," said Sheila Lewis, who started Beagle Paws in 2003.
"What we're finding is a lot of people are getting puppies and they're not socializing them properly. There's a lot to raising a puppy."
Lewis said many of these so-called "bad dogs" didn't have to end up that way.
"Dog ownership is more than providing food and water. It is important that all dogs get proper stimulation and socializing right from the start and it should continue throughout their life."
If not, Lewis said dogs can develop fears and anxieties because they are unable to cope with new situations or changes in the household, and that's when different behavioural issues can begin.
Fourteen dogs have come into the group's care in the last two weeks, double the usual number. Half are hunting dogs, while the rest are surrendered house pets.
That has left Beagle Paws scrambling to find foster homes during the height of summer, when many regular volunteers are unavailable due to vacations, and boarding kennels are full.
Stretched to the limit
"Right now it's damage control, I guess. Trying to get the dogs placed because we know we will [eventually] find homes for them, so we don't want anyone to be at the risk of being euthanized. We're doing the best we can at this point."
The group doesn't have a shelter, just a small space where five or six animals can be housed temporarily. The goal is to get them into foster homes as quickly as possible.
"Many of our dogs have never lived in a home before. So, this gives them the opportunity to get used to a family environment, a home environment, a routine, and then we get to know more about the dog when we are trying to match them for adoption."
Applications to foster a dog are available on the Beagle Paws website, and Lewis said they provide food and other supplies for the dogs, and cover the cost of vet bills.
"It's our job to find the dog the permanent home, and the foster mom or dad to look after the dog while we do that."
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