Ottawa family adopts two beagles from among 4,000 destined for drug experiments
An Ottawa family has adopted two beagles that were among thousands freed from a facility in Virginia that was breeding them so they could be sold for drug experiments.
Animal rescue agencies in the U.S. have been looking for homes for the dogs, who the U.S. Humane Society said lived—and in some cases died—in deplorable, inhumane conditions.
Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA’s “Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron”, Michael Frame said he learned about the plight of the dogs from a news report.
“It came up about mid-July on our social media,” Frame said. “We have an old family beagle here and it became a topic at the dinner table about how awful this story was. Then, as we read more and more articles, the conversation became maybe we should adopt one.”
Frame said he wasn’t sure if any of the American agencies would allow a Canadian to adopt one of the dogs or if the Canada Border Services Agency would allow it into the country. He spoke to several rescue agencies before finding one that would adopt to a Canadian family.
The Northeast Animal Shelter said to come down on a Wednesday to get a dog. They ended up coming home with two.
“We hopped in the car Tuesday morning and drove down to Salem, Massachusetts,” he said. “We were in the facility … and they brought this fuzzy little puppy, two months old, and my wife was elbowing me saying, ‘Ask them for another one,’ and without hesitation they gave us another.”
He said the dogs are happy to be together, but suffer from resourcing hoarding habits because of the environment from which they were rescued. Overall, though, Frame says his two puppies—Wendel and Sydney—are in good health.
“They did tell us that they’re going to have dogs up to seven years old from that facility, and there’s a lot of them,” he said. “Though, we did have to agree that we might have one with some medical issues, which we were okay with, just to get them out of where they were.”
The puppies are already warming up to the family, Frame said.
“I have three teenage boys. Any time one of them comes home, or my wife comes home, or myself, they’re all excited and come running. It warms your heart to see them come running down the hall,” he said.
Their older dog, Jake, was a bit reticent at first, but he’s warming up to the new activity.
“The first couple of days he was very much like, ‘Who are these things and why are they in my house?’ but he’s the most gentle, docile dog I’ve ever met. He’s adapting slowly. He’s 13, so he’s used to things the way he likes them.”
Frame said he and his family wanted to do something good for these dogs.
“We weren’t really ready to bring another dog into the house until we saw that and thought maybe we could do some good,” he said. “Four thousand dogs? That’s a lot of dogs. If we can take two, at least we’re doing our little part.”
The U.S. Humane Society has a list of partner agencies working to help find homes for the beagles. A list is on the Humane Society’s website.
However, Frame said it wasn’t easy to find a group that would let a Canadian family adopt.
“It was a little bit frustrating because a lot of them wouldn’t take our application and we were pretty early in the process,” he said.
The two puppies in Ottawa are now experiencing a world of discoveries.
“It is entertaining to see them experience something new because everything is new,” Frame said. “This morning, I was watering the plants and some water splashed on one of them and he kind of panicked and jumped around because he’s never been wet.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.