Shelter Seeks Homes for Mistreated Beagles

This article has been shared from: http://salem-nh.patch.com/

Some of the dogs will be available for adoption on Saturday.
By Marc Fortier  March 20, 2012

The 22 beagles removed from a Haverhill Road property on Friday are now officially in the custody of the Salem Animal Rescue League, and some will be available for adoption as soon as this weekend.

Salem Police seized the dogs Friday after they were found packed into rabbit cages, covered in their own feces and urine, without access to water. The owners are expected to face animal cruelty charges.


Patricia Mack, SARL's development project coordinator, said the town released the beagles into the custody of the animal shelter this morning. The dogs range in age from 7 months to 7 years, and most of them are females.


Amazingly, she said the dogs are in decent shape, but they all had worms, ticks and ear mites, and are still being tested for Giardia. They've all been started on medication, and she said some will be available for adoption as early as Saturday.


"I would say the conditions were not good, but the animals overall appear healthy," Mack said. "Their temperaments are fantastic."


Between 5 to 7 of the beagles will eventually be sent to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, where they will also be put up for adoption.


Anyone interested in adopting one of the beagles should go to SARL's website at www.sarl-nh.org and fill out an online application, Mack said. She asked that people be as specific as possible when filling out the application. People can also stop by the shelter, at 4 SARL Drive in Salem, during its regular hours on Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m.


But Mack also urged people to consider both the difficulty of owning a beagle and the difficulty of owning dogs that have lived their entire lives in cages.


"It really is important that people realize these are beagles who have had no training whatsoever," she said. "Not to discourage, but someone who just thinks, 'I'll provide a good home for one of these guys' has to understand they have literally lived in a rabbit hutch their entire life. They have no social skills whatsoever. These guys have nothing, so it's going to be a little bit difficult. It's got to be someone who's got a commitment. It's going to take a while.


"If they've never owned a beagle before, they need to go online and study their personalities. It's not a match for everybody."


Donations can be made on the website or in person at the shelter! I've also attached a link to our wishlist if people are able to donate any items. Thanks so much, they are very much in need with all new arrivals. http://sarl-nh.org/get-involved/wishlist.html