Everyone is complaining about Punxsutawney Phil giving the wrong prediction about spring because it did not come early.  Yesterday we received our own sign of spring.  Everyone knows that tulips are a symbol of spring and we were fortunate to get our own Tulip.  Someone posted on our Facebook page about a little beagle mix in Baltimore in need of a rescue.  She has a really bad eye that needs to be removed.  Dogs like this little Tulip are the reason for our rescue.  I contacted the shelter that had her, Myra sent our paperwork and we were approved to pull her.  In the mean time Shannon made a Vet appointment for her for today.  Sandy, the lady that posted her, offered to meet me halfway.  Her and her husband pulled Tulip from the shelter and met me halfway between Baltimore and Norfolk.  I can not tell you what a privilege it was to meet these two.  The weather was cold, rainy and there was snow mixed in, but they thought nothing of driving three hours to bring Tulip to me so she could be safe and get the medical attention she so badly needs.  They had bought Tulip a collar, leash, toys and a bag of food.  People like them give me such hope for us as human beings.  On top of all this they gave me a generous donation for Tulips medical bills.  They told me that last year they had lost their beloved dog, what a wonderful and touching way to honor his memory and the love they obviously have for him.  Now that Tulip is with Bay Beagle Rescue, she will get all that she needs to be healthy and comfortable and hopefully one day find her perfect forever home.  
We are all happy to have our own sign of spring, tiny Tulip.

Fostering a rescued animal is an awesome experience.  You are able to discover their personality and help them learn the rules and benefits of being a family pet.  Often the animals you bring into your home have never known human love and affection.  Many have been abused in some way or another, some were family pets given up for one reason or another and have been lonely and scared in the shelter. Having rescued many beagles, I am still amazed at how quickly the dogs I have brought into my home have overcome their past and learned to trust my family, my other pets and enjoy the moment. There is a popular pet trainer on TV that says dogs live in the moment, and I have to agree with him.  There is a potential pitfall to fostering, you could become what we call a " foster failure".  I am happy to say that I have become that many times, sometimes the bond you form with certain pets becomes too strong to break and they become your beloved pet.  I am always happy when the pets I have fostered find wonderful loving homes, and it is a wonderful feeling to know that you were a part of that.

Technology is constantly evolving and this presents us with the opportunity to know what is happening all over the world instantaneously. To me this is both good and bad.  It seems that we are becoming hardened to the flood of crime and violence that is presented to us on a daily basis.   Things that would have horrified us only a few years ago, are becoming just everyday news.  Personally,  I seek out the stories about the good things in this world, people that overcome difficulties to achieve their dreams.  Those stories of the kindness and generosity of strangers. Being involved in a rescue affords us the opportunity to witness some of these things firsthand.  The volunteers that run our group give of their personal time and money without a second thought.  We see  complete strangers wishing us well on Facebook, going to our website and reading about our dogs and sending donations, their hard earned money, to help us help these dogs.  I am certain some people have a favorite rescued dog, and while they are unable to foster or adopt they take the time to send a donation so we can continue our work. We even have people from other areas of the country offering their skills to help us promote our cause.  All of this gives me hope that the innate kindness I firmly believe in, is alive and well.

Just as life has it's ups and downs, so does a rescue.  Recently we were able to pull an older beagle girl from the shelter.  She had been turned in by her owner, who apparently kept her in the yard her entire life.  The excuse was that she had started barking.  Ruby, AKA Speck, is a tiny beagle girl, never spayed, probably bred several times and left alone in someones backyard her whole life.  Her immediate apparent needs were food, a bath and dental attention.  Myra took her home, bathed her, fed her soft food and put her in a warm bed.  She wakes up in the middle of the night crying and Myra picks her up and comforts her.  Holding her is a wonderful experience, she is quiet in your arms and although we really have no way of knowing, you can feel that she appreciates your warmth and kindness.  Ruby went to the vet today and we were told that she is 13 or 14 and aside from her severe dental issues, she has bordatella and several mammary tumors that should be removed and biopsied.  The vet said that she is a hospice rescue.  We will make sure she gets all the medical attention she needs to be comfortable and she will live a safe and happy life with Myra.  We will be there for her, whatever she may need.
Although we started our rescue to help dogs like Ruby, we are always heartbroken when we find that all that we want for them is not possible.  But we have accomplished something, Ruby will not die alone in a shelter.

There are nine of us working this new rescue.  Each of us have totally different lives, but the love of these beagles and the need to help them, to better their lives, is a common force that brought us together.  It helps us work through the day to day issues that are common with a rescue group.  It's not always easy, since we mostly communicate through email.  But the important issues get sorted out quicker than one might think.  The decision to rescue a dog can be done in a matter of minutes.

Bay Beagle Rescue was started from the desire to rescue those dogs that are overlooked because of age or medical needs.  All of us have experienced the joys of helping these dogs and we felt there was a need for a rescue with that mission.  We also believe that others share our mission and would be willing to contribute in many ways to save these dogs.

The purpose of this blog is so each of us that care for these dogs, while working to better their health and get them ready for forever homes, can share our experiences.  Each and every dog is unique and we hope to help others better understand life with a beagle.  So we hope you will join us on our path and share the trials and tribulations along the way.

In the Beginning

We are a small beagle rescue organization located in southeast Virginia. This is the start of a new adventure and we wanted to document all the trials and errors that come along with it.