THE BEAGLES HAVE LANDED

108 Rescued Beagles reach El Cajon animal shelter and prepare for adoption

Story & photos by Josh Stotler

August 31, 2022 (El Cajon) -- As the wheels of the Embraer Brasilia touched down on the runway of Gillespie Field at 1:43 p.m., 108 rescued beagles officially became San Diegans. The dogs, rescued from Envigo, a Virginia-based company that breeds animals for sale to scientific research & testing facilities, arrived on time and in good spirits.

This load of pooches makes up a small percentage of over 4,000 Beagles affected by the Justice Department lawsuit that sited egregious violations of the Animal Welfare Act

The San Diego Humane Society, which is heading up the logistics and care of the hounds, had more than 30 volunteers on hand to offload, transport and maneuver the dogs as they made their way from Gillespie Field to the Humane Society’s El Cajon animal shelter.

The offloading took 10 minutes from first to last dog. That is the might of the Humane Society volunteers, Humane Society law enforcement officers, I Heart Dogs and Greater Goods Charities.

Once the new arrivals were loaded up, it was a short eight-minute ride to the Humane Society facility, where veterinarians and volunteers processed each animal and prepared them for the Intake process.

Gary Weitzman, President of the San Diego Humane Society, outlined the intake process. Each beagle “will be getting their animal ID.  They are getting examined by veterinarians. They will then be brought into the meeting room for behavior consults, vaccinated and micro-chipped.”

Weitzman went on to say that each animal will be spayed or neutered and cared for by either the Humane Society Shelter or housed with one of over 40 volunteer foster families.

The first of the beagles should be ready for adoption in two weeks. If you are interested in adopting one, check the San Diego Humane Society’s website, www.SDHumane.org.

Hounds are adorable, and while the Humane Society wants to find a loving home for each of these animals, hounds are notoriously strong willed and should not be adopted on a whim. If you are committed to the change in your daily routine and building a loving relationship with a new pup, then check the Humane Society website for adoption information.

This is not the last flight of beagles coming to San Diego. Weitzman states that a flight is slated for the fall with a new batch of rescued hounds.