November 2022 – It’s rabbit hunting season…or as we know it in rescue “beagle dumping season”.

Every day, hunters take out their beagle packs to hunt rabbits. When beagles can’t keep up with the pack, don’t come back at the end of a hunt or get too old/slow, they are often left behind, dumped in locations hunters believe they will be found or worse.

Too many “hunters,” beagles are tools of the hunt so when they don’t preform to expectations, they are no longer useful, thus disposable. As a southern rescue, hunting beagles are a majority of our intake. These beagles are often not socialized with humans other than to hunt, so they grow to learn humans are untrustworthy & human love is scary.

These beagles are usually fed enough to survive which leaves them hungry, so they eat their own feces to feel full. Due to horrible diet, they can be young with horrible teeth, but this is often the least of their health concerns.

Since hunting beagles live in hutches outside, they are at high risk of heartworm disease. Unfortunately, many hunters don’t provide their beagles any basic vetting or heartworm prevention leaving rescues to foot the bill for costly & painful treatments.

Within a 30 miles radius of the HERO House, 9 beagles have been found in the last 72 hours. We have to prioritize pups based on which are most urgent & less likely to receive full vet care (some shelters don’t have the funds to spay/neuter).

If your have ever thought about fostering & owning a beagle, this is the time! FOSTER. ADOPT. SAVE A LIFE!