It’s a Freedom Ride! The Beagles are Coming!

A team from “National Mill Dog Rescue” is making its way across the country with 42 dogs and puppies….including 31 Beagles from a large commercial breeding operation in the central United States. They are expected to arrive in San Diego on Monday morning at 10:00 am then be delivered to “placement partners” including your Rancho Coastal Humane Society (RCHS) in Encinitas and Four Paws Coonhound Rescue and Friends based in El Cajon. The first of these refugees are expected to be available for adoption in two weeks.

RCHS spokesman John Van Zante says, “National Mill Dog Rescue calls them ‘Discarded Mill Dogs.’ The adults have been used for commercial breeding. The breeders produce as many puppies as they can. When the market becomes saturated they switch to different breeds. Every day they continue to provide care for the previous breed is an unwanted business expense, so they get rid of them one way or another.”

The dogs left the commercial breeders on Friday and were taken to a new location for the night. They were scheduled to begin their journey across the United States on Saturday afternoon.

Van Zante says, “Most of these dogs and puppies are males. The pups range from four to eight months of age. The adults go up to ten years. None of them had received any vaccinations, so they got their first round of shots before beginning the trip to California. When they get here they will have complete medical exams and they’ll all be spayed or neutered before they can go to their new homes.”

The public can submit adoption applications at any time. Interested families can meet with adoption counselors to discuss whether a Beagle is a good match for them.

“Four Paws Coonhound Rescue and your Rancho Coastal Humane Society have worked together many times in the past,” says Van Zante. “This is our first experience with National Mill Dog Rescue. It opens the door to save the lives of purebred dogs that might not have survived if we hadn’t taken them. We believe that no animal should die because it was born in the wrong state.”

For more information about pets available for adoption or to make a donation to help cover medical expenses:
* Visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza Street in Encinitas, call 760-753-6413, or log on to www.sdpets.org
* Log on to www.fourpawsrescue.org or call 619-851-1129.