Freegle News

Apologies for the lapse in posting news, but it's for a very good reason. Last Thanksgiving, Beagle Freedom Project rescued 40 beagles from an animal testing laboratory in Spain. The lab was going out of business and 72 dogs were about to be killed. Local activists were able to find homes throughout Europe for 32 of them, and the 40 who remained traveled to Los Angeles (where they were shortly followed by 3 more beagles who had been living in a kennel awaiting homes after being released by a university laboratory).

Evolotus was able to secure major media for this rescue, and after fostering eight (!) beagles in our own home, we adopted Frederick and Douglass, named after the abolitionist and former slave.

Interestingly enough many news outlets linked to an older video from our June rescue, which then got more than three million views on YouTube. Here is some of the news coverage about the Thanksgiving rescue.

NBC Nightly News (this also aired on the Today Show)
CBS News
Los Angeles Daily News
Huffington Post
Time Magazine
Inside Edition
NBC Los Angeles
NBC Nonstop News
ABC Los Angeles
Torrance Daily Breeze

Honestly there was such an outpouring of media and support, it was overwhelming - there were too many articles to list, and so many wonderful things happening, from the Ellen DeGeneres show tweeting about the rescue to the strong support of the local yoga community including dear Kathryn Budig, a world-class teacher based here in Los Angeles, as well as other yogis who put together fundraising classes and products such as ToeSox yoga socks.

Another exciting development for Beagle Freedom Project was that fashion designer James Perse heard about the rescue, reached out to help, and then installed window displays in all his stores promoting Beagle Freedom Project. He also made a limited-edition t-shirt that raised funds for us - I'd link to it, but they sold out quickly. Friends in New York, Las Vegas, and all over Los Angeles saw the striking displays that told the story of the rescue. (At the time James developed the concept and design, we were expecting 41 dogs from Spain, but at the last minute our Spanish contacts were able to place one more in a home there.)

James Perse store, Beverly Hills, Calif.

In one of my favorite features on our growing beagle family, Darwin's dad Richard told The Advocate, "To the team of people dedicated to stopping such cruel acts on animals, I can't thank them enough for enriching my life with the knowledge that I can be a part of this movement and for knowing that Darwin and other animals around the world will have a chance of being who they were born to be."

As an example of how media inspires more media, the photo spread of our LGBT adopters was so touching, our friends Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer discussed the intersection of gay rights and animal rights in this very personal Our Hen House article. Freddie and Douglass were excited to meet them on their last trip to California, and the article on their site features our adorable Douggie.

It's been five months since the rescue, and today, Freddie and Douglass are happy healthy dogs who enjoy going on walks, napping, belly rubs, eating cookies, playing with squeaky toys, and chewing on sticks. Freddie is incredibly affectionate but still nervous around new people. Douglass is very calm, easygoing, and social with guests. Wherever we go, people remember their story. They are ambassadors for cruelty-free living who are making a difference in the world. 

As I write, two of their wonderful beagle brothers are looking for new homes. To foster or adopt, please visit the Beagle Freedom Project website for the applications.