Dozens More Rescue Beagles Up For Adoption In Salem

SALEM, MA — Another batch of beagles is up for forever home adoption as part of the 4,000 dogs rescued from the Envigo research facility in Virginia last month.

Some of the dogs were brought to the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem a month after nearly 100 beagles were moved from Virginia to Massachusetts after they were discovered "underfed, ill and injured" at the research facility.

"We're one of the first shelters in the country to be called each and every time there is a need like this," said Mike Kieley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA-Angell, which has a partnership with the Salem shelter to transport pets from areas where shelters are overflowing to places like Massachusetts where the demand for dog and cat adoption remains high.

The MPSCA said in June that the dogs were living in confined and unsanitary conditions with little to no socialization. Two of the dogs were also pregnant at the time of the rescue and have since given birth — so that group included 13 newborn puppies that will be adopted out as well.

A handful of the beagle puppies have profiles up on the Northeast Animal Shelter website. They are all listed as being two months old.

About 55 new beagles are available at MSPCA-connected shelters statewide.

Because they were found crowded in the research facility, the dogs have not been house trained and may not have been walked on a leash at any time in their lives.

"Due to the circumstances this dog came from there are other things that may be a struggle initially, these things may include sounds in the home like a TV, walking through doorways and other scenarios that are more typical to dogs that were raised in a more traditional environment," the puppy descriptions state. "All of these challenges are likely to be able to be overcome in the first weeks to months in the home.

"Like many puppies, they're pretty typical, social and goofy pups who will thrive with proper socialization, training, a little patience and love."

The MSPCA and Northeast Animal Shelter had cut off inquiries into the first batch of beagles when more than 800 adoption requests came in for the 100 dogs. But they were being accepted again as of Friday.

Go here if you are interested in learning more about these beagles or donating to their continued care.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)