By now, you’ve probably seen the photos of Ridglan Farms beagles playing on grass and blinking into the sunlight for the first time.
Following Ridglan Farms’ agreement to sell roughly 1,500 beagles to rescue organizations, shelters and rescues across the country are preparing to take in the dogs from the Blue Mounds breeding facility, including some in Wisconsin and Illinois.
But none of them are available for adoption in Wisconsin yet, and local shelter staff are urging patience.
Here’s what to know.
Which Wisconsin-area animal shelters will have Ridglan Farms beagles for adoption?
The Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County, known as HAWS, expects up to 20 dogs to arrive the week of May 11, according to a press release.
The Dane County Humane Society is also preparing to facilitate transfer of around 500 dogs to partner shelters and rescues soon, with roughly 50 eventually available for adoption.
The animal shelter PAWS Chicago is also taking in 25 of the beagles.
When will the beagles become available for adoption in Wisconsin?
As of May 7, none of the beagles have been made available for adoption in the Wisconsin area.
Local organizations are warning hopeful adoptive families that the dogs need an adjustment period before they can get used to being pets.
PAWS Chicago said the dogs are likely under-socialized from lives spent in isolation and will need a “thoughtful, gradual transition” into home environments.
Many have likely never walked on a leash, climbed stairs or even heard a household appliance before.
“We truly don’t know what types of issues we may be facing,” said HAWS spokesperson Jennifer Smieja.
Timelines may vary. At least one shelter in Nebraska has already started making beagles available for adoption.
How are shelters preparing the Ridglan beagles for adoption?
The animal rescue organizations say their shelter behavior teams will spend time with each beagle – evaluating how they respond to feeding, other dogs, people and everyday noises – and tailoring care to what each dog needs before clearing them for adoption.
The goal isn’t just to find the dogs a home, Smieja said – it’s to make sure they stay there.
“We always have post-adoption resources available, but we also want to set them up for success from the outset,” Smieja said.
Help by donating, fostering, or adopting another shelter dog
Although the Ridglan beagles are not ready for adoption yet, all three organizations are asking for support.
All three shelters have plenty of dogs already available now. Adopting a dog frees up space and staff to care for the incoming beagles, the shelters said.
Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ridglan Farms beagles: How and when to adopt one in Wisconsin
Reporting by Quinn Clark, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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