Casper the Laboratory Beagle: An Adoption Success Story

It was only about five years ago when I learned that over 70,000 beagles were tested annually. When I thought about animal testing, I had always envisioned mice, lab, rats and rabbits. Not that those poor animals don’t suffer just as much as the others, but it never occurred to me that our beloved household pets, such as dogs and cats, were also common victims in the animal testing industry. My heart sank, especially when reading that beagles are the most commonly used breed because they’re the most docile and gentle.

My husband and I had lost our rescued beagle a year prior; we had 11 years with him and wished we could have had more. He was the one who changed it all for me — because of him, I would always choose rescue pets in the future. As I continued to research information on laboratory animals, I came across an organization called Beagle Freedom Project that rescues them from laboratory life. The typical protocol for labs is to euthanize animals once testing is finished. Beagle Freedom Project wants to give them the chance at a happy life.

Beagle Freedom Project

Beagle Freedom Project rescues nationwide and is always in need of fosters and adopters. I quickly signed up to foster a laboratory beagle. I felt the need to honor our first beagle and wanted nothing more than to show this dog the love that he deserved.

I was expecting a long wait since it would depend when the next rescue would take place near us. To our surprise, within three months, we received word that a rescue was taking place near us and soon we will be bringing home our foster laboratory beagle. We were so excited!

Meeting Casper

When we first met Casper, he was the laboratory beagle who stood out among the others. He had an unusual white coat that was sprinkled with beige and some dark grey down his back. The little guy was skittish, but not nearly as much as the other pups as he actually approached us. He greeted us with a wagging tail, warmth, and curiosity. Everything he told us was that he was so very ready for the world.

When we brought him home, our other dog, a red-heeler mix, happily greeted him with many sniffs. After Casper sniffed around his new home, he nervously hid under the stairs and then later, in the closet. As friendly and as ready he was for his new life, he was still scared. We decided to name him Casper.

Getting Accumulated

Beagle Freedom Project gave us some advice on what to expect from a dog who had been experimented on. They never had a name, only a number that was tattooed in their ear. They told us he would need to be potty trained and learn to walk on a leash. He might be fearful of noises and won’t know what toys are. When we brought him to his first veterinarian appointment, we learned that his vocal cords appeared to be scarred due to debarking, a regular routine they administer in laboratories. Casper’s teeth were also in bad shape due to the cheap food, lack of nutrition and testing he was subjected to during his 4 1/2 years inside the lab.

Over the first week, we discovered that the TV and music made him nervous and being outdoors overwhelmed him. He only did his business on our driveway or sidewalks, because a flat, barren surface was what he was used to. He was a total spaz when it was meal time and would dance, jump and spin for food. It took a long time to calm him down around food.

Teaching us Patience

Casper was a fast learner and was quick to potty train, thanks to his foster brother who showed him the ropes. However, if it was raining, wet, windy or if he just didn’t feel like it, he would refuse to potty and instead fall over like one of those fainting goats. We started to call this move “The Beagle Down”. At times he would hold it for several hours, refusing to go, no matter how many times we brought him out, or bribed him with treats. He was definitely a stubborn laboratory beagle.

After a couple of weeks, while using our home printer, we noticed that Casper was absolutely terrified of the sounds it made. He started to tremble and ran to hide under our stairs. Perhaps they hooked him up to a printer at the lab to read his vitals. From then on we would crank the music to drown out the sounds of the printer.

Sometime into the second week, Casper shocked us, when he let out a big bellowing, raspy, howl. He found his voice and boy was it loud! It put a smile on our faces, they didn’t get to debark this one! Casper was coming into his own.

Changing our Lives for the Better

We have officially adopted Casper into our family. He has now been living free longer than he was in the lab. We celebrated with a custom liver cake and homemade turkey stew. Our courageous boy, is no longer afraid of the outdoors, music or television. He loves long walks in the forest preserve, as much as he loves falling over, so that he can be carried. He knows what toys, a warm bed and most importantly, what a loving home is.

Because of Casper, we have met so many caring and like-minded individuals through Beagle Freedom Project. We are mindful as to what products we purchase and are doing our best to live cruelty-free. We tell Casper’s story to everyone we meet, hoping to inform others about the reality of animal testing.

Best of all, we have gotten to watch a nervous and reluctant dog transform into a loving and spunky dog!