Beagle of the Month!

Mr. March: Our First Rescued Beagle of the Year --- Bashful!!!

HUMBLE SERVANTS: The BOB Family

Sometimes, it can be quiet on the Beagle Rescue front...we tended to our current beagles in January and February with no new homeless howlers knocking at our door...until we heard about Bash (aka Bashful) from our old friends at Clarington Pound. It was well over a decade ago we first visited this shelter when the staff asked for our help with an old hound we named Elliot! Poor boy had likely been a hunting dog that had taken to eating rocks. His teeth were so badly damaged, they all had to be removed. But ultimately, Elliot was a happy boy sharing a condo with his perma-foster-daddy. Fast forward over 10 years later and we're back to take on another possible hunting dog that didn't make the grade. But this time, our boy is just a youngster! You can learn more about Bashful by visiting his Bio under "Beagles for Adoption". In the meantime, we just thought it would be nice to not only feature Bashful as our Beagle of the Month, but pay tribute to the lovely staff at this shelter. They knew in their hearts that Bash needed specialized care to help him gain confidence and be the beagle he's meant to be. Without hesitation, they called us. The sweetest thing about them besides going above and beyond for the animals in their care? They remembered Elliot!

Beagle of the Month for September 2018: Teddy ~ In Memorial

Teddy's Family: Ellen, Wayne, Emily, Rebecca and Vincent Priceless

We've really had our share of losses lately. Teddy is among them. And so, we've decided to pay tribute to Teddy by choosing him as our Beagle of the Month. We learned of his passing just before Woofstock and we had the opportunity to hug his mom & dad at the event. There were tears but there were also smiles. Ted was pretty darn awesome. His equally awesome mom took the time she needed to put her thoughts together about Ted and this is the beautiful tribute she wrote to share with all of us…

Back in 2005, we drove from Toronto to St. Mary's with Marna to pick up a ten month old beagle-basset boy. He was a stray that was scheduled for euthanasia within days due to an overcrowded local shelter. Our ten and eight year old daughters were over the moon with him. He cried in the car leaving his temporary foster home. On the way home, we stopped to tempt him out of his sadness with a French fry or two but he would have none of it.
The days and weeks that followed slowly brought out the personality of our new family member. He would refuse treats and go on a hunger strike whenever we left him alone, but decided he had made his point and it was okay to eat them as soon as we returned. He chewed a table, completely through the lower half of a door, an Italian leather belt. He faced his fears of a desktop globe, a blue ball, and the sound of the flushing toilet. He fully severed both legs off of our daughter's new doll. He stole toys, shoes, full toilet paper rolls but most of all, he stole our daughters' hearts. At the beginning, our older daughter convinced us that he needed to sleep with her in her little single bed " just until he could settle in". Months later, we would walk by the bedroom to see her squished up at the head of the bed, and Ted (short for Teddy Bear) stretched out on the remaining three quarters.

Needless to say, he celebrated many family milestones and holidays with us. And in 2008, he reluctantly welcomed a little BOB beagle basset brother named Vincent Priceless. After a few rules set down (mostly by Ted), the two became inseparable. Ted told Vinnie when to wake us up and when to bark at potential burglars and mailmen at the door. He loved his Christmas stocking and his annual summer ice cream cone.
Sadly, on May 16th in the afternoon, on a day that started just like any other day for the boys, Ted collapsed suddenly at our cottage. We rushed him to our cottage vet to be devastated by the news that he had a ruptured spleen with a very large tumor on it and that there was nothing that could be done to save him. We held his paws and whispered in his ear how much we loved him and how a day would not go by that didn't include him in our thoughts. Needless to say, there have been many tears but we are looking forward to hopefully more smiles in his memory as time goes by. There is a hole in each of our hearts the size of the universe.

Thank you Ted for being the best dog with which a human could ever hope to share their home and heart. Thank you for the thousands of kisses, silly yoga poses, group hugs, and welcoming tail wags after a hard day at work. Thanks for training your little brother how to live with humans and for meticulously keeping his ears clean. Thank you for teaching our children empathy, compassion, and responsibility. Thank you for guarding the house and the cottage, making us laugh on a daily basis, and playing hide-and-seek. Thank you for checking that we were all safely in bed every night before you turned in yourself.
Ted, your name is from the Greek name Theodore, meaning "gift of God". You truly were a gift of God and we feel very fortunate that somehow in the craziness of fate, we ended up with you as our gift. We just hope God knows how very difficult it was for us to give you back.

Love for eternity,
Wayne, Ellen, Emily and Rebecca

Yes, we know. He doesn't look exactly like a beagle. But he was close enough. Our not-quite-beagle was found on the side of the highway after being hit by a car up near Bancroft in January 2007. HART (Highland Animal Relief Team) came to his rescue first after cottagers heading home discovered him. They rushed him to their vet to tend to a broken hind leg along with severe dehydration. Aptly named Highway found his way to a foster home with HART for his post-op recovery. But when his foster dad became ill, Highway made his way to us and eventually to his forever home with Clive & Natasha who named him Lapkin.

Emma may not have been a BOB beagle, but she made all the difference to a BOB beagle and for that we will always be grateful. It was November 2015 when we took little Ezra into our rescue from the North York branch of Toronto Animal Services. He needed an eye removed due to severe glaucoma. Dr. Peter Copeland of TAS kindly offered to do the surgery at no cost to our rescue. All we had to do was welcome the little one-eyed-beagle into our rescue family. That was made easy when new foster parents, Mark & Kelly, came along. They had a feeling their sweet beagle girl Emma would welcome him too. And she did. In fact, Emma soon became Ezra's favourite pillow.

Abby wasn't a BOB beagle either, but she was the baby of our dear friend and board member - Deanna. In the rescue biz, we have to endure the heartache of dogs abandoned by their owners on a regular basis. It never gets easy. If only every dog could experience the love that Abby experienced with Deanna and Andrew. But her people would refuse to take any credit for that. Abby was always their inspiration. Despite all her health issues, she was this powerful force of beagle positivity!

To my Matthew, my precious beautiful boy. There are no words. I'm still not quite ready for that.

BEAGLE OF THE MONTH (May 2017): Ace (In Memorial)

Devoted Humans: Tanya & Family

This is one of my favourite pictures of Ace. It shows him in his element: on the couch, with his pack, cuddled into a blanket.

Ace was the sweetest beagle ever, even though he stole food off plates (and tables and counters...), tried to battle neighbourhood raccoons, snatched my underwear out of the dirty clothes pile and displayed it for all our guests at a dinner party, and stole his Step-Dad's socks to sleep with. When it came down to it, all Ace wanted was to love his people and be loved in return. He even won over non-dog-lovers! I never understood why he was surrendered TWICE to the local shelter, but it was my gain. He greeted me at the door every day, even at the end of his spectacular life when he was fighting cancer of the spleen (and who knows where else). He always gave me hugs, no matter what. He eagerly went on walks too, exploring his neighbourhood and beyond! And when explorations were done for the day, he would relax outside with us, rolling around in the grass, always reminding us to enjoy the moment. He loved us, his kitty-brother, humans of all shapes and sizes, and more.

People say I rescued him that Hallowe'en Day back in 2012, but I wonder who really rescued whom. We miss our sweet smiling boy - life will never be the same without him.

Thank you for letting me share my story about our beautiful Ace, and for all you do for beagles just like him.

Tanya (with Greg & Mikey-Cat)

***We thought Willy Nelson perfectly captures the excitement in the air as we prepare for our 11th Annual BEAGLE BASH FOR CASH on Nov 6th!

I got a call from Kingston Humane Society several years ago asking me if I would be interested in fostering a beagle by the name of Willy Nelson. At the time, we had a foxhound named Cricket that we had adopted from KHS. Prior to that, I had adopted a 14 year old beagle named Mr Pickles! He had an enlarged heart and had been chained to a dog house for his entire life. We had Pickles living a chain-free life for 2 years & 7 months! He was a kind soul.

But back to Willy! We took Cricket to meet Willy. Willy seemed so happy to get away from the stress of shelter life and took immediately to his older brother. Cricket knew we were trying to help Willy. We brought Willy home and were to foster him until a spot opened up for him in private rescue. He didn't have to wait because we fell madly in love and kept him! We had no idea how old he was but guessed around 7. He's now around 12! He is so smart, full of love and has connected to his newly adopted sister, Tess! Cricket went to the Rainbow Bridge last July. Tess and Willy are so bonded and really take care of each other. They lick each others' heads and clean each others' ears. We love them both dearly!

Beagle of the Month: Blind Joey

His Loving Foster Mom: Diane

We just wanted to pay tribute this month to one of our most recent rescue cases, Blind Joey, and his dedicated foster mom. Joey was blind when we took him into our care. He'd been rescued from a First Nations Reservation where he'd been abandoned and left to somehow survive on his own. Little did we know his eyes were causing him chronic pain due to untreatable advanced glaucoma. And so, after consulting with an opthalmologist at VEC, we had the eyes removed. While it may be hard for our eyes to see, Joey couldn't be happier. No longer in pain and surrounded by people who love him, he is blossoming into a very happy little boy who likes to play with his toys and keep his foster mom literally on her toes by taking him on his daily beloved walks on the beach! The only thing that would make him happier? Finding his permanent family!

Mr. March: Beni O'Brien (In Memoriam)

His Mom: Blanche

His Co-Rescuers: Big on Beagles and Project Jessie, Animal Alliance (Ann & Pete Wilson)

All about Beni:

I've attached a picture of Beni......taken at the end of the summer 2015. He was never far from me at this point.......he knew he wasn't well, and he knew I was the holder of the pills. He was always reminding me of the time. I find myself still watching the clock for pill time. I just hope that people will realize, with a rescued dog (or cat).....sometimes we have to conform our lives and routines to fit theirs. Eventually they start to find their place......but it takes time.

I truly believe we were meant to have Beni in our family. When we got Beni, we had actually been looking for a "sister" for our Newfoundland dog Grace. One thing led to another and we ended up at Ann and Pete Wilson's to see another dog. That dog was on a trial adoption and the dog in the kennel would not come out of the dog house.........that was Beni. Pete asked if we wanted to meet him and I never imagined a beagle in my wildest dreams. However, we brought him home and he and Grace bonded instantly........it took almost 4 months for him to even sit with us.......and over a month to crate train him. My house is not the same without him. When we lost Grace to bone cancer in 2010, Beni could not be consoled and we had to find a breed of dog that could handle his "quirks" and "oddities"........so we got Lucy, a soft-coated Wheaten. She is missing him terribly. I do feel that Grace and Beni are together now.........for 2 weeks prior to Beni's passing, we heard a dog scratching on the storm door........we even got up to let a dog in or out but no dog was there. I just know it was Grace and she was waiting for her Beni Beagle.

We will always be grateful to Big on Beagles for getting Beni out of the Scarborough shelter and and for passing him along to Ann & Pete because those actions taken on his behalf led him to us that wonderful day back in 2004.

BLANCHE

Miss March: Sadie Friedman (In Memoriam)

Her Family: Greg & Sonya

All about Sadie:

Sadie passed away on Tuesday, February 16th. She had a six month fight with cancer. We had it treated with chemo, but then the cancer reappeared at the beginning of January after previously being in remission. It was so unfortunate. We’ll really miss her. To her, I was “Chef Daddy”, always spoiling her with gourmet food that she wanted, within reason. We would have late night snacks. I dropped pieces of food in her mouth, which she loved. Sadie also had a PHD in suckorology; she knew how to make a face that would make you feel guilty if you did not give her more food. When we learned Sadie’s cancer had come back in early January, we were told she would have about 30 days to live. I treated each meal of hers like it had to be her best meal ever. She normally slept on our bed at night too except for the last couple of months when she was too weak to get up on our bed. Even though Sadie was not always into socializing with other beagles as she was more just on the food lookout, I really will miss taking her to your Beagle Meetups.

Sonya and I adopted Sadie from a family in Mississauga when she was almost 5 years old. So many memories to cherish since that day. I especially remember when we took her to Muskoka and she raced me up a hill and won. Sonya always said that Sadie was “my daughter” and when I would come home from work, Sonya would say “Sadie, your father’s home!” Even one of our neighbor’s introduced me to her daughter as “Sadie’s Dad”. After meeting members of Big On Beagles Rescue at the Meetups and admiring what you do for the beagle community, which is so much, I just had to pass on our sad news to you as I know you would understand this loss. I’m sure I’ll see you all soon at an upcoming Meetup, even if I come without a beagle. I know I'm always welcome.

Hugs & Paws,

Greg Friedman

Winston arrived at our beagle repair shop (his foster dad turned perma dad coined that phrase for us) back in December, 2011. He bid us farewell this past June. His "dad" has been working on his tribute ever since. One cannot rush the heart. When Guy & Leanne are ready, I will be honoured to add their tribute here. For now, I will say no more but Thank You to Guy and Leanne for coming to Winnie's rescue just when we were running out of hope in finding this special boy a foster family in time for Christmas. For almost 4 years, Winston knew the meaning of love. Way better score than your average Christmas present.

This is my Amy. She's a 5 year old rescued beagle. She was born on July 1st (Canada Day!!) Well that's the date I selected based on what our Vet guessed her age was when we got her. We got her from the States. Sadly, she was a Puppy Mill Pup :(

At the time of rescue, she was emaciated and covered in sores. She also had no food manners which isn't surprising considering her life in a puppy mill where dogs often have to fight for their food or go hungry. But over time and with lots of love and training of course, she is the fabulous, bold, brave Beagle you see here before you, climbing a tree at the local park, hunting Squirrels, and loving her new life!

Rosebud came to us just before Christmas last year. She had a mouthful of painful teeth. Many needed pulling. But following her dental surgery, things started to blossom for Rosebud! First, she stayed at Sheba's Haven while recovering from surgery. As it turned out, one of the Haven's volunteers knew of a family member looking to adopt. The rest is history. Rosebud came to live with the most loving couple, Curtis and Lisa. It didn't take long for her to settle into the family either. It was impossible for Curtis and Lisa not to adore everything about their little flower child. Her favourite activity was her nightly visits to Grandma's for tea & treats! Rosebud was a very happy little girl and so was the family who loved her. Sadly, none of us have a crystal ball. None of us know when our time on this earth will end. For some reason, it was Rosebud's time back in August when both her heart and her back brought unbearable pain into her life. Try as they might, the family's veterinary team couldn't fix her. It was time to let this flower spread her beauty beyond the clouds. That's one garden that's more beautiful than ever imaginable, even for heaven, thanks to Rosebud.

Forever loved by: Damion Saliani, Irene Kozyrakis and Queen B
Here's what they had to say about their Rufus in a letter to BOB Founder, Marna ~

You met our beautiful amber-eyed boy about 3 years ago at 2 meet ups.

Several years before that, in 2008, I reached out to you and you helped me cope during the loss of our first beagle, Kayla. She did not make it to a meet up.
Rufus was not very social at the meet ups and perimeter-surfed in Mississauga looking for an escape. He always hated confinement and certain dogs triggered a negative response in him especially on leash.
Rufus was a TAS North rescue. He had been there for 7 months before he came home. He was estimated at 6 or 7 years of age.
Rufus had GI issues (likely kidney disease) which we managed with homecooking.
We clicker trained him with ground beef and he learned to do things without food reward.
Rufus was SMART, gentle, loving. He wore his heart on his “sleeve”
It took time (almost one year to wag his tail and earn trust) but when it happened, the angels sang in heaven.
Rufus was a brat and we loved him for it.
He was also respectful. Always.
Rufus, our beautiful amber-eyed boy, was with us for 3 years.

Then in April of this year, after his routine physical revealed an infection in bladder/kidneys, things started to spiral out of control.
Within 10 days, he was in rough shape. Cancer diagnosis. Turned out to be tonsilar cancer and it had spread.
2 surgeries. He could never get one paw forward after those. Always 2 back.
His prognosis was supposed to be good but Rufus could not tolerate cancer meds or antibiotics. His body could not cope or recover.
We were told if not kidney disease then cancer would eventually find him.
It was the cancer in the end. No amount of $ or praying or diet or holistics could help.

Our boy who changed our world...well, we had to let him go. To be at peace and rest eternal.
His absence is profound.

If it was not for Rufus, B would not be here. (B is our Treeing Walker Coonhound rescue from Gentle Jake’s)
Rufus had separation anxiety and when we were on our walks, he always pulled and gravitated to hounds. Always hounds. You could feel him relax and enjoy with hounds.
We knew he needed a hound in his life. Female, stable, slightly younger and good with dogs.
And there was B.
B did wonders for him and protected him like a mama during his last 3 months. Mama B.
Rufus did wonders for B too. Especially her confidence in facing the world outside, meeting people and getting past so many of her fears. It was all Rufus.
Rufus was and is our beloved.
We love hounds and we love beagles.
We would be honoured on his behalf if you paid tribute to him.

Thank you Marna for all you do, for the beagles who cannot speak . You are their champion.
And thank you for thinking of our family.

We made a donation to the homeless howlers in Rufus’ memory. Paying it forward. So that good may continue to happen, to the hounds that Rufus loved (and us too, once bitten...)

Damion Saliani, Irene Kozyrakis and Queen B

Forever loved by: Liann & Matt
Here's what they had to say about their Chester ~

On Friday June 26th, BYOB Members Liann & Matt lost their beloved beagle Chester to cancer.

Many of you may remember the 3-legged wonder dog from our meetups. Here are a few beautiful words from his "mom" to tell us more about her special boy...

Chester was such beautiful boy. He was your typical beagle mix, always getting into shenanigans and causing trouble but we wouldn't have changed it for the world. We were immediately put to the test when we adopted him. Not knowing us just yet, he decided to run away and pick a fight with a train! Chester lived the next 5 years of his life with one less leg but not an ounce of lost spirit. He was such an amazing dog and we miss him every day. We are currently living by the quote "don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened".

Thank you to everyone in this group who has shown us so much support. It is wonderful to know there are great people in the world who love animals like we do!

- Liann, Matt, and Myra (Chester's tabby sister)

Liann and Matt, our hearts are with you right now. Just like the great quote you shared with us above, we know your tears will gradually be replaced with smiles whenever you think of Chester and all that made him so very special and perfectly scrumptious. We'll be thinking of Chester too and how for a little while he brightened up our world with his beautiful spirit. Heaven is brighter now thanks to Chester.

Beagle of the Month: Merlin Emrys (but he will respond to just Merlin or variations of same - probably "dinnertime" would work too)

Merlin loves to eat EVERYTHING, including the odd pair of shoes or decorative throw pillow!

But he's ever so sophisticated too. He especially enjoys listening to the piano!

He is a very curious sort, energetic, cute (obviously cute) and intelligent (obviously)!

BEAGLE OF THE MONTH: BOB Grad, Russell

Devoted Human Servants: John & Laura

A little bit about our Beautiful April Fool...

If ever there was a rags to riches story, Russell is it. Rescued by the folks at the Napanee SPCA back in 2010, Russ had been a victim of cruel neglect. Suffering from sores and fur loss over his entire little beagle frame, he needed a special place to make him whole once again. We were only too happy to embrace him! Thanks to his foster parents turned perma parents, John & Laura, Russell has never looked back. He has a beautiful life because he's loved beyond measure. Sadly, Russ was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. We can't help feeling sad, but we must remember and learn from the dogs we love so much. They live in the NOW and right now, Russ is happy. Here's to NOW, Russell, and all the love it has to offer you!!!

Beagle of the Month: Rosebud!

Rosebud's Proud Family: Big On Beagles Rescue

The Story of Rosebud...

Rosebud arrived to our waiting arms just 12 days before Christmas. At 10 to 12 years old, it sadly wasn't Rosebud's first time winding up at the Ottawa Humane Society. She'd been lost by her owners on several occasions over the course of her life with them. But this last time she wound up at the shelter, they never came back to claim her. Perhaps, it was just as well. Poor Rosebud had a mouthful of rotting, painful teeth that needed removing. So she underwent a major dental surgery only days before the HOWLidays were upon us. Bloodwork came back beautifully! Aside from those bad teeth that needed yanking, she's in excellent health! After ridding herself of those painful chicklets, she's recovering nicely in her foster home but we all think how much happier she will be when we find her FURever home. She's currently doing her best to fit in at Sheba's Haven. So close to the holidays, the only space we could find her was at the Haven where she must share the love and attention of the Haven's wonderful caregivers with over a dozen other dogs living there permanently due to chronic and terminal illness. Little Rosebud is fortunate to be in perfect health and so deserves a family all her own. Could YOU be that family? Don't hesitate to let us know by filling out an Adoption Application today!

*Rosebud's rescue is a clear reminder of how important our Foster Families are to us. We have high hopes to find more dedicated foster families for 2015. Raising the funds to save beagles in need is only one of our challenges. After all, money can't buy them love! We also need the Foster Homes or we simply cannot save every beagle that needs a specialized organization like ours to come to their rescue! If Fostering is something you'd like to consider, please don't hesitate to fill out a Foster Application today! Beagles like Rosebud need YOU!

We came across the BOB website after the Rescue was featured on CP24's Animal HouseCalls a while back. We marked down the fundraiser date and went to it on Sunday (Nov 23rd) with Doug! This was Doug's first time being with so many of his "own" and although I think he was a bit overwhelmed, (he soiled the floor!), we think he had a fun time! We gratefully had his nails trimmed and bought a "spring" coat for him along with beagle Christmas cards....it was a very enjoyable time too for my husband and me. We were also glad to see Pencil doing so well although we hope the medical problems can be helped/resolved through his upcoming surgery so when we got home, we decided to make a donation to BOB.

Doug is 6 1/2 years old. We got him at 2 months and we consider him to be "our third son"! We love him dearly and live our lives around him! Doug has had his share of medical issues. At the age of 7 months, he became very ill with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. After huge expense and a variety of pills and dietary changes to control his health issues, Doug is doing well with only a couple of pills in the morning. He is fed 3x per day and I stay home from an outside job to look after him because the food prescribed causes him to have 6-8 bowel movements/day and the steroids make him drink a lot of water! If I went to work outside the home, I'd have to hire a dog sitter to do what I do each day for Doug and my pay would be going to that person. So with my husband's support, I started my own baking business from home so I can be home for Doug and still make a little cash on the side. Our kids are away at university so every day is with Doug and although sometimes I wish I was out working with other people, I do love being at home with this sweet little guy who gives us so much love and loyalty. We are committed to giving Doug the best possible life for as long as he lives. Unfortunately, the long term steroid use will eventually cause him more issues as he ages but we'll cross that bridge when we get to that point. For now, he is doing well and is an incredible little blessing in our lives!

This past Spring, we had another health issue with Doug when he was diagnosed with a herniated disc in his neck. We don't know how it happened. He just woke up one day in extreme pain and stiffness. He likes to be silly jumping up and off beds so he might have hurt himself hat way. We spent about $2000 in xrays, pain meds etc and made the decision against having a risky $5000 surgery and $2000 MRI after the neurosurgeon could only give us a 50% - 70% chance the surgery would work. So we took the "wait & see approach" and fortunately over time, the meds worked and he recovered. We give him one low dose pain pill every morning to help with any morning stiffness but otherwise he's doing well. He barks, runs and carries on like a silly puppy and we are so glad he's back to himself! Doug seems to have 9 "cat lives"... and he's used up about seven of them!!

Doug is a creature of habit and we keep him on such a routine that he seems to always know what happens next. He always knows when it's time to eat and when his " daddy" is coming home from work! We don't know what life would be like without him. Doug is our furry 3rd son and we love him more than words can say!

Anyway, thank you for all you and the other volunteers are doing by rescuing and helping other beagles in need. I had a beagle as a child so when we decided to get a dog for our sons, I knew that special dog had to be a beagle. Despite a lot of health issues and expense, we are glad that we have Doug because he has given us back an endless amount of unconditional love, loyalty and laughter. We wish that all those sweet beagles that are rescued can find caring "forever" homes....no animal should ever be unloved....

We will continue to watch for the BOB fundraiser activities and bring Doug again to see "friends". We look forward to the next time. For now, thank you and all the other people involved with BOB and all the best to you for the Christmas holiday and New Year! We hope Pencil and the other beagles in need will get the medical help they need to live more comfortably and feel the love of their caregivers. They all deserve to be loved.....

Miss November: In Memory of BOB beagle, Scarlet JoHOWLson

Miss November's Loving Family: John & Laura

We lost little Scarlet only a few days ago, so we wanted to pay tribute to her and to all the BOB beagles we've lost this year. It seemed fitting to do it this way. After all, these wonderful beagles left this world knowing they were loved. That's because we were there to save them. And we couldn't have done that without you.

This picture of Scarlet truly represents the excitement that this month brings us each year. While she may not be here to enjoy our 9th Annual BEAGLE BASH FOR CASH, we know she'll be there in spirit. Just like all the rest who have come before her. And with your support, we'll be making more happy endings come true for yet another year.

To the BOB beagles we've lost this year, you will forever remain in our hearts...

Dallas

Delray (aka BooBoo)

Vern (aka Bubba aka Chance)

Earl

Budley

Maxi

Angel

Scarlet (aka Mouse)

A little bit about our Miss November...
BOB beagle Scarlet was rescued along with Cy-the-one-eyed-guy from the wilds of rural Ohio about 3 years ago. Scarlet was a spunky little granny of a beagle who became a permanent fixture in the home of beloved BOB foster parents John & Laura. You may remember John & Laura - they were the proud foster parents turned perma-parents of the oldest beagle in BOB history - Huck was thought to be at least 20 years old when he passed away in 2010.
To know Scarlet is to love Scarlet. We want want you to know her as her family saw her.
Scarlet was an energetic beagle, running about and demanding things go the way she wanted, when she wanted...except when she was asleep! She had a special chair where she'd sit and watch the world go by in the window. She walked and played in the backyard and the local park every day. She got her favourite foods and had beds in every room. We teach music to children in our home. They loved her so much too; she'd always be the first to run out and greet them as they arrived for their lessons...the students that have been by this week are very sad.
It's funny we didn't tell you as many stories about her like we did with Huck. I guess one of the biggest ones is how she came by the nickname "Mouse", and answered to that more than anything. I think it was because when we first got her, she had the stitches in her nose and I just didn't have the heart to shout "Scar" as a short form for her name.
We're going to miss our little princess. Thank you for introducing us to her.
Sincerely,
John & Laura

To John and Laura (and all the other foster parents and perma-parents of the other beagles we've lost this past year), we are the ones grateful for you. They all left this world knowing the very best of people because of you. Thank you for loving her beyond measure.

Mr. September #1 (on the left) - Vincent Priceless

Mr. September #2 (on the right) - Teddy Bear

These two precious beagle/basset mixes are BOB Grads and although they came to our rescue at different times, they were both adopted by the same wonderful family. Teddy came first from a small rural shelter outside Windsor where his time was almost up. Vincent Priceless came along a few years later in 2008, after winding up at Toronto Animal Services close to Halloween (that's how we came up with the name). They've been brothers ever since! Sadly, Teddy has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. We know his time with us is short, but his family knows just what to do in such circumstances. After all, they adopted another BOB Grad before these two came along --- little Geri (short for Geriatric) was in heart failure when they adopted him. They didn't care. They knew he needed a loving home to call his own no matter how long he could enjoy it. It was much shorter than any of us wanted, but he was loved completely and he left this world knowing it completely. We know Teddy (& Vinnie) share the same unconditional love thanks to this incredible family! Here's to Wayne, Ellen and their two beautiful daughters - Emily & Rebecca! We may have rescued your boys but you've done all the rest!

Miss Magnolia Pearl ("The Maggster" to family and friends) wiggled her-then skinny beagle butt into our hearts six years ago. We were already hopelessly in love with Ritchie-The-One-Eyed-Wonder-Beagle, (another BOB success story!) and knew more beagliciousness was in order. She filled the bill and then some! Now, she is happy and healthy. Every day is a treasure! Well, except for running out of t.p. all the time...

Recently, Board Member Mary Connolly, lost her little beagle boy Sammy. We thought it only fitting to choose Sammy to be our Mr. July in memory of summers shared with this adorable face. Our love and sympathy go out to Mary and Jan as their hearts gradually mend with each passing day...

We found Sammy at the Toronto Humane Society back in 2000. We certainly were not looking for another dog as we already had 3. However, we expressed interest in him as he was so darn cute and in a sad little crate while recovering from an operation. Five days later, I got a call letting me know "your beagle is ready to be picked up". Since we had forgotten about this chance encounter, we were a little shocked, but who can resist a cute little beagle in need of a good home?!

Sammy spent 14 years with us. His middle name was TROUBLE, but we will leave that part out for now. He loved us and we loved him. We miss him! The house is very quiet without him. We are so happy that we still have our other 3 beagles to keep things interesting. We can't imagine ever coming home to an empty house!

Mr. June: Tommy (In Memorial)

Mr. June's Forever Mom: Shereen Mcleod

Here's Shereen's story of Tommy:

In Winter 2009, we were ready to take on another four legged family member to complement our Golden Retriever, Sandy. We saw dozens of pictures of dogs, but a distinctive one stood out from all the rest. “Thomas the beagle”, 10 years old, had a desperate story. It was his 'Last Call'. He would soon be euthanized. He had overstayed his time at the pound and sadly, there were no potential adopters for him likely because of his age.

The rescue group advocating on his behalf was “Take me Home Rescue" in Mississauga. We later learned he was in a pound in Mansfield, Ohio. I quickly applied for his adoption but was told that he had a heart condition. They suggested we consider another dog and that he really wasn’t adoptable. I would have nothing of the sort! I had set my heart on Tommy the moment I saw his sad picture and read his heartbreaking story. I was determined to be “Tommy’s” new mommy no matter the cost.

After close to a month of negotiating and discussion, Tommy finally made the trip from Mansfield to Mississauga. I simply wouldn't take "No" for an answer. I guess you could say I'm as stubborn as a beagle!

Tommy's journey home to me included a brief stay with a foster family in Ohio. We were so anxious to meet Tommy upon his arrival on March 21^st, 2009. I'll never forget that day. He emerged from the transport crate shaken with fear. I don’t know if he felt my excitement at seeing him for the first time or sensed that my love was forever but suddenly, it seemed his fear disappeared.

When we got him home, he inspected each room in the house. It was as though he couldn't believe he'd found his forever home, at last.

We soon learned about beagles and their noses! Tommy broke into a number of good smelling places (namely in the kitchen) to steal food. We gently disciplined him and of course, he learned pretty quickly that he would never miss a meal again - we made sure of that. From that moment on, for the next 4 years, it was utter bliss with Tommy. His beautiful beagle coat improved with a healthy diet and he put on the weight needed transforming him into quite a handsome boy! He got so many compliments that we were thrilled to show him off to everyone.

Tommy’s health improved right along with his appearance, at least until the fall of 2011. That's when his health began to fail. We met with several veterinarians to discuss options on treatment for heart and kidney disease. He followed me like a shadow after suffering through a brief hospital stay without me. Back home, when he eventually had difficulty climbing stairs, we carried him up and down the stairs. He just knew to stand at the top or the bottom of those stairs showing his eagerness and we were there with open arms.

Tommy hated the cold and rain with a passion. So, he was escorted out with an umbrella hovering over him during rainy days. Otherwise, he just wouldn’t go out! He certainly had us trained.

Tommy’s health deteriorated to such a degree by April 2013 that we were forced to make the fateful decision to bid him farewell on May 10th of that year. That's another day I will never forget. He took a part of my heart when he left, but I know it will be whole again one day when we meet in heaven.

I learned so much from Tommy. He loved life and he let us know that each and every day. Tommy even said his goodbyes to Sandy and Simba before leaving on that fateful day. He was so selfless which I now know is a beagle trait admired by all who love the breed.

There was a huge void in our lives after losing Tommy. That's when my husband told me about BIG ON BEAGLES. I was amazed by the work this rescue was doing on behalf of homeless howlers. It was the best tribute I could give Tommy by supporting this group and the remarkable work they do for the breed I've come to love so much. Since it was the first anniversary of Tommy’s passing in May, I dedicated my pledges for the Beagle Wiggle Walkathon in his memory. I know he would want me to help other beagles in need so that they can find the love of family and home like he did with us.

BEAGLE OF THE MONTH: Trudy!

DEVOTED SERVANT: Monthly BOBefactor, Allan Ryan

About Trudy...

Here’s Trudy!

Although she didn’t come through the BOB program, Trudy was one of the many beagles out there in the wide world who needed some help, or who knows what might have become of her.

This little beauty is about 5-1/2 years old now. According to the story I was told, she'd been purchased at two years old with the intention of turning her into a hunting dog. But that didn’t go over well so, to earn her keep, she was bred a few times and had some litters.

Just before Christmas, her owners put an ad on Kijiji that was noticed by a friend of mine. The ad said they were leaving on a five-month trip the next day (!!) and needed to find a new home for Trudy immediately. I hesitate to think they would have handed her over to the first living, breathing, semi-coherent person who showed up, but in this case it was yours truly. I met Trudy for 10 minutes at the owner's business north of Barrie, Ont., and brought her home. (Kind of like speed dating, except you decide to get married after 10 minutes.)

To their credit, the owners did want a good home for her, though they certainly left the details to the last minute. I think maybe they knew she should be spayed for her own health, and didn’t want to bear the expense.

She is an adorable little creature, the same small beagle-type (about 25 lbs) as my Ella, who died in August. I've never met a beagle who loves to snuggle more than Trudy—she is so happy sitting on my lap or curling up next to me in bed. She's well house-trained and rarely barks, which is important since we live in an apartment in Toronto during the week. We’ve been having fantastic walks and Trudy is getting bolder and friskier and more playful by the day. Just last week, she was throwing a stick up in the air and then pouncing on it, tail wagging mightily. A big, positive change from the cautious, uncertain beagle who came home with me.

It took some time after Ella died to even think about another beagle, but then the right one came along and, you know, I’ll bet Ella had something to do with that.

For those beagle lovers who can, please consider setting up an on-line monthly gift for BOB via their secure Canada Helps Giving Page (see the button on the left side of the home page labelled HOWL of Fame . . . Meet Our Monthly BOBefactors). It’s one way Marna and the rest of the BOBateers can continue to do their fantastic work helping beagles experiencing troubled times. The program provides funding that BOB can count on, and that means more help for our beloved homeless howlers. Please arrange monthly giving if you can.

Allan
(Trudy's Forever Dad)

Beagle(s) of the Month (December, 2013): Grandpa Louis, Laura-Bell & Haven

Humble Servants: The Gang at BIG ON BEAGLES RESCUE!

We were busier than beagles at a Squirrel Convention preparing for our 8th Annual BEAGLE BASH FOR CASH on Nov 24th!

We had time for little else…

until we learned that TIME was something these three dear souls didn't have.

That's when we did just what you would expect us to do.

We saved them.

They were dumped at a pound in Kentucky by their owner. All 3 of them. Why? Because they're old. That's their crime.

We never rescued any beagles from Kentucky before but time was running out and no other rescue had room. We reached out.
Look at those faces. How could we not?

They didn't come with names. Well, the male beagle was apparently called "Bull". We're hoping he's not that attached to it because we googled "Famous Kentuckians" and came up with beautiful new names for their new life with us!

Country Music Hall of Famer Grandpa Louis Marshall Jones, born exactly 100 years ago, was a banjo player from Niagra, Kentucky.

He was also a cast member on HeeHaw!

Born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1981, Laura Bell Bundy has become a Broadway actress and singer!

and SongWriters Hall of Famer, Haven Gillespie, was born in Covington, Kentucky back in 1888.

He wrote "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"!!!

Give our 4-legged version of these famous Kentuckians a little time.

They'll be playing banjo, hitting the stage and writing Christmas songs before you know it!

Yep, if it wasn't for YOU, it could never come true..

Grandpa Louis, Laura-Bell & Haven are Coming to Town!

I think they're gonna like it here, don't you?

I'm dedicating the Month of September 2011 to Cy (aka Porthos. After living with him for the last couple weeks, the muskateer handle wasn't fitting but "Cy" short for Cyril or Cyclops fits him to a T). Our Mr. September is a new arrival to our rescue and a special one at that. Cy was found a stray in Ohio. He was missing his right eye. At first, there was no way of knowing whether he'd been born that way or whether he'd suffered a traumatic injury causing him to lose the eye. Following surgery, however, our vet is leaning towards a birth defect. Whatever the case may be, Cy is one brave little soldier. He also seems to possess the soul of a very wise old man despite his estimated age of 2 years old. He braved through surgery sewing closed the eye socket in order to protect him against infection. He's now recovering in my care and capturing my heart at the same time. Since his arrival, a song has kept playing in my head. I thought I'd share it with you, changing the words a little to suit the subject matter...

Big Beagles Don't Cry
I'm not in love, so don't forget it
It's just a silly phase I'm going through
And just because I call your name
Don't wag your tail, don't think you got it made
I'm not in love, no-no
(It's because...)
I like to kiss you, but then again
that doesn't mean you mean that much to me
So if I kiss you, don't make a fuss
Don't go howling about the two of us
I'm not in love, no-no
(It's because...)
Be quiet, big beagles don't cry
Be quiet, big beagles don't cry
Be quiet, big beagles don't cry
I keep your picture up on my screen
It keeps me smiling while I'm working there
So don't you ask me to take it down
I know you know it doesn't mean that much to me
I'm not in love, no-no
(It's because...)
Oh, you'll wait a long time for me
Ohhhh, you'll wait a long time...
I'm not in love so don't forget it
It's just a silly phase I'm going through
And just because I'm singing this song
Don't wag your tail, don't think you got it made