Every single animal that comes through our shelter has a story. Some are complex, many are sad, but all of them get better the minute they arrive at the Virginia Beach SPCA. Molly was one of 17 beagles the VBSPCA received in August 2022 from the Envigo facility in Cumberland, Virginia. The dogs were bred to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. Since they had only known life in a cage environment, some of the adults in the group had a long road ahead to learning how to “be a dog.”
Not long after the dogs arrived, Sarah, her mother, Nancy, and her father, Scott, heard about these special dogs and came in to meet them. Molly caught their eye, and they soon took her home. We recently caught up with Sarah to hear how Molly is doing now.
How did you find Molly?
We heard about the 4,000 beagles that were being rescued from the Envigo facility in Cumberland last summer. She was one of four adult beagles of this group (the rest were puppies), and we found her scared and shaking at the front of her kennel near the visitor walkway. Our hearts went out to her.
How is Molly doing in the home?
Molly has been gradually “learning” how to be a dog/pet. She is still jittery at sudden sounds and movements, but it is so enjoyable seeing her doing “zoomies” around the backyard. We had a trainer come in for several sessions, which really helped.
What sort of activities do you do together?
We have taken her for decompression walks at local parks, done some simple training, and have taken her to the beach and on several long trips in the car to New York, Alabama, and North Carolina, as well as cabin camping at the Virginia State Parks.
Does Molly have any funny quirks?
Molly finds such things in nature as leaves, grass, insects, pine cones, and wood bark more fascinating than the toys we bought for her to play with. Molly does enjoy the Kong toy and will get on her hind legs the same way as Snoopy does in the Peanuts comics. Molly does not like ceiling fans! Being a beagle, Molly is stubborn and extremely scent and food oriented. She’s always curious about what is going on in the kitchen.
How has Molly enriched your lives so far?
Molly is a sweet and gentle dog. She scares easily, but we have learned to be patient and loving with her. She’s been a welcome addition to our family, particularly after the recent death of our 16 year old Schnauzer-Cocker mix, Rocky.
Last Updated: October 10, 2023 by vbspcaadmin
Happy Tails | Molly
Every single animal that comes through our shelter has a story. Some are complex, many are sad, but all of them get better the minute they arrive at the Virginia Beach SPCA. Molly was one of 17 beagles the VBSPCA received in August 2022 from the Envigo facility in Cumberland, Virginia. The dogs were bred to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. Since they had only known life in a cage environment, some of the adults in the group had a long road ahead to learning how to “be a dog.”
Not long after the dogs arrived, Sarah, her mother, Nancy, and her father, Scott, heard about these special dogs and came in to meet them. Molly caught their eye, and they soon took her home. We recently caught up with Sarah to hear how Molly is doing now.
We heard about the 4,000 beagles that were being rescued from the Envigo facility in Cumberland last summer. She was one of four adult beagles of this group (the rest were puppies), and we found her scared and shaking at the front of her kennel near the visitor walkway. Our hearts went out to her.
How is Molly doing in the home?
Molly has been gradually “learning” how to be a dog/pet. She is still jittery at sudden sounds and movements, but it is so enjoyable seeing her doing “zoomies” around the backyard. We had a trainer come in for several sessions, which really helped.
What sort of activities do you do together?
We have taken her for decompression walks at local parks, done some simple training, and have taken her to the beach and on several long trips in the car to New York, Alabama, and North Carolina, as well as cabin camping at the Virginia State Parks.
Molly finds such things in nature as leaves, grass, insects, pine cones, and wood bark more fascinating than the toys we bought for her to play with. Molly does enjoy the Kong toy and will get on her hind legs the same way as Snoopy does in the Peanuts comics. Molly does not like ceiling fans! Being a beagle, Molly is stubborn and extremely scent and food oriented. She’s always curious about what is going on in the kitchen.
How has Molly enriched your lives so far?
Molly is a sweet and gentle dog. She scares easily, but we have learned to be patient and loving with her. She’s been a welcome addition to our family, particularly after the recent death of our 16 year old Schnauzer-Cocker mix, Rocky.
Category: VBSPCA News
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