A beagle named Gregory was recently found running the streets in Obetz, Ohio and once brought to the Franklin County Shelter and Adoption Center, he was found to be in perfect health. There was just one slight problem: during his health and behavior assessment, his heartworm test came back positive.
Heartbreakingly, while the two-year-old pup was full of energy, due to the $400 medical treatment needed for his heartworm, he was listed as “rescue only.” In other words, if Gregory wasn’t pulled from the shelter by May 3rd, he would be euthanized.
Thankfully, Gregory’s story has a happy ending. Schenley Hutson Kirk and her husband are the founders of Hound Rescue and Sanctuary and saved Gregory from the euthanasia list.
“My husband took the day off work to drive to the shelter, while I stayed home to take care of the other rescue dogs. On the way back home, he decided he was going to take a couple selfies of our new rescue, which I got after him a little bit for since he’s not supposed to take pictures while driving — but considering the photos he captured I couldn’t complain too much,” Kirk told The Dodo.
Gregory was thrilled during his two-hour-long “freedom ride” to Hound Rescue and Sanctuary. Even though he was tethered to the backseat for safety, Gregory still found a way to say “thanks” to his rescuers.
“[Joe] sent me three photos, and in the last one, little Gregory had leaned his head over, as if to say, ‘You saved my life. I knew I was going to die at that shelter, but you saved me today. And just the look in his eyes — the thankfulness, the appreciation and the love of this little dog — it’s as if he knows his life has been saved,” Kirk told The Dodo.
Now at Hound Rescue and Sanctuary, Gregory is finishing his month-long antibiotic treatment and will soon begin his heartworm treatment. Kirk shares that he already appears to be house-trained and is very well-behaved. And Gregory hasn’t forgotten the people who rescued him and continues to show his appreciation. “He’s very laid-back, very happy-go-lucky, and his favorite thing to do is get lots of love from his people,” Kirk added.
While hounds and beagles often get boxed in as only being hunting dogs, Kirk and Joe are determined to make sure that dogs who don’t want to hunt find forever homes. “From the time I was young, I’ve known quite a few people who hunted, and over the years I saw the type of life that the hounds live. A lot of them live outside, tied to a tree with a doghouse. The only thing they have in their life is that small area, and the time during hunting season is the only activity and type of affection that they get, which is very minimal from the hunters,” Kirk told The Dodo.
The rescue of Gregory reaffirms Kirk and Joe’s life mission!
If you’d like to help Hound Rescue and Sanctuary cover Gregory’s medical care, you can make a donation here. And be sure to share Gregory’s happy ending with your friends and family to put a smile on their face!
