Prince Harry and Megan have adopted a Beagle from the Beagle Freedom Project, a Los Angeles-based animal rescue and advocacy organization.
Seven-year-old Mia is one of 4,000 Beagles, including her eight puppies, recently rescued from Envigo, a large Beagle-breeding facility that sells the dogs for testing purposes to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
The Humane Society rescued the dogs after the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that dogs in Envigo were “suffering en masse from ‘discomfort, lethargy or stress’ because of stifling temperatures; that food dispensers were riddled with insects; and that hundreds of puppies had died of “unknown causes” in a seven-month period,” reported the Washington Post.
Harry and Meghan’s Visits
Shannon Keith, president and founder of Beagle Freedom Project, and an animal rights lawyer, told the newspaper that Meghan had been a longtime supporter of the nonprofit. “After an initial call, Harry and Meghan set up an in-person visit with mama Mia on July 25 and finalized the adoption this month,” Keith said. “The minute they walked in, Mia ran to them, tail wagging … It’s as if she knew, ‘Oh, these are my people’. And they were just immediately loving on her.” She added, “Her tail was wagging a million miles a minute.”
Who wouldn’t want the royal treatment?
Their visit to the shelter was confirmed by the Los Angeles Times. The royal couple made an after-hours visit to Beagle Freedom Project.
Later, they came with two security guards in their quest to meet their new furry family member. “They played in the backyard with Mia…The Duchess is holding Mia and was like, ‘We’re adopting her,’” Keith told the LA Times. “She was like ‘No, we don’t want a Christmas puppy. … We want ones we can help who are older.’”
“They wanted to specifically adopt a dog who had an abused and traumatized past,” Keith said. Meghan “knew the story and knew about Envigo and wanted to adopt the mother. She made it clear she didn’t want a puppy — puppies are easy to place. She and her family like to adopt the dogs that are difficult to place.”
Supporting Beagle Charities
Meghan must have a soft spot for Beagles. Before moving in with Harry, she adopted Guy, another rescue Beagle. And Meghan was formerly the royal patron of Mayhew, a UK animal welfare charity. However, she stepped away from her role in 2020.
“I know from personal experience the joy that adopting an animal into your home can bring,” Meghan wrote in the foreword to the charity’s 2019 annual review, “The role that we, as people, play in rehoming and rescuing these animals is vital, but the role of organizations such as Mayhew is unparalleled.”
The couple were also familiar with Envigo. On its website, the breeding facility boasts “a track record and deep experience with supply of critical research models across the industry”, including:
- Large research models, including non-human primates.
- Wide range of high-quality, small research models for basic research and drug discovery, as well as specialized disease and therapeutic area-specific models
- Genetically engineered models and services (GEMS), contract breeding services, Teklad laboratory animal diets, surgical services, animal health monitoring, and custom antibody manufacturing services.
According to those who helped settle the Beagles, the sounds of the TV made some of them afriad at first. Not only that, but even the squeak of stuffed toy scared some dogs. However, Mia is likely playing with her new toys.
