My name is Joan Kerr and I have been rescuing beagles for over 10 years.

It all began many years ago when I first realized that beagles were the top breeds used in medical research labs. My very first beagle was a 6 week old pup named Snoopy. She has now crossed over the rainbow bridge.

A few days after Thanksgiving back in 1990, I drove down to our local shelter. I decided to give a dog a home for the holidays. At first, I was told there were no beagles available, but then a staff member remembered there was a beagle that had come in as a stray. It was love at first sight. She ran out of her cage toward me as if I were her last hope. I adopted her and named her Penny.

The next day I brought her to my vet and she received her shots and was wormed. I also had a heartworm test taken. Back then it took a few days for the results to come back. A few days later I took Penny to be altered. As I waited for her to be examined before her surgery I insisted to know the results of the heartworm test. The Vet called the lab and sure enough she was heartworm positive. I was devastated. This was all new to me. We left Penny at the vet for three days of treatment. I visited her everyday. The treatment went fine but the vet was concerned that she was gaining weight and could be pregnant. As far as I can remember all I wished for was a puppy under my tree at Christmas time. That never happened. On December 23, 1990 Penny gave birth (C-section), to nine beautiful, healthy beagle pups. It was very hard on Penny. I spent day and night caring for Penny and her pups. All nine survived and were healthy. And yes, their special place was in the living room under the Christmas tree. Penny passed on a few years later from Ammolyoids, a kidney disease that affects beagles and is irreversible. My promise to Penny was to help other beagles get a second chance at life. And so my journey began. As I became more involved I realized there were many beagles in shelters with no chance of adoption. Many were just older, Heartworm positive or just labeled 'unadoptable'.

Now, my husband and I take them home and have them vaccinated, altered and treated for heartworm (if necessary). Some of the older ones only live a year or two, and as heartbreaking as it is for us, I know in my heart that we give them the best years of their lives. We are willing and have been dedicating our lives to this cause. Beagles are cute puppies, with big brown soulful eyes and long ears. People love them and then by the time they are a year old and not properly trained, some are no longer wanted. Our goal is to take these beagles and find them good homes. They will be spayed or neutered and Heartworm tested prior to being adopted. This can become very expensive.

We can save many beagles if given the opportunity. Our primary goal is to take beagles out of shelters, have them altered, vaccinated and brought back to health. Many of the rescued beagles need time and love to regain the ability to trust humans again. We  adopt the beagles to loving homes with the understanding that if for any reason they do not work out, they are to be returned to us. We spend every day of our lives trying to educate people on the care and responsibility that comes with adopting a beagle.

Having said this, Penny Angels Beagle Rescue would not exist without the efforts and devotion of our many volunteers.

Penny Angels Beagle Rescue is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to beagle rescue and community
education of the breed.

Penny Angels Beagle Rescue provides rescue for beagles from New Jersey shelters, stray beagles and beagles from homes that can no longer keep their dog.  We rescue purebred beagles and beagle mixes that are puppies, adults and senior beagles.