Rescued beagles to reunite at BeagleFest in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - 15 months after 4,000 beagles were rescued from the Envigo Breeding Facility in Virginia, many are set to reunite.

“I’m excited about having Phoebe meet some of her, I call them beagle siblings, from the rescue,” Maria Richie, planner for BeagelFest, said.

Her dog Phoebe was one of the 60 dogs brought to Kentucky from the facility. Many other families, like Anne and Steven Gibbons, also stepped up to adopt beagles.

“We’re just all supportive, and we’re there to just offer advice and support each other,” Gibbons said.

After joining a Facebook group for the Envigo Beagles, Richie decided to host BeagleFest. She says people are coming from Louisville, Cincinnati, and maybe Tennessee.

“It’ll be lots of fun. It’ll be great to meet fellow beagle lovers and discuss the similarities and the struggles that we’ve all had,” Gibbons said.

BeagleFest will be held on Saturday, October 21st, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jacobson Park.

Richie said you are encouraged to come even if you don’t have a beagle.

“We’re just wanting to raise awareness of how those experiences can be very detrimental to the wellness of our puppies,” Richie said.

Rescuing dogs isn’t easy, but Gibbons says her rescue beagles are worth every second of her time.

“They’re just the sweetest, you know, you kinda gotta give them a chance,” Gibbons said.

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