It was a special dog day of summer Saturday when more than 75 families who adopted beagles from Anderson Humane in South Elgin were reunited a year after the dogs were rescued from a Virginia testing facility.
“This is overwhelming,” said Kevin Keefe, owner of Brilliance Subaru, which helped organize the gathering at his Elgin car dealership.
Anderson Humane took in 177 of the 4,000 dogs found at Envigo, a breeding and research facility in Cumberland, Virginia, which was shut down after the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered myriad federal violations that resulted in the animals dying or being ill, injured or malnourished.
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Many of the more than 100 beagles rescued a year ago from a lab in Virginia and adopted out through Anderson Humane in South Elgin returned for an anniversary event Saturday at Brilliance Subaru in Elgin. (Mike Danahey/The Courier-News)
The beagles were brought to South Elgin with assistance from Brilliance Subaru, Anderson CEO and president David Daubert said.
Some of the animals were collected by Anderson staff using two shelter vans while Keefe and dealership general manager Jim DaLuga drove an auto parts truck to get the rest. The trip took about 15 hours each way, Keefe said.
“It was intense,” he said.
DaLuga joked that he learned Keefe could wolf down a turkey sub sandwich in less than 10 minutes after witnessing it during one of their short driving breaks. What made the return trip harder, Keefe and DaLuga said, was the odor coming from the mistreated animals, who needs baths and medical attention.
“I learned the value of Vicks VapoRub. I put a little bit under my nose because the smell was a little gnarly,” Keefe said.
After the dogs were placed in homes, a community grew both locally and nationally among the families who adopted the Envigo beagles, with groups forming on social media to interact, Keefe and Daubert said.
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Greg and Lynda Ives, of Crystal Lake, pose with Gary, the beagle they adopted a year ago from Anderson Humane in South Elgin. Gary was one of 4,000 dogs rescued from a lab in Virginia, 177 of which were taken in by the animal shelter and placed in local homes. (Mike Danahey/The Courier-News)
Several people who attended the reunion shared their stories about life with their new pets.
“When we showed up at Anderson at 9 a.m. on Aug. 9 (2022), we didn’t know what to expect,” said Greg Ives, of Crystal Lake.
Gary, the beagle he and his wife, Lynda, took home was just 16 pounds, skittish and had a torn ear, he said. The dog now weighs 30 pounds.
“He’s been wonderful, one of the best additions to our family, and we’ve had a lot of good ones,” Ives told the crowd.
Elgin resident Nicole Kemper, speaking offstage, said she felt compelled to add another pet to her family after hearing about the situation at Envigo.
Her adopted dog, Sparkles, was initially both aggressive and timid but has since grown to love children and gets along with her other pets, including her 18-year-old miniature poodle Missy.
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David Daubert, CEO and president of Anderson Humane in South Elgin, donned a beagle-themed Hawaiian shirt Saturday to address a reunion of the people who adopted 177 beagles rescued last year from a facility in Virginia. The event was held at Brilliance Subaru in Elgin. (Mike Danahey/The Courier-News)
Accompanying Kemper to the reunion were Kemper’s daughter and son-in-law, Telena and David Minson, and their children, Nyla, 8, and Elijah, 6. The family brought their boxer-beagle, Buttons, with them from Rockford.
“It’s a chance for Buttons to meet other beagles. We adopted him from a shelter,” Telena Minson said.
Looking over the gathering, David Minson said he was impressed.
“This is pretty cool,” he said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.