The Beagle Effect: How Saving Puppies Enriched These LGBT People 

Some dogs grow to adulthood without ever having felt the sun on their faces or the grass on their paws. And a great many of these dogs are beagles.

According to the Beagle Freedom Project's website, "Beagles are the most popular breed for lab use because of their friendly, docile, trusting, forgiving, people-pleasing personalities. The research industry says they adapt well to living in a cage, and are inexpensive to feed. Research beagles are usually obtained directly from commercial breeders who specifically breed dogs to sell to scientific institutions."

The Beagle Freedom Project is doing all it can to change that by working to educate the public about the practice. They're also rescuing beagles that have spent their lives being tested in laboratories and placing them in loving homes.

According to Jean Geddes, the Beagle Freedom Project's Outreach and Adoptions Coordinator, not only are the majority of their adopters LGBT, but many of their volunteers, donators, and supporters are as well.

Here are a just a few of these amazing pets and the parents who saved them.

When Miller was asked how he chose Paco he said, "Paco chose us. We walked in and he jumped right on me." Miller turned to his dad and said, "That's our dog -- can we leave now?" -- Dan, Ivan, and Miller

"Because of Addie, we became aware that animal testing occurs in the United States. She has forever changed our life." -- Angie and Jo

"Through our work with the Beagle Freedom Project, and in the adoption of Ebbie, we have had some of the most rewarding and enlightening experiences of our lives. Not only have we been able to save and nurture individual animals, but we have the unique opportunity to educate the public about what goes on inside of laboratories, so that together we form a team of compassionate individuals speaking out against animal testing and in doing so, saving more animals like Ebbie." -- Jill and Jean

"Junior is now an invaluable member of our family and living reminder that the dogs inside those laboratories are very real and very much in need of our help. We feel honored every day to help little Junior down his road to recovery and fight that much harder for those others who were left behind." -- Kevin and Aaron

"I am humbled by Darwin. What he stands for is magnificent. To the team of people dedicated to stopping such cruel acts on animals, I can't thank them enough for enriching my life with the knowledge that I can be a part of this movement and for knowing that Darwin and other animals around the world will have a chance of being who they were born to be." -- Richard

"Being around these beagles you can't help but appreciate life in a new way." -- Dawn

"Even though Charlie has been through so much, he still has a sweet and happy spirit. At five years old, he acts like a puppy and doesn't take anything for granted. It's all new to Charlie: romping in the yard, playing with toys, and lounging in the sun. He always finds a patch of sunlight." -- Leslie, Brook, and Annabelle

To learn more about the Beagle Freedom Project, click here.