As schools, colleges and politicians mark India’s 70th Independence Day, more than a score of 350 freagles – the laboratory beagles rescued by CUPA, Bengaluru – celebrated their freedom at Cubbon Park. The dogs gathered at the 'Freedom meet for freagles of of Bengaluru' with their families at Cubbon park early on Monday for a morning of fun and frolic.
Chinthana Gopinath, a volunteer with CUPA and head of the rehoming and rehab program for the beagles says that about 20 families with beagles adopted between 2013 to 2016 showed up and had a great time.
Photo by Ashok Chintala
Photo by Ashok Chintala
“We organized this symbolic celebration to show how well these beagles do when they are free,” she says. Due to their history as lab animals, these beagles often have conditioning problems and tend to be scared and timid initially. However, with enough love and patience, they blossom into their friendly, playful selves.
Apart from freagles and their families, other families also came with their dogs (not beagles). Also present were some families who wanted to adopt some of the freagles but were unsure of how well they would adapt.
Currently, there are 28 rescued beagles waiting to find an adoptive family.
Yogini, a 26-year-old software engineer adopted her 7-year-old freagle Jarvis in February. “He had so much fun because there were others like him there,” she gushes happily.
She says when she first adopted him, Jarvis was scared of everyone and tended to sit in a corner and come out only for food. But with love and patience, he is just like any other playful puppy, she says.
Jarvis runs happily at Cubbon Park
Yogini with Jarvis
Enakshi Dhar, who adopted her eight-year-old freagle in May this year says that he was much more free and happy at the Freedom meet than he had been in a long time. “I guess because the others were also rescue beagles, they understood each other’s body language much better and were more comfortable with each other,” she offers.
While Enakshi had originally named her beagle Dev Anand, his initial aloofness and timid mannerisms prompted her to change his name to Dev D, the modern namesake of Bollywood’s Devdas.
To everyone who is reluctant to adopt a lab rescue beagle, Enakshi says, “Just as you wouldn’t give up on your child if he or she pees, poops or cries initially, you shouldn’t give up on these beagles. I’d also suggest having a second dog, because the other one will watch and learn much quicker.”
Eight-year-old Dev D followed the example of Sultan, Enakshi’s rescued St Bernard and adopted his toilet training habit for example.
Dev D interacts with other dogs at Cubbon park
Sultan, Enakshi's rescue St. Bernard
“A lot of times people expect this stuffed toy of a dog. But that’s not how it works,” Enakshi says.
Photo by Ashok Chintala