ELYRIA, Ohio — In December, 41 beagles were removed from terrible conditions in a hoarding situation in Lakewood and brought to the city's shelter.
"When you walk into a small shelter, you can only start to imagine what it was like in that house," Friendship Animal Protective League Executive Director Greg Willey said. We've dealt with situations like that and trust me, it's very, very overwhelming."
Now, 27 of them have made it to the Friendship APL in Elyria, and the rest are expected soon. This comes, in part, due to a tip from Stephanie Valentic, who learned about the home and called law enforcement.
"I could just see in their face what they went through," Valentic said of the first dogs she saw from the home, whom she ended up adopting. "It went through my mind for months: 'What can I do?'"
Months later, some dogs are getting ready to be put up for adoption Wednesday, with many more set to be adoptable by this weekend. However, it's important their new owners are prepared to put in the work to make the dogs feel at home.
"They're doing really well when we got them," Willey told 3News. "They all had just numbers, so they were like, '3046,' he is now Beau, and Beau is doing really well, [but] they're a little skittish. They're a little shy, a little overwhelmed."
Still, Willey says if you're ready, these dogs are worth the work.
"You already have to be patient with beagles," he explained. "They aren't the fastest to train, but it's also what gives them the most wonderful dispositions.
"We can't expect them to be housebroken, so please don't come in expecting them to be housebroken."
For more information on how to adopt, visit friendshipapl.org.