BRENTWOOD, Mo. — Maria Bolden waited 2.5 hours outside Animal Protective Association Friday with her daughter to be the first in line to adopt one of the many beagles recently rescued from a breeding facility.

What You Need To Know

  • The APA of Missouri has 15 rescued beagles and 4 of them are already up for adoption
  • The Humane Society of the United States is coordinating the transfer of 4,000 of the rescued dogs

  • A St. Louis woman waited 2.5 hours outside the APA's building Friday to adopt one of the beagles

  • For more information about APA of Missouri and how to adopt, click here. 

A total of 4,000 beagles have been saved from a breeding facility in Virginia and the APA of Missouri received 11 puppies last month and 15 more arrived Wednesday.

Beagle puppies were ready for adoption at APA of Missouri.

On Thursday, the puppies were spayed and four were ready to be adopted Friday.

Bolden said she had been following the shutdown of the breeding facility and sent over an adoption application to a shelter in California where some beagles were placed.

“They did call and offer me a shih tzu, but I’m a beagle girl. I lost my last one a year ago next month, and I was like ‘Ok, it’s time,’ ” she said.

On APA’s website, she found a six-month-old beagle named Saddle that she was ready to meet.

“We like her eyes. She’s got the eyeliner effect and the white face,” Bolden said.

As soon as the adoption center opened, Bolden and her daughter asked to see Saddle. Not too long after interacting with Saddle, Bolden decided to adopt her.

Multiple other people were at APA Friday morning meeting with beagle puppies and were going through the adopting application process.  

“I’m so excited,” Bolden said. “It’s like a new chapter of my life.”

For more information about APA of Missouri and how to adopt, click here. The adoption center is located on Hanley Road in Brentwood.