NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — Two years after thousands of beagle puppies were rescued from a mass breeding facility in Virginia, one of their owners is offering a glimpse into their new life in a happy home.

Rosie is a 2-year-old beagle who loves treats, sniffing around the yard and keeping her owners’ other dog, 10-year-old Bailey, on her toes.

Under the care of Maureen Gilbert and her husband at their home in Newburyport, Rosie is living her best life — and it’s a far cry from the conditions she endured as a puppy.

“Poor Rosie never saw daylight,” Gilbert said. “When she went outside in the rain for the very first time, she had no idea what it was. Or coming here and playing in the lawn, she had no clue.”

In August 2022, Rosie was one of more than 4,000 beagle puppies rescued from a mass-breeding facility in Virginia which had been selling the dogs to laboratories, not giving them enough food, and in some cases, euthanizing them without anesthesia.

Twenty of the puppies made their way to Second Chance Animal Services in East Brookfield, right around the time Gilbert was looking to find a companion for Bailey.

“We got her at the end of August,” Gilbert said. “It was hot and we couldn't let her walk on the driveway or anything because her paws were baby soft. She had never been outside.”

Gilbert said Rosie ‘didn’t know how to be a dog,’ whether it was eating, playing, sleeping or barking. Bailey, a corgi and beagle mix, was critical in getting Rosie used to her new life.

“Bailey took her under her paw, and just taught her how to be a dog,” Gilbert said. “Rosie didn't have a beagle voice at first. She was very silent, and we didn't know why. But Bailey taught her her voice. And now she's very vocal.”

Rosie used to be identified only by a tag on her ear reading ‘CNC-CGW.'

Envigo, the research organization responsible for Rosie and other beagles’ abuse and neglect, was recently hit with a $35 million fine for their animal welfare violations.

Gilbert is happy to see them held accountable and happy Rosie and thousands of other beagles across the country are now in loving homes.

“There will never be enough, but at least it's something,” Gilbert said. “It’s still out there in the media so people can learn what they did to these dogs. We don't need to test on these dogs. They're wonderful animals. Let’s go to the next phase of finding the next Envigo and eliminating them.”

The beagles proved to be a hit at Second Chance Animal Shelter and all of them were adopted quickly after undergoing a 48-hour quarantine and medical checkup.

Through a social media group with other owners of rescued beagles, Gilbert discovered Rosie’s brother is living with a family in Seattle, Washington.