TAMPA, Fla. — It’s been a busy weekend at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

They’ve been able to see over 100 pets adopted on Saturday, and on Sunday they saw people lining up hours before they opened for the chance to adopt 15 new beagles that just arrived from Virginia.


What You Need To Know

  • The Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been able to see over 100 pets adopted on Saturday

  • On Sunday, they saw people lining up hours before they opened for the chance to adopt 15 new beagles that just arrived from Virginia

  • The 15 beagles came from a facility in Virginia that was part of the largest animal rescue in United States history

The 15 beagles came from a facility in Virginia that was part of the largest animal rescue in United States history, according to the Department of Justice, after officials say the facility was treating about 4,000 beagles poorly before they were sent to labs to be used for testing.

Sunday morning is a moment the Campbell family has been waiting for.

“I woke up at 5 o’clock this morning, got here at 6,” Julie Campbell said. “I was number 6 in line.”

Campbell, her husband and daughter made sure they weren’t going to miss the opportunity to take home Arthur, one of the 15 beagles at the shelter.

“Yeah,” Campbell said. “He’s going to be spoiled.”

Which is a blessing considering where he came from.

With thousands of pups, like Arthur, being shipped across the country, many in Tampa were wondering if any would come to the area.

Last night, that hope turned into a reality when the Humane Society of Tampa Bay announced that 15 beagles would be there for people to adopt.

“It’s amazing to see all the animals go home,” said Kassie Vosburg, an adoption counselor at the Humane Society.

According to Vosburg, it’s been incredible seeing people line up before sunrise just to get a dog to call their own.

“It’s amazing the dedication some people have to helping the animals that are in our community,” she said.

Dedication from folks, like Edward Lewandowski, who, like the Campbells, got there at 6 o’clock to adopt a pup.

“He’s going to have fun like a dog,” Lewandowski said.

He says, given the choice, he would have camped out there last night if it meant securing a chance to bring home his new beagle.

“I would rather miss getting a new iPhone or a new Samsung or miss getting concert tickets, but I would have totally been upset if I missed the opportunity to help a dog,” Lewandowski said.

And that’s why so many people wanted to be there, because seeing these faces was something they couldn’t pass up.

All 15 beagles were adopted within the first two hours the Humane Society was open on Sunday.

Vosburg says she isn’t sure if the Humane Society will be getting any more of the beagles, but is just happy to see the 15 they got find homes so quickly.