Beagle Rescue, Education & Welfare (BREW, Inc. Mid-Atlantic)

Beagle Rescue, Education and Welfare of Northern Virginia, Inc. (BREW) was founded in February 1999 by Laura Charles Johnson in response to the growing number of beagles in the DC area who needed help. Ms. Johnson had worked in rescue for more than a year before founding BREW. As Laura became more involved in rescue, she learned most breeds were represented by local rescue groups. Beagles were the exception. BREW became incorporated in February of 1999 and received its non-profit determination from the IRS in April of 2000.

Teresa Bridgman and Cheryl Porpora joined Ms. Johnson as members of the Board in 1999 and retired from the Board in 2005. Claudette Towe joined the Board in May 2001 and resigned her position in 2005. Ms. Towe remains an active and valuable volunteer with BREW.

In 1999, BREW rescued and found homes for 87 beagles in the Mid-Atlantic. In 2000, BREW expanded to include BREW New England, headed by Nancy Gray in New Hampshire. BREW NE closed in 2004 due to family illness but the mission continues by volunteers who went on to start BONES, Beagles In New England States. In 2002, Rebecca Dodson joined the BREW team and started up BREW Mid-West. Rebecca has since retired and Elaine Taillon and Toscha Clausen have carried on and grown BREW Mid-West to encompass many states.

BREW is dedicated to rescuing and re-homing beagles. The main focus is beagles in shelters that are faced with imminent euthanasia. BREW works with shelters and animal control facilities throughout the Mid-Atlantic area. We adopt beagles to local families and have also placed beagles in homes in PA, DE, NY, NJ, NH, and MA to name a few.

In addition to our rescue efforts, BREW is dedicated to increasing public awareness of pet overpopulation and encouraging pet owners to spay and neuter their pets. Towards that end, no beagle over six months of age is adopted from BREW without being spayed or neutered. BREW also works to alert people about the disadvantages of purchasing pets from a "pet store."

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