It was a meet-cute and yes, love at first sight. But their story took time to begin and had the whole internet rooting for their happily ever after. Stephanie Stern volunteered to help over 1,000 beagles find homes. According to the Associated Press, Ridglan Farms, a dog breeding and research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin reached a confidential agreement with Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Centre for a Humane Economy, selling its beagles to the organisations for an undisclosed amount.The two organisations purchased the beagles and then worked with dozens of rescue partners to take over the dogs’ care and find them adopters. Among the pooches was Marshmallow, who instantly stole the heart of Stern, an animal lover and dog rescuer who reached out to help with the massive beagle rescue effort as soon as she heard about it.“All my free time is spent doing dog rescue,” Stern, who works as a supervisor at a wastewater treatment facility, told PEOPLE, adding, “I applied to volunteer right away.”
The meet-cute
The 31-year-old ended up volunteering to help with the medical intake of the dogs in Wisconsin. As part of the intake, she examined the dogs to help determine what health issues each animal had and the care that they would need. One of the dogs Stern spent a few moments with was Marshmallow, a senior beagle with an almost all-white face. “She kind of plopped down and lay on her side like she wanted belly rubs,” Stern recalls of how quickly Marshmallow warmed up to her. “She just completely stuck out to me. And then, somewhere during the intake process, she ended up kissing me on the nose.”Long after her volunteering shift was over, Stern would find herself thinking about the furry friend. Soon, she was convinced that she needed to adopt the 9-year-old rescue dog. “It basically dawned on me days later: ‘I need that dog in my life.’ I’ve fostered just under 100 dogs, but for some reason, she sticks out to me,” Stern said.
A search for love
After years spent in a cage, the beagle is truly happy to settle into a space where she can live life on her own terms.
Sadly, during her volunteer shift, Stern encountered dozens of dogs and didn’t think of capturing a picture of Marshmallow or even learning what shelter she was moving to after intake. All she knew was that the sweet pooch had a white face, was missing her two front teeth and had a number tattooed on her ear by Ridglan Farms that ended in 7. “That’s when I kind of went on a manhunt,” she shared.Instead of giving up on ever finding Marshmallow, she decided to go all in on the effort. Stern spread the word between her fellow volunteers and researched shelters as part of the Ridglan rescue efforts. Soon, she narrowed down the beagle’s likely location to three rescues in Minnesota.“So then I started messaging all three organisations. And I’m telling them, you know, “I volunteer with Beagle Freedom Project, and this one dog stuck out to me. I cannot stop thinking about her,” Stern explained, adding that she also shared the three identifiers she had for Marshmallow with the rescues as well.
Two souls reunited
Eventually, one of the organisations, Ruff Start Rescue followed up with Stern to let her know that a dog matched the description and sent her a photo of the pup. “I was at work, and I just felt like I was going to start crying. I was so excited. And they were one of the first places to get back to me. So thankful for that,” she said, revealing that the photo was indeed Marshmallow.She had to be patient for a few more days before Marshmallow was available for adoption. As soon as the dog was available, she filled out an application, expressing her love for the beagle and her desire to give Marshmallow the perfect home. Ruff Start approved Stern as Marshmallow’s adopter and connected her to the dog’s foster parent. On June 6, Stern drove five hours to meet Marshmallow’s foster mom and take the dog home.While the beagle seemed nervous at first, she quickly and happily accepted her new life, even befriending Noodle, Stern’s foster beagle she had brought along. After years spent in a cage, the beagle is truly happy to settle into a space where she can live life on her own terms. “She’s learned from the other dogs in my house kind of how to be a dog. So, she’s seen them get the zoomies, so she’ll get the zoomies now. And it is so funny because she’s nine, but acting like a puppy,” Stern noted. “She’s now interested in toys; she chews on bones. It’s so cute to see her experience the good life.”With Marshmallow’s rescue Stern hopes that others can get involved with animal rescue, noting that no contribution is too small. “There are so many dogs nowadays that need rescue. If anyone can help, volunteer in any way, even if it’s just for a day or two once a year, anything helps,” she said. “And, you know, maybe you’ll find your soul dog.”
