Today we’d like to introduce you to Yessenia Lopez.
Hi Yessenia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Hello, my name is Yessenia Lopez. I’m the president of South Florida Beagle Rescue. I was born and raised in Miami, FL and I am also a full-time teacher to high school students with special needs. My love for beagles dates back to 1996 when I adopted my first beagle, Lucky.
Our rescue story begins in late 2020. Quarantine had us dependent on social media for a little longer than usual, which resulted in creating new online friendships, especially with fellow beagle and hound enthusiasts.
After a few months of online chatting, a group of us decided to host our first official in-person beagle meetup in November. Thirteen beagles and bassets, along with their owners, had such a wonderful time at our “Pupsgiving” that we decided to continue the beagle meetups every month moving forward. We called ourselves the SoFlo Beagles and even had our logo, all for the love of our beagles!
After a year of meet-ups, our social media account grew significantly, and we started to notice more and more messages trickling in from owners needing help rehoming their beagles or community members alerting us about beagles being found on the streets without an owner. Noticing this pattern, we decided to transition from simply hosting fun meetups for our spoiled hounds to helping those less fortunate beagles in dire need.
We changed our name to South Florida Beagle Rescue and officially became a non-profit 501(c)(3) by early 2022. South Florida Beagle Rescue is now a non-profit animal rescue and advocacy organization committed to re-homing beagles and beagle mixes – and any furry four-legged friends that come our way.
Our rescue group is led by founders Karla, Irene, and myself (Yessenia). We rely on fosters, volunteers, and donors to continue making a difference in the lives of animals across South Florida. Since its inception, we have helped approximately 40 dogs and cats find loving foster and forever homes, shielding them from cruelty and harm.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This has not been a smooth road to success. We had volunteered for other rescues years prior but we had NO idea how to get it started and what it took to run it. Funding limitations, finding reliable fosters and volunteers, and striking the right balance between rescue work and our professional commitments have been challenging. Despite the obstacles, we are glad we took the chance because it has been incredibly rewarding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
South Florida Beagle Rescue is a non-profit animal rescue and advocacy organization, committed to educating and bringing together the humans and hounds of South Florida. We fiercely advocate for a cruelty-free lifestyle and the re-homing of homeless, neglected, abused, and at-risk beagles and beagle mixes.
We pride ourselves in being the only beagle rescue in South Florida and saving over 40 dogs and cats in a little less than one full calendar year. We also help connect lost and found hounds with their owners, and we respond to the needs of beagles and their families with training and workshops. We are a 100% foster and volunteer-based rescue and depend on donations to operate.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
We love the diversity and the number of people we can connect with here in South Florida. We are fortunate to have met many people who share our passion for helping animals in need. In contrast, this city also has more dogs and cats entering shelters than people are willing to provide them with loving care.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.southfloridabeaglerescue.org
- Instagram: @soflo_beaglerescue
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southfloridabeaglerescue
