Name: Winston
Breed: American Bulldog Mix
Gender: Male
Age: Adult
Location: Charlotte, NC
Winston is a victim of “pound seizure“, which is still legal in 32 states across the U.S, in which he was purchased from a shelter and sold to a laboratory facility. Winston was subject to cosmetic testing to his face and body resulting in burns and scars.
Winston does not let his past define him though as he is very trusting and loving towards all people! He loves to go for walks and would be a great hiking partner!
Here is what Winston’s foster dad (Mr. Alexander Ekwall from OMNIA) says about him!
Look at that smile!
Winston is living life to the fullest and he would happily spend every moment of his life with me; if only I had no other responsibilities. His joy for life and exploration is evident, but he comes from an environment that many of us would rather not think about.
Winston is three years old but spent more than half of his life as a victim of animal testing. His face is covered in scars that are likely the result of chemical burns from the cosmetics that were tested on him. Playing with toys, chewing on bones, and sleeping on pillows, although foreign at first, are things that he has grown to love. Winston could stand outside and watch people carry groceries from their car, listen to the birds chirping and watch squirrels run up trees for hours on end. Just the other day he saw someone mowing their lawn and he was so intrigued that I could hardly divert his attention.
Given Winston’s background, one would expect him to shy away from human contact, but instead, he lives for it. Winston is an American bulldog probably mixed with Pitbull, so add that on top of his history of being abused and that’s a formula for aggression, right? Not for Winston. He’s not aggressive with food, toys, bones, people, or anything for that matter.
This opportunity to offer Winston a second chance at life would not be possible without the work of the Beagle Freedom Project (BFP).
“Beagle Freedom Project is a US based non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing survivors of unique captivity and cruelty and telling their emotionally compelling stories to prompt social change and celebrate a #RescueLifestyle.” – bfp.org
BFP is very thorough with vetting foster families. When applying to be a foster, BFP even requested a video tour of the house to ensure that Winston would be in a safe environment. Throughout the two weeks that I’ve been fostering Winston, I’ve spoken almost exclusively with one BFP representative and I have no doubt that she cares for his well-being just as much as I do.
Any dog owner knows that there are expenses that come with caring for one, but BFP reimburses fosters for a lot of those expenses. I was supplied with a collar, leash, harness, GPS tracker, a kennel, a dog toy, and even some bones for him to chew on. BFP offers reimbursements for food and even covers vet expenses. Fosters are expected to give BFP representatives weekly progress reports, but these are very casual.
The Beagle Freedom Project is doing a great service to the victims of animal testing. For more stories like Winston’s click here to visit BFP’s Adoptable Animals page that features dogs, cats, farm animals, and more. If you or someone you know would like to foster or adopt click here to fill out the application. If you’re not in a position to do this then please consider becoming a BFP sponsor by clicking here. Whether you sponsor Winston’s journey or the journey of another animal in need, your donation makes a difference. Another option for sponsoring through BFP is to sponsor the animals at their rescue center, which can be done here. Both sponsor options tell you exactly where your money is going. BFP would be very grateful for a recurring donation, but one-time donations are also an option; both offer you the opportunity to change a life.
I was not paid by BFP to write this article. I support their cause and simply wish to spread the word.