“I wanted him to have the chance just to be a dog”
Snoop the Whispering Beagle Finds His Voice — and His Forever Home
Snoop the beagle doesn’t bark like most dogs. In fact, he barely makes a sound. His howl, soft and whispery, is the lingering echo of a difficult past — one spent in a laboratory testing facility, where it’s believed his vocal cords were cut.
But in his new home with Luke Toennies, Snoop is free to howl however he wants — and he does, in his own quiet way.
Snoop’s second chance came thanks to The Beagle Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals used in scientific research. When Toennies adopted Snoop, he wasn’t necessarily looking for a new dog. Just months earlier, he had lost his beloved beagle Leo to a sudden illness.
“Leo was my soul dog,” Toennies said. “I was obviously very depressed after losing him.”
A friend gently suggested that Toennies still had so much love to give. That encouragement led him to browse foster listings — and one dog immediately caught his eye.
“If he is the one that is available or needs it the most, I’m just going to do it,” Toennies recalled thinking.
That dog was Snoop — and the match turned out to be perfect.
The Beagle Alliance believed Snoop was one of the more traumatized dogs in their care. Toennies’ quiet, work-from-home lifestyle and a spacious yard made his home the ideal setting for Snoop’s recovery. Despite all he’d been through, Snoop was instantly affectionate.
“He was cuddly right away,” Toennies said. “Now he’s never far from me. He even sleeps next to me — and if I move away in my sleep, he shuffles closer until we’re touching again.”
Toennies first noticed Snoop’s hoarse bark not long after bringing him home. Knowing how vocal beagles typically are, he tried howling to see if Snoop would respond. To his delight, Snoop joined in — with a barely audible whisper of a howl.
A vet tech friend suspected Snoop’s vocal cords had been cut — a cruel practice sometimes used in research facilities to keep dogs quiet. But despite his damaged voice, Snoop’s spirit continues to shine.
He’s slowly building confidence, playing with other dogs, and learning to love life beyond the lab. He’s not a fan of loud noises yet, but he’s thriving — tail wagging, ears perked, and still howling beside his dad whenever prompted.
For Toennies, adopting Snoop helped heal the grief of losing Leo. And for Snoop, finding Toennies gave him the freedom to just be a dog.
“I wanted him to have the chance just to be a dog,” Toennies said. “Howling with him has been this beautiful bonding thing. I’m just happy he feels safe enough to try.”