Hollywood tells us all dogs go to heaven. Although a nice sentiment, what’s left out is that not all dogs have a home. That changed this month for 23 puppers who were rescued from life-or-death circumstances in the Midwest and relocated via a weeklong road trip to welcoming families on the West Coast. This second chance was made possible by a network of animal rescues and a volunteer community of automakers and car enthusiasts, including yours truly.
Operation Frodo is a nationwide canine rescue initiative that started with a single dog, the eponymous Frodo. A few years ago, auto journalist Nik Miles had his heart stolen by Frodo. This was not exaclty a difficult task for the beagle since Miles is an unapologetic animal lover with several dogs already having free reign of his Portland home. But Frodo was different, a rescue located in Omaha, Nebraska. This time, Miles couldn’t just hop on a plane; he had to drive if he wanted his heart back.
Although driving is part of his job, rescuing abandoned, abused, and discarded dogs was not part of the career assessment. But there Miles was, in Nebraska, learning about how rescues and shelters in the region become overwhelmed by the dumped dogs no longer needed by hunters or are unable to be sold by breeders.
“Shelters are full of different kinds of dogs in different parts of the country,” said Miles. “Las Vegas has an abundance of French Bulldogs, the Midwest has an abundance of Beagle, and Portland has an abundance of German Shepherds. But they can be adopted in different areas.”
To Miles, these dogs may be unhoused, but they are certainly not unloved. Together with Basset and Beagle Rescue of the Heartland (BBRH), which focuses on rehoming its namesake breeds in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, Miles came up with a road trip plan to rescue a few. The urgency became clear when one breeder said they’d shoot the dogs if the rescue wouldn’t take them.
“It wasn’t a threat, just a fact,” said auto journalist and Operation Frodo volunteer coordinator Harvey Briggs. “That’s why we started Operation Frodo. To get these guys to homes with loving families.”
This year marked the third cross-country rescue effort that started in Omaha, Nebraska, and included stops in Denver, Salt Lake City, Boise, and, lastly, Beaverton, Oregon, where Beaverton Kia hosted the transfer of the rescues. BBRH oversaw the canine logistics, while additional support came from Cascade Beagle Rescue, Seattle Beagle Rescue, and Utah Beagle Rescue for fostering and rehoming.
The five-day road trip started with 22 beagles, but ultimately 23 found new families. That’s because an autowriter/volunteer driver had his heart stolen by a Tennessean named Melvyn, who now is a happy Michigander. Helping Melvyn find his forever home halfway through the drive was a significant moment for Miles, but so was the number of beagles saved.
Until now, Operation Frodo had transferred a total of 23 dogs. So, 2024 alone doubled that number, which exponentially increased everything else, particularly on needs—monetary, vehicles, volunteers, and hugs.
“This was the most number of dogs we’ve ever taken on an operation,” said Miles. “Scaling up is extremely hard. Twelve dogs [from last year] was easily manageable, but 22 is unbelievably hard. Making sure that everybody is healthy and well, from vet visits to food and supply needs—it’s complicated.”
Miles reiterates that the process isn’t as simple as putting a few dogs in a vehicle with some snacks. Pets are subject to quarantine rules when crossing state lines, so each rescue had to meet its final home state’s requirements on health status, tests, and vaccinations.
Regarding transportation, support came directly from the automotive world, from OEMs to writers to influencers. The 2024 rescue fleet included a Ford Explorer, Genesis GV70, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Carnival, and Subaru Forester. A colleague from MotorTrend drove out a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter outfitted with winter tires courtesy of Bridgestone. The massive van served as the group’s unofficial but much-needed mobile command center.
Infiniti covered meals and lodging for the 20 volunteer drivers, while Nissan picked up the hefty fuel bill. Pet-friendly La Quinta Inn & Suites waived its pet fees for the group, which included dozens of rooms over the course of several nights. The volunteers paid their own travel costs to and from their respective starting and end cities.
“This year was expensive,” Miles confessed. “[Due to the additional rescues], Operation Frodo cost us as much money as we raised, but was totally worth it.”
As such, for at least one week in December, sales, layoffs, and the bottom line are not the topic of car talk. Thanks to donations and volunteers from the auto community and beyond, for nearly 50 beagles who would’ve otherwise been shot, starved, or lost to a Midwest winter, heaven can wait because they have a home for the holidays and beyond.
Next year’s adventure is already on the calendar for December 14-17. If you’d like to lend your support or learn more, visit the non-profit Animal Rescue Rigs.
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