Ladies and Gentlemen. . .it’s our first coonhound making her debut on Where Are They Wednesday.
Calling Burbank, CA her home and Cam and Jeff her parents, meet your typical furniture loving coonie:
 
TARA!
 
BFP: Howdy Tara! So happy you are the first to represent the Frounds. Tell us about the rescue you were part of?  
Tara: What are Frounds? And I was part of the Gentle Giants rescue of October 2013.
BFP: Fround are free hounds (like free beagles called Freagles!)
 
BFP: How did your family find you?  
Tara: My mom and dad already knew Shannon Keith, the president and founder of Beagle Freedom Project, and they were volunteers with BFP from the early days.  One day, Mom was looking at her computer and Dad came up behind her and said, “Those are coonhounds! BFP rescues coonhounds?  You’d better call Shannon right away!  So, they did and came to visit the same day.  I was the last one there; all the others had gone home with their families.  But I knew that my family was coming, and I was waiting for them.  
 
BFP: How old are you, Tara?  
Tara: I’m five years old now.  I just had a birthday on October 30. You missed it, but I’ll forgive you.
 
BFP: And how did you get your beautiful name?
Tara: Well, there are a couple of meanings to my name.  My dad used to have a dog that he loved so much, and her name was Tara.  My mom also liked the name Tara because it reminds her of Gone with the Wind, and I’m a southern breed.  But did you know that Tara is also Sanskrit for Mother of Liberation? That’s my favorite part of my name because freedom is the best thing in life.  
 
BFP: How long were you in the lab? 
Tara: I was there for almost a year.  Lucky for me, I was rescued two weeks before my first birthday.
 
BFP: Tell everyone about your adjustment after spending the first year of your life in a research lab?  
Tara: Well, I was scared at first.  Scared of everything, especially people I didn’t know.  I remember when people would come to our house, I would run and hide.  Especially if the person was a tall man – I didn’t like them at all!  I think they must have reminded me of someone at the laboratory where they did tests on me.  I was even scared of my human siblings.  They didn’t live at home, so I didn’t see them very often.  After a long time, I finally came to trust them.  They had to be very patient with me.  
 
BFP: Tell us about your family?
Tara: When I first came here, there were three other dogs – Sam, Charlie, and Sophie.  They were so nice to me, and helped me learn how to be a free dog.  Since then, both Sam and Charlie got sick and went away.  I miss them a lot.  But now mom and dad brought Joey home.  He’s a puppy, and he’s really silly.  He likes to chew on my long ears and long legs.  Sophie’s old, and kind of grumpy, but we get along ok.  She’s a beagle, and we both like to sleep a lot.  
 
BFP: What is your best trick?  
Tara: I can leap tall buildings in a single bound.  Well, actually I can get up on the tall bed really easily.  And I know “down” (especially if there’s a yummy treat waiting for me).
 
BFP: What is your worst habit?  
Tara: Mom and Dad say my worst habit is eating Joey’s poop.  But I don’t see what’s wrong with it!! I’m trying to teach ’em to relax about it.
BFP: Yea, well that is kind of gross.
 
BFP: Who is your best friend?   
Tara: Charlie used to be my best friend – from the very first day. When he went away, I was so sad.  There was no “play” in our house anymore.  Sophie and I just laid around all day.  But then Joey came, and even though he’s a little bit of a pest, he’s definitely my best friend in the world.  We love to play chase and run zoomies up and down the hall or out in the back yard.  
 
BFP: You sound like such a sweet girl, Tara. I cannot imagine you’d have any pet peeves?  
Tara: Well, I really don’t like when someone tries to sit in my chair in the living room. (SEE: furniture loving coonies).
 
BFP: Other than furniture, any favorites things?
Tara: My favorite place to be is on the futon in the back house, late at night, with Dad.  He and I like to snuggle when there’s no one around to bug us.  
 
BFP: Does your family have any nicknames for you?
Tara: LT, or Long Tall.  Because I am super long and tall.  Sort of like a giraffe.
 
BFP: What is one word to describe you?
Tara: GOOFY! And stoic.  Depends on the day. I’m a chameleon
 
BFP: Anything else you’d like everyone to know about you?  
Tara: I’d just like to say thank you to all of the people who help get us animals out of laboratories, and into loving families.  It means so much to us – I wish we had words to tell you.  
 
Oh, thank you Tara. We are so happy when we can get animals like you out of laboratories.
 
And next week folks, we are staying in the great state of California and meeting a Cowboy. . .get ready!

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