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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s home in Montecito has a new resident! The Los Angeles Times reported on Aug. 24 that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have adopted a seven-year-old beagle named Mamma Mia, who was rescued from the Envigo breeding facility in Virginia.
The Beagle Freedom Project in Valley Village—a neighborhood in Los Angeles—received 25 of the 4,000 beagles that were rescued, per the Los Angeles Times. Shannon Keith, who is the president and founder of the non-profit animal rescue and advocacy organization, revealed to the outlet that Meghan “personally” called her.
“She calls on my cell with no Caller ID and says, ‘Hey Shannon, this is Meghan,’” Shannon said. “We talked for 30 minutes, and I thought, ‘Is this Megan Fox?’”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Meghan and Harry made an “after-hours visit to the unassuming San Fernando Valley house on Hartsook Street this month” and played in the backyard with Mia.
“The duchess is holding Mia and was like, ‘We’re adopting her,’” Shannon recalled. “She was like ‘No, we don’t want a Christmas puppy. … We want ones we can help who are older.’”
Meghan has previously rescued a beagle. Per PEOPLE , the Duchess adopted her beagle Guy in 2015 from Ontario’s A Dog’s Dream Rescue. Harry and Meghan welcomed another rescue, a Labrador named Pula, to their family in 2018.
The Duchess of Sussex has opened up about the joy of adopting an animal. “As a proud rescue dog owner, I know from personal experience the joy that adopting an animal into your home can bring,” she wrote in a foreword for Mayhew’s annual review 2018. “The role that we, as people, play in rehoming and rescuing these animals is vital, but the role of organisations such as Mayhew is unparalleled.“
Meghan also noted that the “choice to adopt a pet is a big decision that comes with much responsibility but infinite return on the investment. It will undoubtedly change your life.”