Meet Guy, Meghan Markle's royal beagle puppy from Kentucky
A new member of the royal family hails from Kentucky.
And he's a very, very good boy.
Guy the beagle, Meghan Markle's pup, became doggy royalty over the weekend when his owner exchanged vows with Prince Harry. Before Guy crossed the pond, though, he had to cross the border.
The royal beagle is originally from Montgomery County Animal Shelter in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky — about 35 miles east of Lexington.
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The group that organized the 2015 adoption event, A Dog's Dream Rescue, based in Oakville, Ontario, often works with Kentucky shelters to help their dogs find homes, said owner Dolores Doherty.
"Most do end up in really good homes, with nice stories and lots of feedback from owners on how the dog has changed their lives," Doherty said.
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Guy's one of 1,600 beagles who Doherty has connected with new owners. Still, she never quite expected one would make his or her home among princes.
"Such a thought never entered my mind," Doherty said, laughing. "I saw him in a limousine with the queen! That was too much."
Markle was looking for a friend for her other dog, Bogart. Guy and Bogart went on a walk together as a test run and became fast friends. That sealed the deal, Doherty said.
Guy's original shelter is a low-kill facility that euthanizes only as a last resort. It works closely with rescues to send dogs to places where they can get adopted, including Doherty's A Dog's Dream, said shelter director J'Rie Elliot.
Shelter employees knew Guy had been adopted by an actress on Suits, which was cool enough. Then, they learned she was engaged to the prince.
"Oh my goodness," Elliot remembered people saying. "We have puppy royalty."
She doesn't remember Guy personally, in part because she was just a shelter volunteer at the time. Her predecessor, who has since retired, recalled Guy as a sweet little dog, she said.
His new home — and platform to speak out on dog rescues and adoptions — restores her faith in humanity.
"Our motto, 'adopt don't shop,' has been heard on such a high level," Elliot said. "She could have any dog she wanted. She can afford to buy any breed. And she opened her heart and home to a shelter pet. That makes all the long hours, sleepless nights and transports worth it."
The marriage makes Markle the Duchess of Sussex. No word on Guy's new title.
Darcy Costello: 502-582-4834; dcostello@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @dctello. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/darcyc.
