Special to the Herald

SPRINGFIELD – A pair of forlorn beagles is getting a chance to have a Merry Christmas and a happy life.

Brothers Sam (black) and Jack (brown), plagued by heartworms and a fear of people, were adopted at the Effingham County Animal Shelter (ECAS) Dec. 11. They went home with Greg and Teri Crawford.

Aware of Sam and Jack’s physical condition and reluctance to be handled, the Crawfords gingerly crawled on the kennel floor in an attempt to make a connection with them. The couple made enough progress to take a chance on the jittery canines.

“They have a long road ahead of them as a family,” ECAS Director Lorna Shelton said, “but the Crawfords have a fenced-in area to work their magic. This is a story with a miraculous Christmas magic ending.”