A weeks-long joint effort between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) culminated in the rescue of 4,000 beagles from a Cumberland, Virginia, breeding facility on July 18. The facility reportedly supplied laboratories conducting drug tests on animals.
The historic rescue resulted from a lawsuit filed by the DOJ against the company, Envigo, for gross violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Government inspectors found malnourished mothers who were often fed contaminated food. Several beagles were euthanized in lieu of receiving medical care for treatable conditions. Twenty five beagles died from exposure while scores more sustained injuries due to attacks from other dogs in overcrowded conditions.
According to an undercover investigation by HSUS at Envigo’s parent company, Inotiv, lab animals were subjected to high doses of drugs daily, often suffering severely debilitating effects and death. Funded by big pharma, these studies were designed to test for drug toxicity and extrapolate effectiveness on humans.
As part of a settlement reached with the DOJ, the Cumberland breeding facility has been closed. However, Envigo admitted “no wrongdoing.”
Since their rescue, two pregnant beagles have birthed an additional 13 puppies needing forever homes.
Interest in adopting the animals has been swift and brisk. The Massachusetts SPCA alone has received about 1,000 applications for 55 of the dogs relocated to the region. All will be available for adoption as soon as spay/neuter and wellness checks are completed.
“These dogs were living in confined and unsanitary conditions with little to no socialization with people," the Northeast Animal Shelter previously said in a statement. “Our focus now is ensuring all of them have the chance for a happy life, and will be cherished and loved by a family in a way they would never have been without intervention.”
In addition to MSPCA, HSUS has partnered with seven other shelters to receive the dogs: Homeward Trails Animal Rescue (Virginia), Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary (Wyoming) Northeast Animal Shelter (Massachusetts), Priceless Pets (California) Dakin Humane Society (Massachusetts), Helen Woodward Animal Center (California) and the Wisconsin Humane Society.
For information, please contact: mspca.org/adopt and neas.org/adopt.
Other record-setting rescues have hit the headlines.
During South Carolina’s largest anti-cruelty bust in history last summer, Laurens County Animal Control seized more than 400 starving animals from an upstate home. Dogs, horses, rabbits and pigs had no access to water. Live roosters were tethered to the ground while hundreds of dead ones lay decaying in piles; a cockfighting ring was suspected. Five people were arrested, three charged with various counts of animal cruelty including torture.
In October, 2020, a West Seattle homeowner was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty punishable by five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine. More than 200 live animals including dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas were recovered. Several dozen dead animals were found in a second home on the property. Seattle Animal Shelter Director Ann Graves called it, “one of the most severe cases of animal neglect and cruelty” she has seen in her 20-year career.
Per the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), upwards of a quarter million cats and dogs per year are victims of hoarders. ALDF calls hoarding “the number one animal cruelty crisis facing companion animals in communities throughout the country.” The tragic effects of hoarding adversely affects animals, family members and neighbors and potentially bankrupts local shelters and rescues.
“The only long-term solution for stopping [hoarders’] behavior is to prevent them from owning animals, and to require mental health evaluations and treatment if necessary.”