Thousands of Beagles Rescued from Animal Testing Facility in Virginia

Envigo, the deplorable dog breeding and testing facility in Virginia, has been exposed for egregious animal welfare violations and is responsible for the suffering of thousands of innocent beagles.

As per a statement released by Virginia Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, on July 1^st, the Department of Justice and Envigo announced a plan to facilitate the surrender of nearly four thousand dogs from the controversial facility.

Under the agreement, ownership and physical custody of the dogs will be transferred to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which will work to place these dogs into homes.

While the court previously allowed Envigo to fulfill the existing contracts for an estimated 500 dogs, it subsequently ruled against the company’s request to fill contracts for a sister company, ENVIGO Global Services.

“In case you missed it, it looks like 4,000 dogs that were being horribly mistreated at an Envigo facility in Cumberland will soon be free and become pets,” Senator Warner shared in a post on his Facebook page over the weekend. “I’m so thrilled they will soon have their own Independence Day!”

This transfer is the result of a warrant and subsequent lawsuit filed by federal authorities after Senators Warner and Kaine shed light on the issue and demanded federal action. After a preliminary injunction against the facility was issued in the Western District of Virginia, Envigo and its parent company agreed to close the facility permanently.

“After months of advocacy, we are heartened to know that nearly 4,000 Envigo dogs will be spared a lifetime of suffering and will instead head to loving homes. We are also pleased to know that Inotiv, Envigo’s parent company, will shutter its Cumberland facility and that no more dogs will be subject to the appalling conditions and inexcusable distress endured by so many dogs and puppies at the facility. We will continue working in the Senate to prevent the mistreatment of innocent animals across Virginia and the nation,” the Senators said in a joint statement. 

In March, Senators Warner and Kaine expressed horror and demanded immediate and aggressive action by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) following more than 70 animal welfare violations at the Envigo breeding and research facility in Cumberland. After these calls for action, the federal government stepped in, seizing 446 beagles in acute distress and placing a temporary restraining order to prevent the breeding, sale, or otherwise dealing of beagles at the Cumberland facility.

Senators Warner and Kaine have been consistent cosponsors of the Puppy Protection Act, which would amend the Animal Welfare Act to include additional care and safety standards for dog breeders like Envigo. Under the bill, breeders would be required to house dogs in appropriately sized enclosures with solid ground and keep them on a regular diet and exercise routine. As Governor of Virginia, Kaine signed a law that imposed stricter legal penalties for dogfighting offenses.

Original Article