In pictures: Hundreds of beagles spared from animal testing arrive in our care to start new lives

By on July 26, 2022 with 23 Comments

Last week, we along with several of our shelter and rescue partners embarked on a historic operation and removed the first 432 of approximately 4,000 beagles from Envigo RMS LLC’s facility in Cumberland, Virginia, which bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation.

I was on hand to help welcome a couple hundred of these beagles to our rehabilitation center in Maryland, and viewers online also got their first glimpses of these beagles via a livestream. (I suspect that many of those watching will be welcoming one of these beagles into their homes in the coming months!)

The Department of Justice asked the HSUS to assume the responsibility of coordinating placement for approximately 4,000 beagles from Envigo, which bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. Kevin Wolf/AP Images for the HSUS

As I recently detailed, the removal of these dogs from the breeding facility is the result of lawsuit filed against Envigo by the Department of Justice in May, alleging Animal Welfare Act violations at the facility. Government inspectors found that beagles there were being killed instead of receiving veterinary treatment for easily treated conditions; nursing mother beagles were denied food; the food that they did receive contained maggots, mold and feces; and over an eight-week period, 25 beagle puppies died from cold exposure. Other dogs suffered from injuries when they were attacked by other dogs in overcrowded conditions.

Kitty Block was present to help greet the first 201 beagles transferred to our care and rehabilitation center in Maryland. Kevin Wolf/AP Images for the HSUS

It is difficult to articulate how moving it was to witness this truly historic moment in animal protection. Our Animal Rescue Team was ready for this challenge because this is who we are—what we have trained for: We take on what otherwise seems impossible.

As our team members unloaded pups from the transport van, the scale of this operation became more concrete: Our staffers emerged from the van over and over with literally armfuls of young beagles. Staff and volunteers from RedRover have been invaluable partners in our efforts to help these dogs settle in at our facility.

Staffers made sure that each beagle was accounted for, taking down the numbers that were tattooed on the inside of the ears of the beagles as they were unloaded from the transport van. Kevin Wolf/AP Images for the HSUS

We are honored that the Department of Justice asked us to lead this massive transport operation, which includes some nursing beagle moms.

Beagle puppies settle in at our care center in central Maryland. Kevin Wolf/AP Images for the HSUS

We are also deeply grateful to our dedicated independent rescue and shelter partners, a network of organizations in communities throughout the country. Thanks to them, these remarkable dogs will have wonderful homes and lives ahead of them, just as they deserve.

This first transfer of hundreds of beagles included some nursing beagle moms. Kevin Wolf/AP Images for the HSUS

If you are interested in adopting one of the beagles, take a look at our growing list of partners that are accepting the beagles into their adoption programs.

Follow Kitty Block on Twitter @HSUSKittyBlock.

Categories
Animal Rescue and Care, Animal Research and Testing, Companion Animals

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23 Comments

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  1. Sharon Piper says:

    I was extremely naïve about animal research in US. I am going to research my purchases as much as possible and if there is any hint animals are used for research I will not purchase. The company Envigo has, it seems, has companies everywhere throughout the world. It concerns me the mindset of the people that own and work in these companies/facility. America faces a multitude of issues in this time. Mass school shootings, extremes in thinking of humankind, environmental issues, but if we could treat our animals with more humane treatment, we could, as a country, hold our heads a little higher.

  2. Debra says:

    Thankyou no more being Abused thankyou bring some to maine

  3. Alan Alejandro Maldonado Ortiz says:

    Esto tiene que acabar no podemos seguir abusando de la vida de estos perritos debe de existir una ley para acabar con esta crueldad e inhumanidad está violencia no la podemos permitir más son seres vivos no podemos abusar de su vida

  4. Catalina Concepcion says:

    I would love a puppy 🐶

  5. Alan Alejandro Maldonado Ortiz says:

    Gracias a Dios que existe gente buena que se esfuerza y se preocupa por salvar a los animalitos pero aun así tenemos que seguir luchando por los todos los seres vivos

  6. laurie says:

    Thank You, God, for this wonderful victory!

    That horrible Envigo SHOULD PAY ALL expenses involved in the transportation and care for each of the 4,000 dogs until they each go to their forever loving homes.

    • Susan Wessner says:

      Agreed. Along with every other company that breeds animals for labs. Also the labs themselves must be help accountable & shutdown
      We don’t need this ancient process anymore.

  7. Angelo Schiraldo says:

    I would like to have one of the puppies :Thanks

  8. Rose says:

    🙌 HSUS. Thank you!

  9. Roberta A Walsh says:

    I would like to adopt a female baby Beagle.I do have a beagle she is 8 years old and we have 2 other beagles that past away.How do I do this ? Thank you Roberta

  10. Lisa Morse says:

    Donate, Donate, Donate! To help!
    V I C T O R Y

  11. Woody Shriner says:

    I would love a beagle puppy

  12. Lauren says:

    I’m located in Arkansas and I’m looking to help. Who should I contact?

  13. David Stone says:

    My wife and I would love a puppy! Please advise what is needed to accomplish this. Thank you in advance.

  14. David Stone says:

    Please keep up the good work!

  15. John & Bernice Vanni says:

    Bvanni608@verizon.net
    My husband and I are interested in adopting a female beagle puppy. If there are any miniature beagles we are very interested. We like the tri-color beagles.
    Our son and daughter both have beagles. We love them.

  16. Paulo Demée says:

    Unnecessary experiments on animals, carried out by laboratories wherever they may be, must be banned and those responsible prosecuted. For this to happen, there must be monitoring by the authorities and cooperation by animal protection organizations. It would be preferable if those responsible were sentenced to do community work in shelters that rescue and recover animals, in addition to the penalties applicable to them.

  17. Kathleen A George says:

    It’s always great to see that my monthly donation to HSUS is really helping animals. Thank you for all you do!

  18. Karin erker says:

    Danke für die Rettung der Beagles …♥️Karin erker

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