Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/4000-beagles-saved-breeding-farm/
The Humane Society of the United States is working along with the United States Department of Justice after the closure of Envigo’s dog breeding facility in Cumberland, Virginia.
Now that the facility has been closed down, they are trying to re-house the remaining 4000 beagles.
As you can imagine, the process associated with rehousing thousands of dogs is quite extensive. The Humane Society is working along with various shelters and rescue agencies to help find homes for each and every one of the animals.
In a press release, Sue Bell, executive director of Homeward Trails, said: “This is one of the largest dog rescue efforts ever coordinated and has truly been a group effort. To know that these dogs will get to have the lives they deserve and not languish in cages for the rest of their lives is just so rewarding.”
She went on to talk about the joy that the dogs experience when they were able to get a degree of freedom and begin running around in the grass for the first time in their lives.
The beagles were bred at the Envigo facility for use in animal testing and biomedical experiments. It is a common practice for beagles to be used for this purpose because of their submissive nature and small size.
In 2021, PETA investigated the facility and showed the horrors of what was inside. Warehouses were packed full of the dogs and workers were running around injecting and cutting dogs, even though they didn’t have any veterinary experience. At times, puppies were even found crushed inside cages.
According to records from the US Department of Agriculture, more than 300 puppies died at the facility between January 1, and July 22, 2021. The deaths were of unknown causes.
There were also 200 dogs that were euthanized without being sedated, which is a painful procedure. The American Veterinary Medical Association has spoken out against the practice.
Along with owning this facility for breeding dogs, the same company also owns a facility for breeding rodents. The rodent breeding facility had already been shut down in June 2021.
At one time, nobody was sure what would happen to the thousands of dogs at the facility. The company was not allowed to sell the dogs and it took some time but it looks like they now have the solution.
US Senators Mark R Warner and Tim Kaine released a joint statement, saying: “After months of advocacy, we’re heartened to know that nearly 4,000 Envigo dogs will be spared a lifetime of suffering and will instead head to loving homes.”
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
