56 Former Lab Beagles Arrive At Rescue's Falls Church Facility

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Arlington's Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation is partnering with the Humane Society to take in some of the 4,000 beagles rescued from the Envigo breeding facility in Cumberland, Virginia. The rescue said 56 beagles have arrived at its Falls Church-based Rescue Care Center.

Volunteers from the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation picked up the first transfer of beagles on Friday. The rescue took on high-need cases such as nursing dogs with puppies, as well as senior dogs and is now working to meet the dogs' medical and care needs. The beagles will be available for adoption once the foundation determines they are ready.

"We look forward to showing these dogs a lot of love and attention – warm beds, medical care, and forever families," said Dawn Wallace, executive director of Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation. "We also recognize that the crisis already facing our shelters is not going to pause. Therefore, we really need support from our community, sponsors, and volunteers to sustain our work and to ensure we can continue to fulfill our mission."

Thousands of beagles were rescued from the Envigo facility in Cumberland, Virginia after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit due to animal welfare concerns. Among the federal violations found at the facility were dogs euthanized without receiving anesthesia, inadequate veterinary care, insufficient food and unsanitary conditions.

Envigo, which bred the beagles to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation, agreed to give up all its remaining beagles to the Humane Society. The breeder can no longer engage in any activity requiring an Animal Welfare Act license at its Cumberland, Virginia facility.

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation has created a web page to meet the needs of the rescued beagles. Residents can get involved by donating, providing supplies, volunteering, fostering or adopting.

The Cumberland facility served as a breading factory for beagles and provided them to companies who conducted medical and other types of traumatizing research. A 2021 PETA undercover investigation found thousands of beagle dogs and puppies confined to small, barren kennels and cages at the Cumberland breeding facility.

As a result of the investigation, the Humane Society of the United States and many rescue groups worked on plans to remove all the approximately 4,000 remaining beagles housed at Envigo's facility.

On July 22, a federal judge permanently barred Envigo from "any activity requiring [a federal Animal Welfare Act] license" at the company's Cumberland beagle-breeding factory and laboratory, including breeding and raising dogs for sale and experimenting on animals.

Related: 16 Beagles Rescued From Breeding Facility Arrive At Fairfax Shelter