Fredericksburg SPCA Helps Rescue 35 Beagles From Breeding Facility

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Fredericksburg SPCA said it has taken in 35 beagles removed recently from a mass-breeding facility riddled with animal welfare concerns.

Fredericksburg SPCA opened its doors to the dogs after the Humane Society of the United States coordinated the removal of about 4,000 beagles housed at an Envigo RMS LLC facility in Cumberland, Virginia, which bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation, SPCA officials said.

The transfer plan was submitted by the Department of Justice and Envigo RMS LLC, with the agreement of the Humane Society of the United States to assume the responsibility of coordinating placement.

“This settlement brings to an end the needless suffering caused by Envigo’s blatant violations of animal welfare laws at this facility,” Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a news release. “We will continue to vigorously enforce animal welfare laws to ensure that animals are provided the humane care that they are legally owed and deserve.”

The transfer will take place in stages over the next 60 days, and the dogs will be up for adoption via the Fredericksburg SPCA and other shelters and rescues, Fredericksburg SPCA officials said.

After undergoing an intake from staff, the beagles will then be placed in foster homes until they are ready for adoption.

As a shelter that already operates at maximum capacity to expand its life-saving reach in Virginia, Fredericksburg SPCA officials said fosters are desperately needed for this ongoing case and existing transports.

“The Fredericksburg SPCA is at critical capacity as its mission is to help Virginia reach no-kill status by 2025. In order to do this, we transport vulnerable animals from rural municipal/open intake shelters each week to lower their euthanasia rates,” said Von Young, Marketing & Communications Manager of the Fredericksburg SPCA. “We are confident that our community will support us in expanding our foster base to welcome the 35 Envigo beagles so that we can continue to go where we are needed most.”

“The resilience of these dogs after the tragic situation they’ve been through is remarkable," said Carrie Withers, Executive Director of the Fredericksburg SPCA. “It’s an honor to be involved with this case so that we may show these dogs something they've never before received — love, care, and new experiences they deserve to have like warm beds and sunshine. There can be no hesitation in the work we are able to accomplish in animal welfare, therefore we are in need of support from our community with fosters, donations, and volunteers to keep moving forward.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the transfer plan comes as a result of a lawsuit the agency filed against Envigo in May, alleging Animal Welfare Act violations at the facility. Repeated federal inspections have resulted in dozens of violations, including findings that some dogs had been “euthanized” without first receiving anesthesia, that dogs had received inadequate veterinary care and insufficient food, and that they were living in unsanitary conditions.

“It takes a massive network of compassionate, expert shelters and rescues to make an operation of this scale possible,” said Lindsay Hamrick, shelter outreach and engagement director for the Humane Society of the United States. “We are deeply grateful to each organization that is stepping up to find these dogs the loving homes they so deserve.”

The Humane Society of the United States said it is maintaining a list of partners accepting animals into their adoption program will be here.

For more information about the beagles the Fredericksburg SPCA is finding homes for, visit fredspca.org and sign up for their monthly newsletter.