About 4,000 beagles housed at a Virginia facility that sold them to laboratories have been rescued by the Humane Society of the United States, and ten of them are at the Westchester SPCA and will soon be available for adoption.
The Humane Society is coordinating the removal of the beagles housed at an Envigo RMS LLC facility in Cumberland, VA, a facility the SPCA says was cited with 70 cruelty violations of the Federal Animal Welfare Act.
The transfer to other facilities will take place in stages over the next 60 days, and the dogs will be up for adoption via SPCA Westchester and other shelters and rescues.
“It’s unimaginable what these poor dogs have gone through, says Shannon Laukhuf, Executive Director of SPCA Westchester, and we’re honored the SPCA was asked to assist in giving these deserving, brave beagles a second chance.”
According to the SPCA, the transfer plan comes as a result of a lawsuit filed against Envigo by the Department of Justice 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.
Anyone interested to email Eileen@spcawestchester.org. Donations are also welcome via spcawestchester.org
SPCA Westchester is located at 590 North State Road, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510.
