There's a lot of terrible news stories out there, so here's one with a happy ending, but a warning.
Around 4,000 beagles are being rescued from a facility that bred and sold animals for laboratory testing purposes after an investigation discovered that the dogs were subjected to distressing and inhumane conditions. According to a court filing from May this year, this included dogs still nursing puppies being denied food, dogs being given food that was contaminated with mould, live insects, and fecal matter, and dogs with treatable conditions being euthanized rather than treated.
The New York Times reported that a team of US Department of Agriculture inspectors visited the facility in June last year and found a dog with its paw trapped in the floor.
Over 70 violations of the Animal Welfare Act were found by the USDA.
The Cumberland facility is run by a company called Envigo, which was acquired by Inotiv Inc. Inotiv said that the facility would be closing. An undercover investigation conducted by the Humane Society found more potential Animal Welfare Act violations at a pharmaceutical testing laboratory in Indiana where animals are used to test drug toxicity.
More than 400 dogs have been removed from the Cumberland facility since it was seized in May due to being assessed as needing urgent or life saving care. According to Sue Bell, the founder and executive director of Homeward Trails Animal Rescue in Virginia, puppies and pregnant and nursing dogs are being prioritised next for removal, with up to 250 more dogs set to be surrendered today.
Over the next few months, the Humane Society of the United States will be transporting thousands of dogs to rescues and shelters around the country at their own expense, and so is asking for donations to help the rescue effort. This is the largest operation of its kind.
"Finding partners who can make space and find homes for around 4,000 dogs in the summer will be a feat of epic proportions," says a post on the Humane Society's website.
If you would like to adopt one or more of the dogs, you can find out more on their dedicated "4,000 Beagles" info page.
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