Almost exactly two years after thousands of beagles were rescued from unsafe conditions at a breeding facility in Virginia, the company behind it has agreed to pay a record $ million in fines.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Virginia announced on Monday that Envigo RMS LLC — which owned and operated the now-closed Cumberland County facility — pleaded guilty to conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act by failing to provide adequate veterinary care and staffing.
Meanwhile, Envigo Global Services Inc. pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act by failing to properly operate and maintain the wastewater treatment plant at that same facility. Prosecutors say this not only harmed the health of dogs at the facility but also led to “massive unlawful discharges” of untreated wastewater into a local waterway.
“Everyone victimized in this precedent-setting animal welfare case deserved better: the workers, the beagles, the environment, and the community,” Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator David Uhlmann said. “Envigo deserves every dollar of its record fine.”
Inotiv, Envigo’s Indiana-based parent company, must pay what federal prosecutors call the largest-ever fine in an animal welfare case.
The total criminal fine amounts to $22 million ($11 million for each violation). Additionally, the company must pay approximately $1.1 million to the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force and $1.9 million to the Humane Society of the United States for their assistance in the investigation.
It must also pay the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation $3.5 million “to benefit and restore the environment and ecosystems” in Cumberland County and spend at least $7 million to improve Envigo’s other facilities and personnel to comply with federal standards. Inotiv also agreed to pay for a compliance monitor to oversee its operations at about 20 other facilities in North America and Europe. It must also cease breeding dogs and serve a probationary period of three to five years, among other provisions.
In a “statement of contrition” issued Monday, the company expressed regret and said it hopes others will learn from its experience.
“In committing the crimes identified in the charging document, and by not making the necessary infrastructure upgrades and hiring the requisite staff, we fell short of our standards for animal and environmental welfare and apologize to the public for the harm caused by our conduct,” it said.
Dogs intended for research laboratories were saved from appalling conditions.
Envigo, renowned for breeding and supplying laboratory animals, has found itself under intense scrutiny from animal rights organizations and federal authorities due to its Virginia facility.
In a pivotal turn of events in 2021, a covert investigation led by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) unearthed distressing conditions at the facility. Shockingly, more than 360 puppies were discovered dead among their siblings, nursing mothers were deliberately deprived of sustenance, and unqualified personnel performed invasive procedures on sedated dogs, resulting in the demise of the mothers.
PETA’s complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture prompted a series of investigations that exposed a litany of egregious violations. Dogs were denied vital veterinary care, and some met untimely deaths after falling into drainage systems. Over a span of 10 months, the facility amassed over 70 Animal Welfare Act violations. “Envigo’s conduct led to the deaths of hundreds of dogs and harm to thousands more,” remarked Todd Kim, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
In a dramatic May 2022 raid, federal authorities intervened, rescuing over 450 distressed dogs from the premises.
“Dogs were subjected to euthanasia without adequate sedation,” stated Kim. “Nursing mothers were starved, kennels were overcrowded and unsanitary, and contaminated water and food were commonplace. Despite being aware of these atrocities, Envigo failed to rectify the situation.”
Envigo, despite raking in approximately $16 million from the sale of nearly 15,000 dogs between 2019 and spring 2022, neglected essential upgrades and staffing, prioritizing profit over compliance. Moreover, investigations revealed a blatant disregard for environmental regulations, with the company discharging untreated wastewater into local water bodies.
In a landmark move in July 2022, facilitated by the Humane Society of the United States, around 4,000 beagles were relocated to shelters and foster homes nationwide. With the closure of the facility in September, all 3,776 rescued beagles found new homes, including high-profile adopters like Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
A heartwarming reunion was held in the D.C. area in September, marking the first anniversary of the beagles’ liberation. Amidst playful romps and celebratory treats, the rescued dogs and their adoptive families rejoiced in their newfound freedom from the horrors of mass breeding.
Animal activists embrace the accountability measures taken against Envigo but are calling for further action.
Animal rights groups welcomed the news on Monday, expressing gratitude to advocates for their efforts while also stressing the need for increased accountability.
“Envigo executives chose to profit off the misery of over 10,000 beagles rather than address the systemic violations they were aware of, and we believe criminal charges for them and others responsible for the cruelty in Cumberland must be pursued,” stated PETA in a press release.
Homeward Trails Rescue Alliance, a Virginia-based organization that was among the first to sign an agreement with Envigo to rescue 500 dogs from its property, shared their joy on Facebook, stating, “Each time we left that property we looked back with a broken heart seeing all the remaining Beagles who were going to be sent to cruel laboratories. And now they are closed.”
While acknowledging the closure of the Cumberland facility, the Humane Society emphasized that more action is necessary.
Despite the closure, Inotiv, the parent company, owns multiple facilities that breed and sell animals for research purposes, including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, and mice. Additionally, it is a significant supplier of endangered long-tailed macaque monkeys to U.S. labs, according to PETA.
An investigation by the Humane Society into one of Inotiv’s contract testing labs in Indiana revealed concerning practices, including administering high doses of substances to dogs even when they were vomiting, feverish, and unable to stand.
The organization is calling on Inotiv and the wider industry to explore alternatives to animal testing, such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence. Additionally, it urges the public to support legislation like the Better CARE for Animals Act, which would provide the Department of Justice with more tools to enforce the Animal Welfare Act and intervene more swiftly at facilities with documented violations, potentially saving the lives of suffering animals.