No less than 4,000 beagles were found on the company’s premises. An American company that breeds animals for medical experiments has just been fined $35 million (about €32 million), the BBC reported on Tuesday (June 4th). She was charged with multiple violations of the existing Animal Welfare Act, which led to the seizure of 4,000 dogs.
The fine imposed on Envigo RMS LLC for animal cruelty is the largest ever imposed under the Animal Welfare Act, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Envigo is also prohibited from breeding dogs for five years.
Puppies are euthanized instead of being treated
This Virginia-based company was sued in May after more than 4,000 beagles were discovered on its premises in disastrous living conditions. A large adoption campaign was then launched across the United States to welcome these animals after their shelter care.
During health checks carried out over a period of 9 months in 2022, more than 70 violations of the Animal Welfare Act were identified, CNN emphasizes. Health inspectors found that some dogs were euthanized instead of receiving basic veterinary care for easily treatable illnesses.
The dogs were also malnourished and fed food containing maggots, mold and faeces, while some lactating dogs were given nothing to eat. Between January 2001 and July 2021, at least 300 puppies died of “unknown causes” at the facility, according to a USDA report.
“Catastrophic consequences” for animals
“Envigo encouraged a corporate culture that prioritized profit (…) over compliance with the law,” Christopher Kavanaugh, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, said in a statement. He also mentions “disastrous consequences” for animals, but also for local waterways, polluted by discharges from the company, which did not treat wastewater according to current standards.
The parent company of the company in question acknowledged the facts in a press release published on Monday: “By not making the necessary improvements to the infrastructure and by not hiring the necessary staff, we did not respect our standards for animal and environmental welfare, and we apologize to the public for the harm that our conduct has caused.”
