US releases 4,000 beagles raised for drug testing

Animal rights activists are looking for homes for nearly 4,000 beagles, according to Reuters . The animals were seized from breeders in Virginia who bred them to be sold to labs for drug testing.

The animal rescue operation at the facility, owned by Envigo RMS LLC, took at least three years. The inspectors who checked the content of the animals found signs of abuse there: even with minor health problems, beagles were killed instead of treated, lactating bitches were kept from hand to mouth, and dogs were given food with larvae, mold and feces. Puppies died from the cold, dogs attacked each other due to overcrowding.

Envigo RMS LLC was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for violating the Animal Welfare Act in May, and the facility is now finally closed. Within two months, the animals will be taken to US shelters, where they will be examined, vaccinated and given to adoptive parents.