MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Humane Society welcomed 62 beagles over the weekend in a larger effort across the country to find homes for thousands of dogs in need.
The Humane Society of the United States is coordinating moving 4,000 beagles out of Cumberland, Virginia. The beagles were housed at an Envigo RMS LLC facility, where they were bred to be sold to laboratories, executing experiments on animals.
A lawsuit alleging Envigo was violating the Animal Welfare Act at its facility was filed in May by the Department of Justice. Federal inspectors said they found dozens of violations. Federal inspectors said dogs did not receive proper veterinary care, dogs did not receive sufficient food, dogs were not living in sanitary conditions and some dogs were euthanized without anesthesia.
WHS said 62 of the beagles being removed from the mass-breeding facility were picked up and transported to Wisconsin. WHS took in 9 beagle moms and 53 beagle puppies.
“On Saturday night, our team welcomed, examined, and placed all 62 animals in foster homes in less than two hours," said Alison Fotsch Kleibor, WHS executive vice president and CEO designate. “It has been such a powerful experience to be a small part of the journey for these animals and an even greater privilege to be a part of the team who made it happen.”
None of the beagles are at onsite locations; WHS said all 62 dogs are in private foster homes in southeastern Wisconsin.
WHS said the beagles will be available for adoption when they are healthy enough and old enough to go to new homes. WHS said it will continue to care for the dogs until that day comes.
“It takes a massive network of compassionate, expert shelters and rescues to make an operation of this scale possible,” said Lindsay Hamrick, shelter outreach and engagement director for the Humane Society of the United States. “We are deeply grateful to each organization that is stepping up to find these dogs the loving homes they so deserve.”
None of the beagles in Wisconsin are available for adoption yet. WHS said its website is updated in real time. Information on the adoption process can be found here.
To make a donation to support the beagles’ care, click here.
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