Record fine, new laws send powerful message against animal cruelty

A company that bred beagles in deplorable conditions was recently ordered to pay $35 million for violations of the Animal Cruelty Act and federal environmental laws. This is a record punishment for these offenses and yet it seems inadequate given the harm inflicted.

Virginia subsequently strengthened its animal cruelty laws, improvements that should hold investigators accountable in the future. The hope is that these stricter rules along with this record fine will prevent such a horror from happening again in the Commonwealth.

Two years ago, federal authorities raided a breeding facility in Cumberland County, about 50 miles west of Richmond, operated by Envigo, a global biotechnology company that supplies animals for medical and veterinary research .

U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors had previously cited the facility and it was the subject of a secret investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the animal rights organization whose headquarters is in Norfolk. But what they discovered was shocking.

Around 4,000 beagles lived in squalid conditions. They were given rancid food, although widespread malnutrition suggests they were not fed much at all. They were dehydrated. Their cages were covered in waste and the temperature of the living space was not regulated.

Many were injured. Hundreds of people had died.

The dogs were bred and used for medical purposes. But humane treatment of animals raised for such use is still required by law, and the company that operates this facility in Virginia has repeatedly and blatantly violated it.

The misery of dogs has captured the hearts of people all over Virginia and around the world. The animals were handed over by authorities to adoption agencies and people were queuing up to adopt them or offer them financial support.

Anyone who has adopted a rescue dog knows that they can come with some heavy baggage. Some have survived unthinkable conditions, making them fearful, nervous and slow to trust. However, with lots of love and patience, they can become a treasured part of their new family, their gratitude evident in every tail wag.

In the years since their release, many so-called Envigo beagles have been placed in loving homes with attentive and caring families. They are well-fed, free to play, and enrich the lives of those who have opened their hearts to welcome furry friends in need.

The dogs’ dark history also belatedly spurred state lawmakers into action. Before the beagles were rescued, but after the facility violations were made public, the General Assembly unanimously passed several bills that gave state inspectors oversight of breeding facilities and required that repeated violations of animal welfare laws result in closures.

“This historic package of bills I signed today clarifies that dogs and cats bred and sold for experimental purposes are protected under Virginia’s animal cruelty law, will help ensure standards of well-being and saving lives, and will give Virginia the authority to act when welfare violations occur,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said during the signing ceremony.

While this marked an important milestone, it followed considerable slow progress. These bills were submitted to the legislature several times before Envigo’s facilities made their passage politically and morally necessary.

The blocking ? Envigo bred dogs for medical research. The legislation asked the General Assembly to balance the value of medical advancement with stronger enforcement of laws protecting animal welfare.

Lawmakers favored medical research, but it came at a huge cost. These dogs were treated with indifference, stored as expendable products and thrown away when they died. The authorities could and should have intervened sooner.

The new laws will ensure Virginia can do this in the future. And the penalties Envigo and its parent company Inotiv face — a $22 million criminal fine, $7 million for environmental restoration, $1 million each for two animal welfare groups and millions of more for facility upgrades and additional hiring to provide care – should deter other violators.

This represents significant progress and, with the Envigo beagles living happy lives away from Cumberland’s tiny cages, it helps save some good from this tragedy.