New Hampshire SPCA opens doors to seven beagles from the Envigo facility in Cumberland, Virginia
New Hampshire SPCA assists in the Humane Society of the United States’ work to find placement for approximately 4,000 beagles
New Hampshire SPCA has received seven beagles at its location at 104 Portsmouth Ave. Stratham, NH as part of the first group of beagles to be removed from a mass-breeding facility riddled with animal welfare concerns. The Humane Society of the United States is coordinating the removal of approximately 4,000 beagles housed at an Envigo RMS LLC facility in Cumberland, VA which bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation.
The transfer plan was submitted by the Department of Justice and Envigo RMS LLC, with the agreement of the Humane Society of the United States to assume the responsibility of coordinating placement. The transfer will take place in stages over the next 60 days, and the dogs will be up for adoption via New Hampshire SPCA and other shelters and rescues.
The beagles that arrived last night appear in good shape, are super sweet and very wiggly! They range in age but are all under a year old. They will be available for adoption after completing their legally required quarantine period. Potential adopters should check are website (nhspca.org) for details about the dogs as they become available. Adopters are always encouraged to complete an adoption application in advance to help the process go more quickly. The NHSPCA is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11am-4pm, and every other day of the week by appointment. You may contact info@nhspca.org to schedule an appointment.
“We are honored to help the Humane Society of the United States in this overwhelming endeavor to find homes for 4,000 beagles,” said Lisa Dennison, Executive Director of the New Hampshire SPCA. “As a proud Emergency Placement Partner of HSUS, we have been called upon in the past to help with other large cases, but this is mammoth. These dogs have never had a home but they are so affectionate and adorable. We are so grateful to help find the loving homes they so deeply deserve. We hope that we can continue to help in placing more of the dogs from this case in the near future.”
The transfer plan comes as a result of a lawsuit filed against Envigo by the Department of Justice in May, alleging Animal Welfare Act violations at the facility. Repeated federal inspections have resulted in dozens of violations, including findings that some dogs had been “euthanized” without first receiving anesthesia, that dogs had received inadequate veterinary care and insufficient food, and that they were living in unsanitary conditions.
“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.”
The Humane Society of the United States is maintaining a list of partners accepting animals into their adoption program will be here. For more information about the beagles the New Hampshire SPCA is finding homes for, visit www.nhspca.org or email info@nhspca.org.
About the New Hampshire SPCA: The mission of the New Hampshire SPCA is to save the lives of companion animals through rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption; to promote learning, eliminate animal cruelty and be a leader in advancing the highest standards of animal welfare.
Founded in 1872, the New Hampshire SPCA is celebrating our 150th year.
For more information about the New Hampshire SPCA, please visit www.nhspca.org
Follow the New Hampshire SPCA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NewHampshireSPCA
