Envigo/Inotiv

In May 2022, a federal court in Virginia took the extraordinary step of granting the Justice Department a temporary restraining order—an emergency procedure used to halt ongoing misconduct threatening irreparable harm—against a facility in Virginia that breeds and sells beagles for experimentation. The court concluded that such extraordinary relief was necessary because of the serious and repeated Animal Welfare Act violations documented by USDA investigators over a 10-month period.

The court noted that USDA inspectors had documented more than 60 violations, with over half being the most serious type. These violations encompassed failings in fundamental animal welfare requirements such as veterinary care, staffing, housing, sanitation, recordkeeping and feeding. Inspectors found, in a 10-month period, that “many [dogs] were not given anesthesia before they were euthanized by intracardiac injection. Beagles with even minor injuries or easily treated medical conditions were euthanized rather than given veterinary care. Nursing female beagles were denied food … . The food that the beagles did receive was observed to contain live insects, worms, maggots, beetles, flies, ants, mold, and feces.” Inspections noted that Envigo had failed to determine the cause of death for over 300 puppies, including 173 so decomposed it was impossible to determine the cause of death.

Ultimately, after Envigo unsuccessfully attempted to preserve its ability to fill contracts and profit from the dogs who had been so abused, a settlement was reached and consent decree entered in which Envigo was required to shut the Cumberland facility and permit the remaining dogs to be made available for adoption.

While AWI is relieved that the nightmare for the Cumberland dogs is nearing an end, we remain extremely concerned about

the tens of thousands of animals housed at other Envigo/Inotiv breeding facilities, and
the inexcusable failure of the USDA to act on the information its own investigators uncovered and documented over a 10-month period. Not until the Department of Justice, supported by the Commonwealth of Virginia, stepped in was any action taken to rescue the Cumberland dogs.

Below you will find key documents generated in the course of this investigation and litigation.