The Monmouth County SPCA has brought five beagles to its facility in Eatontown who were 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, according to an Aug. 25 press release from the MCSPCA.
The transfer plan was submitted by the U.S. 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 MCSPCA and other shelters and rescues, according to the press release.
“While we were not able to take many beagles due to the fact that, like many shelters, the MCSPCA is at near capacity, we are proud to be a small part of this heroic rescue,” MCSPCA Executive Director Ross Licitra said. “It is remarkable to see the effect human kindness has on these terrified puppies and we look forward to finding them loving homes.”
Five male puppies are currently undergoing medical and behavioral assessment at the MCSPCA. Due to the overwhelming interest in adoption from the public, the MCSPCA will choose suitable adoption candidates from a lottery system, according to the press release.
Applicants should have experience as a dog owner, reside in New Jersey and in a stand-alone type residence, due to potential noise.
Canine adoption surveys may be filled out online and submitted electronically by visiting https://monmouthcountyspca.org and clicking on canine adoption survey. They may also be filled out and submitted at the shelter’s Eatontown location. The lottery ends at 5 p.m. Aug. 28 and potential adopters will be contacted for an appointment, according to a press release.
The transfer plan comes as a result of a lawsuit filed against Envigo by the U.S. Department of Justice in May, alleging Animal Welfare Act violations at the facility, according to the press release.
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, according to the press release.
“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.”