Humane Society of Tampa Bay assists in the Humane Society of the United States’ work to find placement for approximately 4,000 beagles
(August 25, 2022)— The Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB) has received 15 beagles to its facility in Tampa, FL as part of the 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 the Humane Society of Tampa Bay and other shelters and rescues.
Families and individuals interested in adopting one of these beagles should check the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s website nightly to see when the beagles become available. Some may be available for adoption as early as next week. The Society is open daily from 10am to 5pm and adopts on a first-come, first-served basis at the shelter located at 3607 N Armenia Avenue in West Tampa. HumaneSocietyTampa.org/adopt.
“These dogs have been through so much and we are grateful to the Department of Justice and HSUS for facilitating their rescue,” said HSTB Director of Shelter Operations Danyelle Ho. “We are thrilled to welcome them to Tampa Bay, give them the care and time needed to heal, then find them loving homes.”
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 Humane Society of Tampa Bay is finding homes for, email danyelleh@humanesocietytampa.org or call 813-774-4308.
Media contact: communications@humanesocietytampa.org, or 813-291-7358
Photos and Broll of beagles arriving at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay can be found here: https://humanesocietytampabay.smugmug.com/Animals/Dogs/HSUS-Beagle-rescue-8-25-22/n-p9ZnpB Please credit Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
About the Humane Society of Tampa Bay
For more than 100 years, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to our vision of leading the way because every life counts. Named a Four-Star Charity by Charity Navigator since 2008, designated a Platinum Participator with GuideStar, and accredited by AAHA, the standard in veterinary excellence, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay is dedicated to the highest standards in animal sheltering and veterinary care. Our adoption programs, affordable veterinary services, community outreach efforts and volunteer opportunities are essential to the health and wellbeing of thousands of animals across Tampa Bay.