RICHMOND, Virginia – Flanked by beagles and legislators, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed five bills tightening regulations on dog and cat breeders, a reaction to dramatic reports at beagle breeder-for-medical-testing Envigo, but a full ban on breeding for testing faltered in February.
“This is an important signing ceremony. And it’s important because it signifies how we’re supposed to work together,” Youngkin said from the steps of the Executive Mansion on Monday. “Behind me represents a very diverse group of legislators, legislators that oftentimes find themselves on different sides of issues. And this particular set of circumstances brought people together to do the right thing, common ground, reaching across the aisle working constructively to get things done in a comprehensive way.”
Over several years, USDA reports and an undercover PETA operation revealed concerning conditions at the Cumberland facility formerly owned by LabCorp’s Covance segment. Reports found problems at the facility both before and after Envigo acquired it, with some deaths occurring, such as a puppy that slipped into a drain in October 2021. A newly-released November 2021 USDA report states that some dogs at the facility are euthanized without anesthetic.
“Staff members that are trained and authorized to conduct euthanasia are not following approved procedures, resulting in the euthanasia of animals using methods that cause pain and discomfort,” the report states.
A March 2022 USDA report found fewer problems but still found dangerous housing conditions and questionable medical care. Reports also detail dogs being injured due to fighting.
Key elements of the bills Youngkin signed include a two-year ban on breeding cats or dogs from those who have received certain citations from the USDA, effective in July 2023. They require better record-keeping, and place dogs and cats at breeders-for-testing under animal cruelty prevention laws.
State Senator Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) and Delegate Rob Bell (R-Albemarle) sponsored the bills. State Senator Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax) has also been working for several years to protect against abuses at Envigo, although her total ban died in the House of Delegates.
Stanley said, “Today was a long time coming for the Commonwealth of Virginia and for our four-legged companions as we put all breeders on notice to ensure protocols for the humane treatment of dogs and cats are adhered to each and every day. My father taught me at an early age that our Creator put dogs on this good Earth to teach mankind what perfect love, perfect loyalty and perfect forgiveness truly is.”
One of Stanley’s bills also requires breeders to put surplus animals up for adoption, not euthanasia.
During the pandemic, Envigo’s Cumberland facility saw a decrease in demand for the dogs and insufficient staffing. When his bills passed the General Assembly, Stanley said Envigo had over 400 surplus dogs, and he is looking for adoptees for the dogs; interested people should contact Stanley’s office.
On March 31, Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner (D-Virginia) called for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to suspend the Cumberland facility’s license.
“It is clear to us that Envigo has been derelict in its duty to provide for the humane care of its dogs, and is unable to abide by the basic standards set forth by the Animal Welfare Act,” the senators wrote in a letter.
“The role of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in ensuring humane treatment of animals extends beyond routine and focused inspections. Congress has provided USDA with broad authority to apply penalties to violators of the Animal Welfare Act. To our knowledge, APHIS has not yet exercised such authority despite Envigo’s repeated failures in providing adequate care to the 5,000 dogs entrusted to its care.”
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photos by Eric Burk.
