VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Beach SPCA say they are lending a hand and opening their doors to more than a dozen beagles from the Envigo facility in Cumberland.

The VBSPCA received 17 beagles from a mass-breeding facility riddled with animal welfare concerns. The move is part of The Humane Society of the United States’ transfer plan to remove approximately 4,000 beagles housed at an Envigo RMS LLC facility in Cumberland, which bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. 

The transfer plan follows a lawsuit filed against Envigo by the Department of Justice in May, alleging Animal Welfare Act violations at the facility.

The lawsuit cited repeated federal inspections resulting 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. 

The transfer will take place over the next 60 days, and the dogs will be up for adoption via the VBSPCA and other shelters and rescues in the coming days. 

Officials say once the dogs are available for adoption, their names and biographies will be shown on the VBSPCA website. Anyone interested in adopting should visit the shelter once the dogs appear online as all applications must be completed in person.

Those who would like to contribute to the care of the beagles and other homeless pets can make a donation to the Miracle Medical Fund.

The Humane Society of the United States is maintaining a list of partners accepting animals into their adoption program here.