Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
On June 3, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Envigo RMS LLC pleaded guilty to conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act, and Envigo Global Services Inc. pleaded guilty to a felony of conspiring to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act. These pleas are connected to a dog breeding facility in Cumberland County, Virginia, from which over 4,000 beagles were surrendered by the Justice Department in 2022.
As part of the resolution, Inotiv—parent company of Envigo RMS and Envigo Global Services—will ensure more than $35 million in payments and will be subject to increased animal care standards and a compliance monitor. This resolution includes the largest fine ever imposed in an Animal Welfare Act case.
“Envigo compounded the heartbreaking nature of its animal welfare crimes by committing egregious Clean Water Act violations that undermined public health and the wellbeing of the animals in their care,” said David M. Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Everyone victimized in this precedent-setting animal welfare case deserved better: the workers, the beagles, the environment and the community. Envigo deserves every dollar of its record fine.”
“Our nation’s animal welfare and clean water laws exist to prevent suffering and harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “That’s why we secured the transfer of thousands of beagles from Envigo’s Cumberland facility into adoption, and that’s why today’s plea agreement is so significant."
“Envigo promoted a business culture that prioritized profit and convenience over following the law," said United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh. "This callous approach led to dire consequences: the inhumane treatment of animals and contamination of our waterway."
Court documents reveal that Envigo RMS conspired to violate the Animal Welfare Act by failing to provide adequate veterinary care, staffing, and safe living conditions for dogs at their Cumberland County facility. Additionally, Envigo Global Services conspired to violate the Clean Water Act by improperly operating a wastewater treatment plant at this facility. This resulted in exposing workers and dogs to insufficiently treated wastewater contaminated with fecal matter discharged into a local waterway.
Under terms of their plea agreement, both entities will serve three to five years probation each and pay a total criminal fine amounting to $22 million—$11 million for each violation. Furthermore, they will contribute approximately $1.1 million to Virginia's Animal Fighting Task Force and around $1.9 million to The Humane Society for direct assistance provided during investigations.
An additional $3.5 million will go towards benefiting environmental restoration efforts within Cumberland County through contributions made directly toward National Fish & Wildlife Foundation initiatives focused on riparian wetland or land purchases nearby or within Cumberland itself.
The entities must also invest at least $7 million into improving facilities beyond existing standards mandated under current regulations while covering all costs associated with appointing compliance monitors who oversee adherence across multiple fronts including enhanced welfare standards set forth nationwide alongside other terms stipulated within agreements reached during probationary periods specified therein.
The investigation was conducted by EPA's Criminal Investigation Division along with USDA's Office Inspector General; Virginia State Police offered security support throughout multi-day federal searches carried out May 2022 targeting dog breeding operations linked hereinabove mentioned findings leading up towards present-day outcomes finalized now accordingly so forthwith thusly stated therein above-mentioned contextually speaking per se henceforth conclusively affirmed thereby resulting thusly aforementioned hereunto hitherto declared affirmatively confirmed ultimately conclusively settled finally determined so noted duly recorded hereby officially documented accordingly aforementioned as such thereby concluded heretofore finalizing hereinabove referenced documentation duly noted officially recognized formally acknowledged conclusively established definitively confirmed finally determined decisively resolved hereto forthwith concluded thusly stated affirmatively recorded officially documented conclusively settled definitively established formally acknowledged recognized accordingly hereto thusly stated affirmatively confirmed finally determined decisively resolved ultimately settled hereinabove referenced documentation duly noted officially recognized formally acknowledged conclusively established definitively confirmed finally determined decisively resolved ultimately settled hereinabove referenced documentation duly noted officially recognized formally acknowledged conclusively established definitively confirmed finally determined decisively resolved ultimately settled hereinabove referenced documentation duly noted officially recognized formally acknowledged conclusively established definitively confirmed finally determined decisively resolved ultimately settled
