Animal Breeder Sentenced in Animal Welfare and Water Pollution Crimes, Will Pay More than $35M, Including Record Fine in Animal Welfare Case

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Envigo RMS, LLC and Envigo Global Services, Inc., (together, “Envigo”) were sentenced today for conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act and Clean Water Act. Envigo pleaded guilty in June 2024 in relation to a dog breeding facility located in Cumberland County, Virginia, from which the Justice Department secured the surrender of over 4,000 beagles in 2022.

Today, the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia sentenced Envigo pursuant to a resolution between the Justice Department and Envigo, and it imposed a total criminal fine of $22 million and at least three years of probation. In addition, Envigo is required to expend at least $7 million in improvements to its facilities and personnel beyond the standards imposed by the Animal Welfare Act, and it must pay all costs associated with a compliance monitor, who will oversee Envigo’s compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and Clean Water Act, as well as enhanced animal welfare standards.

Finally, in June 2024, as part of the resolution, Envigo was required to pay approximately $1.1 million to the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force and approximately $1.9 million to the Humane Society of the United States, both for direct assistance provided to the investigation, and $3.5 million to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to benefit and restore the environment and ecosystems in Cumberland County, Virginia.

In all, Inotiv, Inc., Envigo’s parent company, is required to guarantee more than $35 million in payments. This resolution marks the largest ever fine in an Animal Welfare Act case.

According to court documents, Envigo RMS conspired to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act by failing to provide, among other things, adequate veterinary care, adequate staffing, and safe living conditions for dogs housed at the Cumberland County facility.

In addition, Envigo Global Services conspired to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act by failing to properly operate and maintain the wastewater treatment plant at the Cumberland County facility, which led to massive unlawful discharges of insufficiently treated wastewater into a local waterway and also impacted the health and well-being of the dogs at the facility.

First Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Lee, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentence today.

The Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Virginia State Police provided security assistance during a multi-day federal search in May 2022 of the dog breeding facility.

Senior Trial Attorney Banu Rangarajan and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Ramseyer, Corey Hall, and Carrie Macon for the Western District of Virginia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Welch (an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office) are prosecuting the case.