Envigo Pleads Guilty to Animal Welfare and Pollution Crimes, Faces $35M Fine

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Animal breeder Envigo RMS LLC has pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act, while its parent company, Envigo Global Services Inc., has admitted to a felony of conspiring to violate the Clean Water Act. The massive fines and guilty pleas stem from animal welfare and pollution crimes at a dog breeding facility in Cumberland County, Virginia.

Inotiv, the holding company for both Envigo entities, is now on the hook for more than $35 million in payments, along with increased animal care standards and compliance monitoring. This resolution sets a new record as the largest fine ever imposed in an Animal Welfare Act case.

Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim emphasized the importance of these laws to prevent suffering and harm: ‘Our nation’s animal welfare and clean water laws exist to prevent suffering and harm, which is why we secured the transfer of thousands of beagles from Envigo’s Cumberland facility into adoption, and why today’s plea agreement is so significant,’ Kim said.

U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia accused Envigo of promoting a profit-over-law culture that led to inhumane treatment of animals and contamination of local waterways: ‘Envigo promoted a business culture that prioritized profit over following the law, leading to dire consequences,’ Kavanaugh stated.

Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker highlighted the importance of enforcing the Animal Welfare Act: ‘AWA violations remain an investigative priority for us, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who fail to adhere to the provisions of the AWA,’ Parker explained.

Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance expressed the agency’s commitment to protecting public health and animal welfare: ‘This precedent-setting case emphasizes the power of collaboration between local, state, and federal authorities to address environmental violations and protect communities and animals,’ Uhlmann said.