Thousands of beagles saved from drug trials in US

Nearly 4,000 beagles are looking for new homes after what is thought to be one of the biggest ever dog rescue efforts in the US.

The dogs were being bred at a facility in Virginia that then sold them on to laboratories for drug experiments.

But the company has now been shut down because of animal rights violations - and charities are on a mission to rehome the dogs.

The breeding facility in Cumberland, owned by company Envigo RMS, was sued in May by the US Department of Justice which accused it of multiple acts of animal cruelty.

Inspectors found some dogs were being killed instead of receiving veterinary care for conditions that could be easily treated. They were also being fed with food that contained maggots, mould and faeces, while some nursing mothers were denied anything to eat. In another instance, 25 puppies died from cold exposure.

Following the lawsuit, the company denied the allegations but announced it was closing that facility, and placing the dogs with the animal rights charity Humane Society, CBS News reported.