Envigo Faces New Animal Welfare Violations After Record Fine

Envigo RMS, an Indianapolis-based company, was cited for three critical violations of animal welfare law following a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection on March 17, 2026. The inspection focused on a facility in Denver, Pennsylvania, where the company breeds New Zealand White rabbits for medical and academic research.

According to the report, 72 rabbits died between August 2024 and March 2026 due to a lack of adequate veterinary care. The deaths were attributed to several systemic failures within the facility, including malfunctioning equipment and faulty enclosures.

Federal inspectors documented that four rabbits escaped their enclosures and drowned in a wastewater holding tank between August 2024 and October 2025. 11 kits died in February 2025 after a malfunctioning water regulator flooded their nest boxes overnight.

The report further detailed that 13 rabbits died of thirst after their water supply remained clogged for two days. The largest number of deaths occurred when rabbits slipped through the floors of their cages, leading to serious injuries; 44 rabbits either died or were euthanized as a result of these injuries.

Envigo began tracking the issue of rabbits slipping through cage floors in July 2025. To address the problem, the company installed plastic crate floor mats around October 2025, which the report stated significantly reduced the number of deaths. However, at least four rabbits died after these mats were installed.

A follow-up inspection conducted on March 25, 2026, found no further violations. Envigo indicated that corrective actions for all cited problems were instituted prior to the initial March 17 inspection.

Previous Legal Actions and Fines

The recent citations follow a major legal resolution involving Inotiv, the parent company of Envigo. On June 3, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Envigo RMS LLC and Envigo Global Services Inc. Had pleaded guilty to separate charges related to a dog breeding facility in Cumberland County, Virginia.

Envigo RMS LLC pleaded guilty to conspiring to knowingly violate the Animal Welfare Act, while Envigo Global Services Inc. Pleaded guilty to a felony of conspiring to knowingly violate the Clean Water Act. These charges were connected to a 2022 case in which the Justice Department secured the surrender of more than 4,000 beagles.

As part of that resolution, Inotiv guaranteed payments totaling more than $35 million. This payment included the largest fine ever recorded in an Animal Welfare Act case. The agreement also mandated a compliance monitor and the implementation of increased animal care standards across its facilities.

As a condition of the 2024 plea agreement, Inotiv agreed to publish all U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection reports on its website.

Kathy Guillermo, senior vice president for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, stated that Inotiv shouldn’t be allowed within eyesight of any animal, let alone breeding them.

The Denver facility has caused pain and suffering in equal measure to rabbits and needs to shut down.

Kathy Guillermo, PETA Senior Vice President