Beagles that were removed from a breeding facility in Virginia are going to their forever homes in SoCal. 

Families began taking the beagles home Thursday, after the dogs arrived at Priceless Pet Rescue locations in Chino Hills, Claremont and Costa Mesa. 

“You can never replace a dog that you’ve lost but our other dog was a rescue and we loved him for 12 years,” said one pet parent. “We know how important it is to love them and they become really happy dogs.” 

Further down California, in Rancho Santa Fe, the Helen Woodward Animal Shelter also took in puppies. 

The Virginia facility owned and operated by Envigo RMS LLC bred dogs to be sold to experimental laboratories. The company is currently the subject of a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice. 

According to the suit, the facility has had up to 5,000 beagles since July 2021. The citations include dogs being euthanized for treatable conditions, unexplained puppy deaths and malnutrition. 

“We find homes for pets every single day but these beagles are a special case,” said a worker at Priceless Pets. “They’ve had such a horrible life and to see them getting to sleep in warm beds tonight… is super exciting.”