LOXAHATCHEE GROVES, Fla.—A dozen tan-black-and-white beagles romp and sniff inquisitively, tails wagging, paws padding over pristine artificial turf, noses exploring every inch of a shade-covered play yard.
Before May, these dogs and nearly 2,200 like them knew only the inside of stacked metal cages at a Wisconsin facility producing puppies for research labs.
The beagles—a breed developed for hunting and known as gentle, loyal pets—never experienced sunshine, never felt grass under their soft paws. The unusually docile dogs are used in research because of their consistently sweet temperament, even when experiencing “torture,” experts told The Epoch Times.
But life is changing for them now….