TRENTON, N.J. — Allegations that Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) left over 150 animals to starve in a New Jersey testing facility have resurfaced amid his recent move to file articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
The animals were abandoned by Thanedar, but later rescued by animal rights groups, according to news reports.
The claims, which stem from the 2010 bankruptcy of his pharmaceutical testing company, Azopharma, are being amplified on social media platforms and used by critics to question his credibility.
Azopharma’s New Jersey lab, AniClin Preclinical Services, shut down in April 2010 following the company’s bankruptcy.
The facility, which tested pharmaceuticals on beagles and long-tailed macaques, was seized by Bank of America.
At the time of closure, approximately 118 beagles and 55 monkeys were left inside the facility, according to reports from animal rights groups.
Key Points
- Thanedar’s company owned a lab where 118 dogs and 55 monkeys were left during a 2010 bankruptcy.
- Animal rights groups intervened to rescue the animals after staff were locked out of the facility.
- Social media claims that animals “starved to death” are unsubstantiated by primary sources.
Activists and lab workers later intervened to feed and rescue the animals.
According to a 2018 HuffPost article, some lab employees scaled fences to bring in food and water before the beagles were rescued on July 4, 2010, and the monkeys shortly after.
It was the acts of trespassing former employees that saved the lives of the dogs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture had previously cited the lab for issues including small cages and expired medications.
“There is no evidence that the animals starved to death,” the article reported, contradicting widely circulated social media claims.
Video reports from the time showed animals living in poor conditions but did not confirm any fatalities due to starvation.
Thanedar, in statements to HuffPost, claimed he was not in control of the facility after the bankruptcy and said Bank of America locked out the staff despite warnings that live animals remained inside.
He also stated the lab followed USDA guidelines during operations, asserting, “no animal was harmed or subjected to harmful conditions.”
Political fallout and renewed scrutiny
The incident is drawing renewed attention following Thanedar’s filing of seven articles of impeachment against Trump on Monday.
Conservative figures and lawmakers, including @SenAricNesbitt and @EricLDaugh, have highlighted the animal neglect case to challenge his moral authority. Social media posts have repeated the phrase that Thanedar “left animals to starve to death,” though this is not corroborated by rescue groups or official records.
Critics also point to statements from the Humane Society Legislative Fund, which condemned Thanedar in 2018, accusing him of resisting efforts to place animals in sanctuaries.
In the broader context of his career, Thanedar transitioned from chemical testing entrepreneur to elected official after selling his business interests shortly after the bankruptcy.
He previously faced legal challenges, including a 2016 fraud lawsuit unrelated to the animal testing controversy, as reported by The Detroit News.
The beagles and monkeys were rescued, but questions about responsibility for their neglect continue to follow Thanedar in political battles.
