TRENTON, NJ — A resurfaced video showing more than 100 neglected beagles rescued from a shuttered animal testing facility in New Jersey has reignited scrutiny of Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), whose company previously owned the lab. The renewed attention follows Thanedar’s recent move to file articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
The footage, originally filmed in 2010, captures volunteers from animal rights groups helping beagles off transport trucks, trimming nails, and comforting visibly distressed animals who appeared to have never set foot on grass. The animals had been left behind after Thanedar’s company, Azopharma, filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations at its AniClin Preclinical Services facility in Ewing, NJ.
Key Points
- Shri Thanedar’s former lab left 118 beagles and 55 monkeys behind after bankruptcy in 2010.
- Resurfaced video shows animals rescued by activists over Independence Day weekend.
- Claims that animals “starved to death” remain unconfirmed by official reports or witnesses.
Thanedar has stated he no longer had operational control of the lab once Bank of America seized it during the bankruptcy process. Nonetheless, activists and former employees said animals were abandoned inside, prompting emergency efforts to rescue and feed them. Reports from the time say some staff scaled fences to deliver food and water to the animals until rescue groups arrived.
“There is no evidence that the animals starved to death,” a 2018 HuffPost investigation reported, directly refuting a viral claim widely circulating on social media. USDA records had cited the facility for expired medications and poor cage conditions, but no fatalities from starvation were documented.
Thanedar has defended his handling of the situation, claiming the lab followed USDA guidelines during its operation and that the decision to lock out staff was made by the bank, not him. Despite those assertions, the Humane Society Legislative Fund previously criticized Thanedar for allegedly resisting efforts to move the animals to sanctuaries after closure.
Political fallout and resurfaced allegations
The controversy has resurfaced as Thanedar introduces seven articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, drawing sharp responses from conservative lawmakers and commentators. Opponents have pointed to the animal lab incident as evidence undermining Thanedar’s moral authority.
Thanedar transitioned to politics after selling off his business interests, facing separate civil legal issues in the years following the lab closure. While all animals were ultimately rescued, the incident remains a political flashpoint more than a decade later.
As Thanedar targets Trump, critics spotlight the abandoned animals at his former New Jersey lab.
