Woman buys a huge animal testing lab and turns it into a sanctuary for former lab pets stuck in small cages

An animal welfare organization has shut down a 30-acre testing lab and turned it into a rehab sanctuary for rescued animals.

Animals in testing labs usually live in small spaces and don’t have much freedom. They’re often used for experiments to help with medical research.

Stuck in cages can make them feel bored, frustrated, and sad because they can’t move around or play.

Also, they might get injected with things or have surgeries done on them, and it can be painful, and they don’t know why they’re going through it.

In February, the Beagle Freedom Project (BFP) closed a facility in Nowata, Oklahoma. This place tested flea and tick medicine on cats and dogs.

BFP cares about animals and wants to stop testing them.

The organization now owns the big area where the testing used to happen. They also took care of over 200 animals that were still there, according to PEOPLE.

They’re turning the old testing facility into Freedom Fields, a rehab sanctuary and a home for these animals.

They also plan to rescue other animals from testing facilities and find them new homes.

Shannon Keith, the founder of Beagle Freedom Project, views Freedom Fields as a significant achievement despite being unimaginable 13 years ago.

Initially, most places would euthanize animals after testing. However, their efforts have saved and adopted many lab animals.

They’ve also successfully pushed for laws like the Beagle Freedom Bill in 13 states, ensuring animals are released after testing.

“What that does is mandate the release of animals after the testing is over. So instead of killing them, they release them to organizations like ours, so they have a second chance at life,” Shannon explains.

An animal rights attorney, Shannon goes beyond laws to save animals from testing.

She actively reaches out to animal testing facilities through letters every year, urging them to allow the Beagle Freedom Project to rescue their animals.

Shannon’s letters often go unanswered, but one letter led to finding the property for Freedom Fields in Oklahoma.

The owner, who had initially ignored her letter, changed his mind after receiving warnings from the USDA. He eventually called Shannon to work together.

“He deserves credit. He called us in 2021, and we started working together,” she says. “Whenever he finished with animals, we took them in.”

This collaboration enabled Shannon to propose closing the testing facility and purchasing the property.

Shannon suggested that the owner close his business and sell the land to them.

“I suggested he close his business and that we purchase the land from him, not the business, but the land. It’s a beautiful 30 acres,” she said, adding that she thought he would laugh her off the phone.

Surprisingly, the owner agreed as he hoped to retire and accepted Shannon’s proposal.

The owner would give up his USDA license and stop animal testing as part of the agreement.

They didn’t pay for the business but acquired the land, and all the animals left there. On February 1st, they officially took over the property and the animals.

Beagle Freedom Project bought the land and set up Freedom Fields, a rehab sanctuary.

One of their workers now lives there with the animals from the lab who haven’t been adopted.

These animals have been hurt and have health issues from the testing they went through. But they’re all ready for love.

More than 30 animals from the lab have found homes, but many more are still waiting for someone to adopt them.

“Our goal is to get all of them adopted out. In the meantime, they’re living there, and we are renovating and making it a beautiful place for them to live until they’re adopted,” Shannon says.

The plan for Freedom Fields, the old testing site, includes a special area for animals to recover from their testing experiences.

It will also have facilities for older animals needing extra care due to age-related issues.

Shannon mentions that many dogs used for testing were born there and face health problems like arthritis and cataracts.

Therefore, a designated area with orthopedic beds and ramps will be created for their comfort.

Additionally, Freedom Fields aims to be more than just a rehab sanctuary for pets.

It will feature an education center where visitors can meet the rescued animals, learn about testing, and discover how to care for animals properly.

Shannon wants people who love animals to learn more about how tough animal testing can be.

To help with this, BFP made a free app called Cruelty Cutter. With this app, you can scan a product’s barcode to see if it was tested on animals.

Watch Shannon tells about BFP’s rehab sanctuary below: