Contract Research Organizations
CROs are the companies that test drugs on beagles. The pharmaceutical company designs the drug. The CRO houses the animals, employs the technicians, runs the studies, delivers the data — and kills the dogs. This structural separation allows pharma companies to state, accurately, that they do not conduct animal testing. They contract it out.
Dogs Reported by CRO (USDA Data)
Most recent available USDA annual report data per registration
These are the only publicly available dog counts for CROs. No CRO discloses beagle-specific numbers. The actual global total is higher — these are single-registration snapshots, not enterprise-wide counts.
Note: USDA reports 'dogs' not 'beagles.' SNBL transferred US operations to Altasciences ~2018. Inotiv/Envigo ceased Cumberland operations Sept 2022.
Source: USDA APHIS Form 7023 annual reports: Charles River FY2022 (14-R-0144), Labcorp FY2017 (35-R-0030), Altasciences FY2023 (3 certificates combined)
Charles River Laboratories
Major Global CROThe world's largest CRO. 9,099 dogs in FY2022 USDA report. CEO transition underway. Elliott Investment Management holds board influence. $500M invested in '3Rs' and alternatives — while simultaneously reporting increased primate study demand.
Labcorp Drug Development
Major Global CROFormerly Covance — rebranded after the name became synonymous with animal testing protests. Madison, WI facility reported 4,226 dogs (FY2017). Corporate chain: Corning → Covance → Labcorp → Fortrea spinoff. Cardiovascular telemetry in beagles confirmed at Harrogate, UK.
Inotiv
Mid-Tier — Going ConcernAcquired Envigo for ~$657M. Within months, the Cumberland facility produced the largest AWA penalty in history ($35M). Stock collapsed from $53 to $0.33. Management reports 'substantial doubt about ability to continue as a going concern.' 16.6% of revenue from a single unnamed client.
SNBL (Shin Nippon Biomedical Labs)
Specialist CROFounded in 1957 as a dog center. Japanese-language papers confirm beagle toxicology studies. Also supplies beagles commercially. $185K USDA penalty for primate transport failures. Cambodia primate supply chain overlaps with DOJ's 'Operation Long-Tailed Liberation.'
Altasciences
Mid-Tier — Novo-OwnedLargest disclosed canine colony among CROs: 1,931 dogs across 3 sites. 100% owned by Novo Holdings — a subsidiary of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which controls Novo Nordisk (76.9% voting rights). Cardiovascular telemetry in conscious beagles confirmed in published literature.