JENERA, Ohio — An animal protection group said its rescue team has removed 951 chinchillas from a breeding operation in Ohio whose federal license was permanently revoked after legal action by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Humane World Action Fund, a political advocacy group affiliated with Humane World for Animals and formerly known as the Humane Society Legislative Fund, said in a Nov. 6 post that its Animal Rescue Team finished removing the animals earlier that week from R&R Chinchilla in Jenera. The group said the Justice Department had asked for its help with the rescue.
According to the group, citing the Justice Department, the USDA cited the facility for 59 Animal Welfare Act violations between September 2022 and August 2026. The group said inspectors found violations during almost every one of 18 inspections, including 17 classified as critical or direct, meaning they had a serious adverse effect on the animals’ health and well-being.
The post described conditions the government called “dire,” including enclosures lined with waste, a chinchilla with a metal collar embedded in her neck and hundreds of animals that were not disclosed to federal inspectors over several years. During an August 2026 inspection, the group said, inspectors saw chinchillas with severely swollen eyes, nasal discharge, matted fur, hair loss and overgrown teeth.
One rescuer called the operation a “factory of forgotten souls,” according to the post, which was written by Kitty Block, CEO and president of Humane World for Animals, and Sara Amundson, president of the action fund.
The group said veterinary exams after the transfer found many of the animals suffering from inflamed skin, overgrown teeth, urine scalding, sores and severely matted fur, and that numerous chinchillas were missing limbs, toes or ears. It said it is working with shelter and rescue partners to place the animals with families prepared for their long-term needs. Captive chinchillas can live up to 20 years, the group said.
“It is an immense relief to see so many chinchillas brought to safety; and we will continue to urge the agencies to pursue enforcement actions against other operators that repeatedly violate the Animal Welfare Act,” Block and Amundson wrote.
The group is urging Congress to pass the Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement for Animals Act, which it said would strengthen coordination among agencies enforcing the Animal Welfare Act and give them stronger civil tools, including penalties, license revocation and faster removal of animals from facilities where they are suffering.
The Animal Welfare Act, enforced by the USDA, sets minimum care standards for animals bred for commercial sale, exhibited to the public or used in research.
This report is based on information from Humane World Action Fund.
Source: Humane World Action Fund
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