“Never Been Done”: How an Animal Testing Site Transformed Into a Sanctuary

A 30-acre facility in Oklahoma was previously used for research testing on dogs and cats. Now? It’s a rehabilitation sanctuary for former lab animals. This 180-degree transformation was thanks to Shannon Keith, an animal rights lawyer and founder of the Beagle Freedom Project, and John Riner, the facility’s former owner.
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Per The Washington Post, Keith has been rescuing and rehoming lab animals for years, including many used for testing at Riner’s site. Taking note of the facility’s beauty on some of her visits to pick up animals, Keith pitched an idea to Riner: She wanted to buy the property and turn it into an animal sanctuary. “I assumed he was going to laugh me off the phone,” Keith told the outlet.
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Thankfully, he didn’t, and after some negotiations, the sale was finalized in February, shutting down all testing and putting the 200-plus cats and dogs in Keith’s custody. “This has never been done,” she said. “Nobody has ever closed down an animal testing facility and turned it into a rehab sanctuary.”
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​Explore the site and meet some of the sweet animals.