Safety Concerns:

Fire at Marshall Farms

A terrible fire took place on Marshall Farms North Rose property on January 16, 1998, burning 151 pregnant beagles and 449 beagle puppies alive. A report by Peter Vallas and Associates, Inc. described the origin of the fire as a result of the failure of a heating pad where the power cord was connected. Further investigation revealed that problems had been noted on such heating pads up to three years prior to the fire, but Marshall Farms had neglected to adequately repair or replace its pads. If Marshall Farms had taken the time to properly repair or replace problematic heating pads, the fire would not have occurred. According to a Marshall Farms employee interviewed by the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, a faulty heating pad had caused a small fire only two days prior to the January 16 blaze. There were flammable materials in the barns that worsened the fire, such as the wood frame of the building, the dog bedding made of wood shavings, and propane gas heaters.

Evidently the deadly fire was not detected until it was too late because the fire detectors had been carelessly blocked from the main barn area by newly installed fiberglass panels. This carelessness and neglect diminished any hope for the beagles’ survival. Imagine the horror of being locked in a cage, with no way out and fire roaring all around.

Environmental Concerns:

According to neighbors of Marshall Farms, the facility generates foul odors and loud barking that can travel for miles, depending on weather conditions. Waste and feces wash into the surrounding bodies of water during rains, intensifying the stench and threatening wildlife habitats. Neighbors have also complained about the facility’s disregard for local and state laws.

One neighbor informed PETA that she was once horrified at the site of a pile of dog and puppy carcasses in a rotting heap on Marshall Farms’ property.