Millions of dogs each year are used as test subjects in order to study the effects of harmful pharmaceuticals, toxic household cleaners, and chemical-laden cosmetic products. A group known as Animal Rescue Media Education is dedicated to not only attempt to rescue science-lab dogs, but they also try and find them a home. In one of their largest rescue missions, the organization successfully rescued 72 beagles. With 32 already adopted by the time the press started picking up the story, the remaining 30 dogs were being nursed back to health.

In this touching video, watch as 9 rescued beagles are released from their cages for the first time. This is not only the first time they’ve seen sunlight, but the first time the animals are walking on solid ground.

“We’ve been told they lived one per cage in rooms of 10 beagles, but they never had any physical interaction with one another,” Smith said. “They’ve been in kennels since they were rescued about a week ago, but aside from that, they’ve spent most of their lives locked up.”

It is very easy to disregard animal testing as a real issue just as it is very simple to ignore international slave labor — it oftentimes simply does not affect you until you see it first hand. When you read product labels stating that the item was not tested on animals, it may mean very little to you.

Videos like these provide a wake-up call to the very cruel reality of animal testing and other forms of animal abuse.

It is important to consider how many other important issues are also disregarded due to the lack of immediate effect — particularly when it comes to your health. Perhaps the high-fructose corn syrup in your diet may not immediately harm you, but it may lead to disease later down the road.

If you are interested in adopting one of the dogs or supporting the organization responsible for rescuing the beagles, you can view their adoption page.