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Ridglan Farms beagles; activists plan "rescue" of dogs
Animal rights activists from across the country are coming to Wisconsin this weekend. They say their plan is to "rescue" all the dogs still inside Ridglan Farms.
BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. - Animal rights activists from across the country are coming to Wisconsin this weekend. They say their plan is to "rescue" all the dogs still inside Ridglan Farms.
Planned "rescue" of beagles
What we know:
The facility in western Dane County breeds beagles for scientific experiments. The owners recently agreed to give up their breeding license by this summer to avoid animal cruelty charges.
Ridglan Farms, Dane County
In March, more than 60 activists raided Ridglan Farms and removed 22 beagles from the property.
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On Sunday, April 19, activists say they plan to send 2,000 people in to get the rest of the dogs.
Ridglan Farms, Dane County
Sheriff's video message
What they're saying:
In a video message posted on Wednesday, April 15, Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said he supports their First Amendment right to protest.
"But we have to draw a decisive line between peacefully protesting and disagreeing and violently breaking into a facility, damaging property and stealing private property," Sheriff Barrett said.
Sheriff Barrett is now recommending 63 people for criminal charges in connection with the March 15 break-in at Ridglan Farms. They include 62 animal rights activists accused of burglary, theft, property damage, and receiving stolen property.
The sheriff is also recommending charges of reckless driving and property damage for a man named Jerry Blizzard. He is the town constable in Blue Mounds, and has close family ties to the owners of Ridglan Farms.
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Sheriff Barrett noted in his video a web page has been created to answer FAQs (frequently asked questions) about the sheriff's office role, responsibilities, and response to the Ridglan Farms protests.
Ridglan Farms break-in, animal rights activists storm facility
Dozens of animal rights activists stormed Ridglan Farms, a controversial dog breeding facility west of Madison, on Sunday morning, March 15.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by the Dane County sheriff as well as previous FOX6 News coverage.