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Ridglan Farms protest for remaining dogs
Activists returned to Ridglan Farms on Saturday, seeking the release of hundreds of dogs that are still inside the Wisconsin dog breeding facility.
BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. - Activists returned to Ridglan Farms on Saturday, seeking the release of hundreds of beagles that are still inside the Wisconsin dog breeding facility.
Peaceful protest
What they're saying:
Dane4Dogs organized a peaceful protest. After roughly 1,500 beagles were freed in early May, they said they want to keep attention on the approximately 650 that are still at Ridglan Farms.
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"People have been looking for something to do for these last few weeks since those 1,500 were released, and we don't want these dogs to be forgotten about," said Kim Krueger, Dane4Dogs director of legislative affairs. "We're still going to keep showing up and speaking out until every single one of those dogs is released."
Activists protest outside Ridglan Farms, seeking release of remaining beagles, on May 30.
Some of Saturday's protesters have since adopted beagles that were released from Ridglan Farms. They said watching the dogs adjust to life outside the facility has given them even more reason to advocate.
"I told her, I promised, if she has any babies that are alive in there, we're going to get them out – peacefully," said Jennifer Reich, who adopted one of the beagles.
Organizers said their efforts now extend beyond Ridglan Farms as they push for broader changes to dog breeding and research practices.
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The other side:
In a statement in response to the protest, Ridglan Farms said:
"Ridglan Farms fully supports the right to engage in lawful and peaceful protest. Our staff and our neighbors truly hope that is what will take place moving forward.
"That being said, we are fully aware of frequent suggestions by activists to launch yet another violent assault on our federally licensed health research facility. On both March 15 and April 18th, we witnessed a blatant disregard for the legal process and for those sworn to uphold the law."
Ridglan Farms beagles: Rescued dogs find homes, see their stories
Earlier this month, hundreds of beagles were freed from Wisconsin's Ridglan Farms. Now, many of them are fitting into their new families.
Ridglan Farms
The backstory:
For more than 60 years, Ridglan Farms bred beagle puppies in the town of Blue Mounds for use in scientific research. In 2024, former employees testified about the conditions at the farm as well as painful "cherry eye" surgeries performed routinely by non-veterinarians without pain relief.
In January 2025, a Dane County judge found probable cause that Ridglan Farms had committed crimes of animal cruelty. However, a special prosecutor appointed to investigate elected not to file charges. Instead, he agreed to a settlement that allows Ridglan Farms to avoid criminal charges if it surrenders its breeding license by July 1, 2026.
Animal welfare activists breached Ridglan Farms in March, hauling 22 beagles away with them. Hundreds of activists tried to get in again in April, but law enforcement met them with tear gas and rubber bullets. Five people have been charged, including the operation's leader, Wayne Hsiung.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy – two large-scale nonprofits – confirmed a deal to buy 1,500 dogs from the Dane County breeding facility for an undisclosed sum of money in late April. The dogs started being released on May 1.
The Ridglan Farms beagles headed all over Wisconsin – and the country – once they were released. A number of states have welcomed the dogs, including neighboring Minnesota and Illinois, and as far as Florida, Nevada and New York.
The Source: Information in this story is from WMTV-TV, which went to Saturday's protest, and prior FOX6 News coverage related to Ridglan Farms.