Ridglan Farms beagles: 47 activists charged in March 'open rescue'
MADISON, Wis. - The Dane County District Attorney's Office filed a list of new criminal charges against 47 people, accusing them of participating in the March "open rescue" of beagles at Ridglan Farms.
Activists storm Ridglan Farms
The backstory:
Animal rights activists stormed the Wisconsin dog breeding facility on March 15. The self-described "rescuers" got away with 23 beagles at that time. Attorney Wayne Hsiung, who was previously charged, led the team that forced its way into the breeding barns – ultimately punching their way through a window to get inside.
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Hundreds of activists returned on April 18, but they failed to breach the fortified perimeter of Ridglan Farms. Law enforcement was ready to defend the facility with rubber bullets and tear gas.
Animal rights activists storm Ridglan Farms on March 15, 2026.
Hsiung is among four people who were previously charged, bringing the total number of people charged to 51.
Ridglan Farms officially surrendered its state dog seller license, part of an agreement to avoid animal cruelty charges, on July 1. The charges against the activists came days later.
Research and release
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.
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.
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.
In June, Big Dog Ranch Rescue secured a legal agreement to remove more than 400 dogs that were still inside the facility. Some were removed then, while the rest will be released in August when Ridglan Farms completes an ongoing research project. No dogs will remain once the August transfer is completed.
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 the Dane County District Attorney's Office and prior FOX6 Investigators coverage of Ridglan Farms, including details from the Dane County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Big Dog Ranch Rescue and interviews.