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Ridglan Farms dog breeding license update
Should a controversial dog breeder lose its license? The Dane County Board of Supervisors called on state regulators to decide.
MADISON, Wis. - Should a controversial dog breeder lose its license? The Dane County Board of Supervisors called on state regulators to decide.
Ridglan Farms
The backstory:
Ridglan Farms, a facility in Blue Mounds, has bred beagle puppies for use in scientific experiments since 1996. In January, a Dane County judge found probable cause that Ridglan Farms committed crimes of animal cruelty.
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Last month, the veterinary examining board suspended Ridglan Farm's lead veterinarian for delegating painful surgeries to non-veterinarians.
Ridglan Farms
Supervisors vote
What they're saying:
Now, the Dane County board is calling on the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to determine whether Ridglan Farms should lose its breeding license.
On Thursday night, the board voted 30-5 to approve a resolution that calls the beagles at Ridglan Farms "sentient beings" that deserve ethical treatment.
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"I think we built a ton of political will yesterday, and I think we're going to continue to build on that," said Amy Van Aartsen with The Marty Project. "I think now DATCP, I mean, you know, ball's in their court. They've got to act.
"I think that we as a community are rallying, and having our Dane County supervisors stand up in support of that, too. It's a huge deal, and that will not go unnoticed."
A spokesperson for Ridglan Farms, who attended Thursday's meeting, criticized many of the supervisors for voting without visiting the facility in person.
Ridglan Farms sues DATCP over 'preferential treatment' in open records requests
Ridglan Farms, a commercial breeder of beagles for research, is suing the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) over what it calls "preferential treatment" in responding to open records requests.
Lawsuit filed
What's next:
But Ridglan Farms has been battling bigger concerns. A special prosecutor, appointed last winter to investigate criminal charges, expects to make an announcement early next week.
Meanwhile, Ridglan Farms is suing the DATCP over public records. The petition, filed Wednesday, argues that animal rights groups and the media have been given preferential treatment.
Ridglan Farms is asking a court to order DATCP to release more than 2,000 internal emails the breeder first requested back in March 2025.
The Source: FOX6 Investigators referenced information from the Dane County Board of Supervisors, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Ridglan Farms and prior coverage.