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Ridglan Farms to Close After Rescue Group Secures Remaining 475 Beagles

The agreement moves 325 dogs this week to Big Dog Ranch Rescue for medical care and adoption preparation and schedules the final 150 to be transferred by early August.

FILE - Beagles that were purchased from a Dane County animal research facility play outside May 12, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer, File)
A new busload of beagles arrived at Big Dog Ranch Rescue on Wednesday night, pushing its total to almost 400 canines freed from a Wisconsin lab and prompting a Mother’s Day Adoption Special event to open up space at the now-full shelter. (WPEC)
Ridglan Farms beagles in packed cages. (WPEC)
Beagles used for research seen at Ridglan Farms during a break-in by activists on March 15, 2026 in Blue Mounds, Wis. Photo courtesy of the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs

Overview

  • A deal announced Monday between Big Dog Ranch Rescue and Ridglan Farms requires 325 beagles to be moved June 15–16 to rescue partners and BDRR campuses and the remaining 150 to be released by early August.
  • Rescue teams will provide immediate triage, vaccinations, spay and neuter surgery, microchipping, and behavioral socialization as dogs are transported to Florida and Alabama facilities and partner organizations.
  • Ridglan agreed to surrender its Wisconsin state breeding license by July 1 as part of a negotiated settlement that followed a special investigation finding at least one improper veterinary eye procedure.
  • The transfer completes a months-long operation that began April 29 and has relocated about 2,110 beagles so far after protests, break-ins and large rescues prompted legal scrutiny and purchases by animal groups.
  • Advocates say the closure could shrink the commercial supply of beagles used in lab testing and strengthen calls for non-animal testing methods while shelters and adopters nationwide cope with the scale of rehoming work.