Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16
Ridglan Farms Shuts Wisconsin Beagle Facility, Sending 475 Dogs to Rescue
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16

Ridglan Farms Shuts Wisconsin Beagle Facility, Sending 475 Dogs to Rescue

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16

Summary

  • 475 remaining beagles from Ridglan Farms will be transferred to Big Dog Ranch Rescue and partner groups, completing the shutdown of the Wisconsin breeding and research facility.
  • 1,500 dogs had already been bought from the site after spring protests, and the latest agreement means, as the rescue group put it, "not one dog will remain."
  • 1,000 activists clashed with police during an April rescue attempt that led to 29 arrests, intensifying pressure after years of criticism from Peta and other animal-rights groups.
  • October's settlement over criminal animal-abuse allegations forced Ridglan to surrender its breeding and sales license, and the rescued dogs are now headed to Florida and Alabama for sterilization and adoption.

Insights

After rescuing thousands of beagles from one facility, can the animal welfare system handle these large-scale closures?
With a major beagle supplier closing, is the era of mandatory animal testing for new drugs nearing its end?
A 60-year-old research facility is gone. What is the unspoken cost of this victory to medical advancement?