Historic Victory for Animal Rights. Ridglan Farms Will Shut Down, Releasing Hundreds of Beagles

MADISON, Wisconsin, June 16th, 2026 — In what is being hailed as one of the most significant triumphs in the history of the modern animal rights movement, Ridglan Farms—one of the nation’s largest facilities breeding beagles for laboratory research— is going to permanently cease operations. Following years of intense public scrutiny, undercover investigations, open rescues and relentless legal battles, the facility is closing its doors for good, guaranteeing that every single dog remaining on the property will be transferred to rescue organizations and placed into loving homes.

“Not one dog will remain,” said Lauree Simmons, founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, during a news conference announcing the deal. “No more breeding, no more testing, no more anything.”

For decades, the facility drew fierce criticism from activists who documented the stark conditions inside the breeding compounds. In 2017, Direct Action Everywhere co-founder Wayne Hsiung entered the facility with cameras rolling, documenting dogs spinning in their small cages and other signs of distress. That gambit kicked off a chain of events, including court proceedings, that ultimately led to this historic announcement. Beagles, favored by toxicological and pharmaceutical testing labs due to their docile, trusting natures, were produced by the hundreds annually. Activists celebrated the closure not merely as the end of a local operation, but as a watershed moment indicating a systemic shift away from animal experimentation nationwide.

LIVE from Wisconsin, Beagles Tasting Freedom for the First Time

The campaign against Ridglan Farms reached a boiling point following a series of high-profile legal showdowns involving open-rescue activists. The first mass open rescue at Ridglan Farms, on March 15th, 2026, resulted in 31 dogs being removed by activists. About 100 members of the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs broke through fences at the Blue Mounds, Wisconsin breeding facility, rescuing 31 beagles, though law enforcement intercepted eight of the beagles. UnchainedTV was live during this open rescue and captured the moment when law enforcement and rescuers battled over one of the intercepted dogs who was struggling to stay out of the grasp of officers.

The next month, on April 18th of 2026, a much larger contingent of would-be animal rescuers converged for what was billed as arguably the largest mass animal rescue in history. Almost 1,000 animal activists descended on Ridglan Farm and were met with a barrage of tear gas and rubber bullets fired by law enforcement. Many were injured and videotaped writhing in pain. The dramatic encounter sparked global news media coverage, with many expressing shock and outrage over law enforcement’s response. Activists who were hit with tear gas and rubber bullets accused the sheriff’s department of police brutality and excessive use of force. UnchainedTV was LIVE for hours as the drama unfolded and quickly turned around a Special News Report summarizing the extraordinary events.

While the animal activists were thwarted in their attempts – that day – to carry the beagles out of the facility, the global news attention had an impact. Enter the Center for a Humane Economy, led by Wayne Pacelle, who was joined by Lauree Simmons, founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue. During a news conference on April 30th, they revealed their negotiations with the owners of Ridglan Farms had achieved a historic agreement. 1,500 of the beagles would be set free. UnchainedTV was LIVE at the news conference and the subsequent first transfers of beagles to animal welfare organizations in preparation for eventual adoption into loving homes. Beagle Freedom Project was one of the organizations which took in 500 beagles.

Outside the facility gates, scenes of jubilation unfolded as transport vans loaded with crates began moving off the property. Volunteers wept openly, holding signs celebrating the historic liberation. Rescuers report that while many of the dogs were apprehensive after spending their entire lives indoors on wire flooring, they were also showing remarkable resilience, experiencing grass and sunlight for the very first time.

What soon followed was the breakthrough announcement on June 15th of the impending closure of Ridglan Farms and the release of every last beagle: 325 immediately and another 150 by the end of August, 2026.

The movement to end beagle experimentation has already moved from Wisconsin to New York, where America’s largest beagle breeding facility, Marshall BioResources, resides. It reportedly houses about 16,000 beagles. A protest was held in Manhattan led by rescuers who confirmed the campaign to end animal testing has moved to the east coast. UnchainedTV was LIVE for that protest.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. declared the announcement of the closing of Ridglan Farms as “a major win for animal welfare,” adding, “We are committed to humane animal care and to replacing animal testing with effective alternatives.” RFK, Jr. also touted ORIVA, a new NIH (National Institutes of Health) office that he said would “accelerate the development and use of humane-based research technologies and help reduce reliance on animal testing across all of NIH.”

National advocacy groups are already looking to leverage this momentum to push for comprehensive legislative bans on canine experimentation across other states. Proponents of the closure emphasize that the empty cages at Ridglan Farms send an unmistakable message to the scientific and corporate communities: the era of breeding animals for confinement and testing is drawing to a definitive close, replaced by a more compassionate and technologically superior approach to scientific discovery.

Meanwhile, those who helped lead the charge to rescue beagles from Ridglan still face the potential of years in prison. Four animal rights activists—Wayne Hsiung, Aditya Aswani, Michelle Lunsky, and Dean Wyrzykowski—were recently arraigned on four felony charges each. All four pleaded not guilty in connection with the March, 2026 open rescue of beagles from Wisconsin’s Ridglan Farms.

The Ridglan 4 pleaded not guilty

Both Ridglan Farms and Marshall BioResources deny allegations of animal cruelty and say they operate within the law and government regulations. Company representatives are invited on any time to comment.