Beagle Rescue Leader Wayne Hsiung Talks to UnchainedTV after Release from Jail

27 activists were taken into custody. All have now been released. Shortly after his release from jail, Hsiung sat down with UnchainedTV’s Jane Velez-Mitchell to recount the harrowing events of the weekend and the dramatic push to save as many dogs as possible.

Watch Wayne Hsiung’s Just-Out-of-Jail Interview on UnchainedTV

The Rescue Operation

The mobilization was sparked by long-standing allegations of animal abuse. During the rescue, 22 beagles were successfully secured and taken to safety at an undisclosed location, where they will begin the process of living out their lives in forever homes. However, 8 more beagles were reconfiscated by local sheriff’s deputies in a series of tense confrontations. Video footage shared during the interview showed activists pleading with officers as puppies were pulled from their arms and returned to the facility. Hsiung, who was held in jail for two nights, described the sight of beagles seeing sunlight for the first time as the driving force behind the mission.

A Troubled and Controversial History

This facility has long been mired in legal turmoil and controversy. A Wisconsin circuit court took the extraordinary step of appointing a special prosecutor to investigate Ridglan after hearing chilling testimony regarding painful surgeries performed on dogs without anesthesia by unqualified personnel. To avoid criminal prosecution, the company entered a settlement to surrender its breeding-for-sale license by July 1, 2026. However, a major point of contention remains: while Ridglan will stop selling dogs to outside labs, the settlement allows them to continue research on the approximately 2,000 beagles still on-site. Activists argue these remaining dogs are being “held hostage” in a facility already documented for its cruelty.

Watch the Entire Rescue Operation LIVE

“Dramatizing the Issue”

Hsiung compared this rescue action to historical social justice movements, citing Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of “dramatizing” an issue to force those in power to pay attention. Among those arrested alongside Hsiung was former Baywatch actress Alexandra Paul. Despite the arrests, Hsiung noted that public support has been overwhelming, with the local sheriff’s office reportedly receiving hundreds of calls in support of the activists. He maintains that, under Wisconsin law, the facility’s history of abuse should legally strip them of their rights to the animals.

Statement from Ridglan Farms

In response to the rescue action, Ridglan Farms released the following statement:

“Ridglan Farms would like to thank local authorities for their rapid response, which resulted in multiple arrests and the protection of countless animals. We plan to press charges and hope those involved are punished to the full extent of the law. It’s critically important that they are held to account in order to discourage similar actions also proposed by the same activists targeting farms and health research facilities.”

The company is invited on any time to respond further.

The March 15th rescue was not just an act of civil disobedience, but a direct response to a legal timeline that activists believe leaves 2,000 lives hanging in the balance. Hsiung concluded, “Rescue is not a crime.”