Massive Wisconsin Beagle Rescue Foiled: Tear Gas & Rubber Bullets Spark Outrage

The mass attempted beagle rescue by over 1,000 animal lovers turned Ridglan Farms’ perimeter into a war zone as hundreds of animal activists encountered tear gas and rubber bullets, sparking calls for an investigation into whether law enforcement used excessive force.

Wisconsin – April 18, 2026 – More than 1,000 activists converged near Madison, Wisconsin in one of the largest demonstrations against animal experimentation in history, as the Ridglan Farms attempted rescue action unfolded over the course of more than nine hours of continuous live coverage.

The mass attempted open rescue occurred on Saturday, April 18th, 2026, a day earlier than it was publicly scheduled to occur and involved hundreds of animal rights activists streaming toward the troubled Wisconsin-based beagle breeding facility called Ridglan Farms. It drew participants from across the country and the world. Livestreams from the scene—including coverage by UnchainedTV, Wayne Hsiung, actress Alexandra Paul, Direct Action Everywhere, social media influencer Jamie Logan and others with Instagram and YouTube channels—captured events as they unfolded in real time with an audience of thousands watching.

Facility grounds looked like a war zone with tear gas clouds frequently visible.

The action was billed as a mass “open rescue” of an estimated 2,000 beagles bred for animal experimentation. It ended up as a chaotic battle, as law enforcement fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the rescuers leaving some collapsed on the ground and desperate to douse their eyes with water to relieve the stinging. No beagles were rescued, in stark contrast to a similar rescue action in March when about two dozen beagles were pulled from the same facility and whisked to safety by a smaller team of rescuers.

The company has been a source of controversy regarding its treatment of beagles, with a whistleblower testifying in court that non-veterinarians conducted painful surgeries on dogs without anesthesia, sparking a judge to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate. That prosecutor reached a deal with the company in which it avoided criminal prosecution but agreed to shut down its beagle-for-sale operation, while remaining free to conduct its own beagle experimentation. That deal outraged activists and sparked the decision to attempt to rescue the remaining 2,000 beagles at the facility.

According to reports from individuals on the front lines of the Ridglan Farms action, barricades constructed of hay and manure were positioned around parts of the property, along with additional metal fending.  As activists attempted to move past these barriers, they were met with a significant law enforcement presence. Footage circulating online shows the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and physical force in efforts to disperse the crowd.

Officers pin an activist to the ground during beagle rescue attempt.

At an impromptu news conference following the failed rescue, at least two Dane County Wisconsin Supervisors condemned law enforcement’s action, with one – Supervisor Rick Rose – calling for an investigation into law enforcement conduct.  Sheriff Kalvin Barrett issued a statement defending the officers’ use of tear gas and rubber bullets, saying, “The Dane County Sheriff’s Office response to the active break-in attempts by hundreds of protesters was appropriate and proportionate to the behaviors observed.”

Participants in the Ridglan Farms action reported that multiple individuals sustained injuries during the confrontation, though the scope and severity of those injuries have not yet been independently verified.

Adding a legal dimension to the Ridglan Farms action, DxE co-founder and the leader of the action, attorney Wayne Hsiung, was arrested at the very start of the rescue action while attempting to serve legal papers related to the event.

Mainstream media outlet FOX6 News Milwaukee did an extensive live report on the day’s extraordinary events and the New York Times published a story on the action, noting, “Officers kicked and beat a man as he tried to enter through a hole in the fence, and then they pulled him through. The man, whom organizers identified as Nicholas Dickman, was arrested. A photograph shows him lying on the ground, face bloodied, with missing teeth.” Numerous other mainstream news reports about the confrontation were published, giving the activists some solace that, while they didn’t get any dogs out, they got global media coverage on the issue of animal experimentation.

Wisconsin Congressman Mark Pocan has publicly raised concerns about the condition of beagles at Ridglan Farms and has called for greater oversight and accountability, saying he hopes the beagles can be sent to good homes. Congressman Pocan also confronted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about government funds going to support programs connected to beagle testing. It remains unclear whether the Ridglan Farms action will prompt additional responses at the federal level.

Ridglan Farms denies the allegations of animal cruelty, calling the animal activists “extremists.”  The company is invited on to comment further.