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Free Every Beagle Still Caged At Ridglan Farms

Final signature count: 8,494

Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

About 1,500 beagles have been freed from Ridglan Farms, but hundreds more deserve freedom. No dog should be left behind at a research breeding facility.

Square close-up of a beagle behind faint crate bars, looking sad and quiet.

Animal rescue groups have secured a major breakthrough at Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin breeding and research facility that housed roughly 2,000 beagles. Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy reached a confidential agreement to purchase about 1,500 of the dogs and move them toward rehabilitation and adoption.1

That is a life-changing rescue for many dogs who were bred for laboratory use. But the victory is not complete. Reports indicate that plans for the remaining dogs have been unclear, and that hundreds of beagles may still be left behind.2

The Facility Has Faced Serious Scrutiny

The Guardian reported that the first 300 dogs were removed in early May, with more scheduled for transfer, and that rescue groups began vaccinating, microchipping, sterilizing, and preparing the beagles for transport.3 Wisconsin Examiner reported that animal welfare groups announced the agreement after years of activism and legal pressure around the facility.4

FOX6 Milwaukee reported that under the terms of a state settlement, Ridglan Farms must surrender its breeding license by July 1, but that the facility could still experiment on remaining dogs in-house.6 That loophole should alarm anyone who believes rescue should mean all dogs are safe, not only the dogs covered by a purchase agreement.

Officials Must Not Leave Dogs Behind

The Center for a Humane Economy said the transfer of 1,500 dogs is one of the largest coordinated dog operations in recent U.S. history and reflects a broader push to replace outdated animal research practices with humane alternatives.5 That momentum must not stop short.

Wisconsin’s attorney general, Dane County prosecutors, state agriculture regulators, and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service all have roles in animal welfare enforcement, licensing, settlement oversight, and federal Animal Welfare Act compliance. They should coordinate to secure the transfer of every remaining beagle, prevent any further breeding for research, bar invasive use of dogs while oversight questions remain, and support placement with qualified rescue partners.

No dog should spend life in a research facility when a path to safety exists. The public pressure that helped move 1,500 beagles can help bring the rest out too.

Sign now to urge Wisconsin and USDA officials to free every beagle still at risk from Ridglan Farms and close the loopholes that leave dogs behind.

More on this issue:

  1. Scott Bauer, Associated Press (30 April 2026), "Animal rescue group says it bought 1,500 beagles from Wisconsin facility targeted by protesters."
  2. Associated Press, PBS Wisconsin (30 April 2026), "Animal rescue group says it bought nearly 1,500 research beagles from Ridglan Farms."
  3. Associated Press, The Guardian (3 May 2026), "‘They know they’re safe’: beagles saved from US research facility after protests."
  4. Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner (1 May 2026), "1500 Ridglan beagles purchased by animal welfare groups; lead activist in court."
  5. Center for a Humane Economy, Center for a Humane Economy (30 April 2026), "Transfer Of 1500 Beagles From Ridglan Farms To Animal Protection Groups."
  6. Bryan Polcyn, FOX6 Milwaukee (5 May 2026), "Ridglan Farms beagles being released, about 500 will be left behind."

The Petition

To the Wisconsin Attorney General, Dane County District Attorney, Wisconsin DATCP Secretary, and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service officials,

I urge you to act together to secure the safety and transfer of every beagle still tied to Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin.

The release of about 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms is an extraordinary step. Rescue groups are now working to vaccinate, microchip, sterilize, transport, rehabilitate, and place dogs who were bred for laboratory use. Those dogs now have a chance at homes, comfort, and ordinary lives.

But reports indicate that hundreds of beagles may remain at the facility, and that Ridglan may still be able to use dogs for in-house research even after surrendering its state breeding license. That cannot be the end of the story. A partial rescue still leaves vulnerable animals behind.

Wisconsin officials and USDA have authority and responsibility in this situation. State officials can oversee settlement terms, animal welfare enforcement, licensing consequences, and public accountability. USDA can inspect, enforce Animal Welfare Act standards, review federal compliance, and ensure that dogs are not left in unsafe or inadequate conditions.

I ask you to coordinate immediately to identify every remaining beagle, disclose a humane plan for each dog, prevent further breeding for research, block invasive use while oversight concerns remain, and secure transfer to qualified rescue partners. No dog should be left in limbo because a purchase agreement covered some animals but not all.

This case has drawn national attention because the public understands the basic issue: beagles are social, feeling animals who deserve more than life in confinement and research use. When rescue capacity exists and qualified organizations are ready to help, officials should remove every barrier to safe placement.

Please protect every remaining Ridglan beagle, close loopholes that allow dogs to stay behind, and support the shift toward humane, modern research methods that do not depend on breeding dogs for laboratories.

Sincerely,

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