05/10/2026
It’s now confirmed: 1,500 beagles are being rescued from Ridglan Farms.
After months of activism and growing public pressure, the Wisconsin breeding facility is releasing the dogs to trusted rescue organizations. Dane County Humane Society and Beagle Freedom Project will take in hundreds. Big Dog Ranch Rescue will help rehome many of the remaining dogs.
“This was about making sure every dog had a safe, structured path forward,” said Big Dog Ranch founder Lauree Simmons. The goal is to move each beagle into proper veterinary care and then adoption.
The facility has faced heavy scrutiny for its role in supplying dogs for research, especially after activist campaigns drew attention to conditions there. While those efforts raised awareness, rescue groups focused on securing a legal, long-term solution.
As part of a broader resolution tied to an animal welfare investigation, the facility agreed to sell most of its dogs to rescue organizations and will stop selling dogs going forward.
About 2,000 beagles lived there at the start. Many still need placement. But for these 1,500, a new chapter has begun.
I hope every one of them finds safety, care, and the home they deserve.
