Animal rights activists protest April 18 at Dane County Courthouse
Hundreds of animal rights activists protest in Madison, Wisconsin, after activists broke into a nearby Wisconsin farm that breeds beagles for medical research.
(This story has been updated with new information.)
Over a month after animal activists first raided a Wisconsin beagle breeding facility, another raid attempt was made on Ridglan Farms on Saturday, April 18.
But this time they were stopped amid a chaotic scene at the Dane County site.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said up to 400 activists were “violently trying to break in” to the property and “assault Dane County officers who are onsite.”
Organizers, however, said in a Saturday press release that over 1,000 activists participated in the break-in attempt.
Barrett said activists had ladders and break-in tools to get through the fence where, according to photos shared with the Journal Sentinel, Ridglan Farms recently ramped up security around the facility with hay bales, moats and additional fencing.
Barrett said activists were blocking emergency services on the road.
“I want to be very clear that this is not a peaceful protest anymore,” Barrett said.
A Ridglan Farms spokesperson said about 1,500 activists launched what the facility characterized as “a violent assault” on the property starting at about 9 a.m. Saturday.
At about 10 a.m., an activist driving a pickup truck rammed through the front gate and drove through the property at high speed, nearly hitting police, security staff and bystanders before being arrested, according to Ridglan’s spokesperson.
The spokesperson said activists “repeatedly tossed smoke and tear gas canisters over the fence at police and other security officials.”
No dogs had been removed from the facility as of 2 p.m. Saturday, the Ridglan spokesperson said.
Ridglan said most of the people who attempted to break in had left by about 2 p.m.
“However, some individuals remain on the roadway that passes the facility,” the spokesperson said. “We do not know if they plan to return.”
Organizer Wayne Hsiung said on his Facebook page that the group attempted to serve Ridglan with a lawsuit April 18 alleging violent threats by armed security. Ridglan said it has no knowledge of the lawsuit Hsiung said he was attempting to serve.
Hsiung claimed in an April 15 blog post that masked armed men confronted a supporter near the property. Photos show masked individuals but no visible weapons. Ridglan denied the allegation.
Hsiung has been posting regular updates showing videos of protesters being tear gassed.
Videos posted on social media show a chaotic scene with hundreds of people gathered outside the fenced facility, climbing over hay bales and fencing while sheriff’s deputies in gas masks deploy tear gas, with some activists being helped up afterward.
“At least a dozen activists have been arrested,” Hsiung said in an April 18 post on social media.
Hsiung posted that he was arrested while supporters continued posting updates. Former Baywatch star Alexandra Paul, who was arrested at the March 15 operation, is hosting a live Facebook broadcast. Activists call it an “open rescue.”
“If any break-in participants, their supporters or police were injured today, the fault lies squarely on the shoulders of Wayne Hsiung, who organized, egged on and then led hundreds of individuals in a violent assault on a veterinary medicine research facility dedicated to improving the health of our pet animals,” Ridglan Farms said in a statement to the Journal Sentinel.
“Instead of respecting the rule of law and the results of a thorough investigation which led to a binding legal agreement between the state of Wisconsin and Ridglan Farms, Mr Hsiung decided to encourage lawlessness and vigilantism because he did not personally agree with the results of the legal process.”
Matt Johnson, spokesperson for the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, said organizers are negotiating with Ridglan to purchase the dogs. Anonymous donors have offered $1 million for the release of all 2,000 dogs at the facility, Johnson said.
Johnson said organizers had considered various dates and times and chose to act Saturday instead of the publicly announced Sunday operation based on weather and in an attempt to reduce police presence.
“We’re trying to get correct information to as many people as possible that are supporting us, while not making life too easy on the people trying to protect the animal abusers,” Johnson said in a phone interview Saturday.
Johnson said there are no organized plans for Sunday, though some people may still show up at the facility. He said organizers are waiting to see what comes of the $1 million negotiation.
The new raid occurred the day before what was supposed to be a planned second operation outside the Madison-area farm.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office has sought charges against 62 people in connection to the first raid, when dozens of animal activists broke into the facility and removed 23 dogs.
Where is Ridglan Farms?
Ridglan Farms is in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, a village in Dane County about 30 miles southwest of Madison, and about 25 miles east of Dodgeville off Highway 18.
What is Ridglan Farms?
Ridglan Farms is licensed by the state as a dog breeding operation. It breeds thousands of beagles and sells them to laboratories for medical and scientific testing and has operated for nearly 60 years.
Ridglan Farms holds federal licenses both as a dog breeder and as a research facility, and is accredited by AAALAC International, an organization that sets standards for the care of research animals.
Animal rights activists storm Wisconsin beagle farm and take 23 dogs
Activists filmed themselves breaking into Ridglan Farms outside of Madison, which breeds beagles for research. More than 20 people were arrested.
Footage provided by Wayne Hsiung and Curtis Vollmar
What was planned for April 19?
Unlike the March 15 operation, activists had publicly announced plans to return to Ridglan on Sunday, April 19, posting full details online, including timing and team structures.
More than 1,700 people signed up to participate. Organizers assigned participants to color-coded teams based on arrest risk and conducted nonviolence training via Zoom.
“There’s no weapons allowed,” said Lisa Castagnozzi, a Milwaukee animal advocate leading a support team. “Not even pepper spray.”
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office had distributed notices to nearby residents warning of increased traffic and elevated noise levels Sunday and said it would provide security to maintain safety.
Why is Ridglan Farms controversial?
Last January, a Dane County judge heard testimony from former Ridglan employees that dogs had their eye glands and vocal cords cut without anesthesia, were kept in small wire cages and developed sores on their feet. The judge found probable cause of animal cruelty violations and appointed a special prosecutor.
The special prosecutor determined that the eye procedures violated state veterinary standards and constituted animal mistreatment.
In exchange for the state not prosecuting, Ridglan agreed to surrender its state breeding license by July 1, 2026, according to the special prosecutor’s report, ending its practice of selling dogs to outside researchers. It can continue breeding dogs for its own internal research.
What have officials said since the first break-in at Ridglan Farms?
Days before the April 18 break-in, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan raised concerns about Ridglan during a congressional hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“In my district, we have something called Ridglan Farms,” Pocan said on April 16. “That’s a beagle breeder for research. They’ve had 311 code violations, including very serious harm to the health of the dogs.”
Pocan asked Kennedy to investigate why federal grants are still going to groups getting beagles from Ridglan. Kennedy said he would look into it.
In an April 6 letter, Pocan had declined Ridglan’s request for help countering activist operations, instead encouraging the facility to prioritize “safe rehoming to every beagle possible.”
Gov. Tony Evers’ spokesperson said April 15 the state has already exercised its authority over Ridglan through the settlement requiring the facility to surrender its breeding license by July 1.
