Breeding & Laboratory Research in Wisconsin
UPDATE: February 5, 2025
In January 2025 Dane County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda L. Lanford granted the petition of petitioners, Wayne Hsuing, Dane4Dogs, and Alliance for Animals. The Court found that probable cause exists that Ridglan Farms, Inc. has committed multiple criminal violations of Chapter 951 of the Wisconsin Statutes, Crimes Against Animals. The Court also found that the Dane County District Attorney has refused to issue a complaint related to these allegations. The Court ordered the appointment of a special prosecutor as soon as is practicable. On February 5, 2025 the Court appointed LaCrosse County District Attorney, Tim Gruenke, as the special prosecutor.
For future updates and beagle rescue info in general, link to FB here.
Wayne Hsiung, who is on the legal team representing the beagles at Ridglan writes a blog "The Simple Heart" which is an excellent resource for up to date animal issues, research and activism. Link here to check it out and subscribe.
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March 8, 2024: All Charges Dismissed
They don't want the public to know the details of beagle research which would have come out at trial.
Weekend events continue as planned!
These will be fun events to show your support for ending beagle research and animal abuse.
Register at https://www.dogdefendersmarch.com/
Additional info at https://www.facebook.com/Dane4Dogs
March 18, 2024, 9 am
Three activists - Eva Hamer, Paul Darwin Picklesimer and Wayne Hsiung of Direct Action Everywhere are facing felony charges for rescuing Julie, Anna and Lucy who were exploited for animal experimentation at Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin 2018. The case will have significant implications on the #RightToRescue, and activists will seek some measure of justice for the untold numbers of animals subjected to cruelty whose cries have been ignored. The trial is scheduled to start March 18th, 9am at the Dane County Courthouse (215 S Hamilton St, Madison, WI 53703) and is estimated to be 1 week long. According to Direct Action Everywhere, you are welcome to attend just one day or the entire trial, but if you can only attend one day they highly encourage you to attend on the first day, March 18th. Go to Wisconsin's Dane4Dogs Ridglan Beagle Rescue Trial Facebook page for the trial information and a link to register for attending one or more days of the trial. In their experience, court dates often get changed, even within a week of trial. At this time, they do not recommend you book any travel or housing arrangements that are not refundable.
Dane4Dogs and other coalition members will be hosting corresponding weekend activities March 23-25th: a march, public outreach, meeting a rescued research beagle, and speaking with state legislators immediately following the trial or possibly during the trial if it goes two weeks. To register for all weekend activities please go to Dog Defenders March and click on "Register" in the top righthand corner.
LOHV is in strong support of this action which will bring attention to the miserable conditions of captive beagles bred in this massive factory for the purpose of research. Direct Action Everywhere has experienced success around the country in bringing attention to the misery of all captive animals.
Wisconsin is one of the epicenters of animal research in the United States AND also harbors breeding facilities specifically for the purpose of selling these animals to research laboratories.
Wisconsin has the dubious distinction of being #1 in the United States for research on both dogs and cats; #2 for rabbits.
Thousands of these animals in breeding facilities in our state live a miserable caged existence, bred for unnecessary experiments that do not transfer to human use. For example, there is a very large breeding facility outside of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin.
"State open-records laws and the U.S. Freedom of Information Act can be used to obtain documents and information from state institutions, government agencies, and other federally funded facilities, but private companies, contract labs, and animal breeders are exempt."
www.Dane4Dogs.org is an excellent resource along with their Facebook page which they keep updated regularly.
You can also request info from WI DATCP if you want inspection and other information. Don't hesitate to contact your local officials to inquire if any breeding facilities are in your area or contact your state representatives as well. It's important to remember that the public research facilities are using our public tax dollars to fund cruel, invasive, painful and unnecessary experiments.