Wisconsin beagle farm closing, hundreds of dogs to be sent to Florida rescue group

A Wisconsin beagle breeding farm that’s drawn animal welfare protests is closing and its remaining dogs are being taken in by a Florida rescue group

MADISON, Wis. -- A Wisconsin beagle breeding farm that’s been the site of recent violent protests is closing, and its remaining dogs are being taken in by a Florida rescue group.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced Monday that it has reached an agreement for the permanent closure of Ridglan Farms and the transfer of its 475 remaining beagles starting this week.

The rescue group said some of the beagles will go to other rescue groups while others will be sent to its Florida and Alabama campuses where they will be spayed, neutered, and prepared for adoption.

The group bought roughly 1,500 of the farm’s more than 2,000 beagles in April for an undisclosed price.

The transfer of the remaining beagles is expected to last until August, when there will be no more dogs at the farms, according to Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

The organization called on protesters to refrain from further demonstrations as it says Ridglan Farms has committed to permanently closing its dog breeding, sales, research and testing operations.

“Our focus now should be on supporting these dogs as they transition into their new lives,” Lauree Simmons, founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, said in a statement.

Spokespersons for Ridglan Farms didn’t immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment Monday.

The dog breeding and research business is located in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison.

Animal activists have been pushing for years to have dogs at the facility adopted, not sold to other research facilities.

Beagles are the most common breed of dog used for animal testing, primarily because of their smaller size and gentle temperament, according to Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

In April, police used tear gas and pepper spray to repel a large group of animal welfare activists that stormed the farm in an attempt to take beagles from the facility. Protesters also broke into the facility in March and took 30 dogs, leading to dozens of arrests.

Ridglan Farms agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on felony animal mistreatment charges.

The firm has denied mistreating animals, but a special prosecutor determined that Ridglan Farms was performing eye procedures that violated state veterinary standards.