300 beagles removed from Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin in adoption deal

The first vanload of beagles left Wisconsin’s Ridglan Farms on Friday, kicking off an effort to transport nearly 1,500 of the 2,000 dogs from the controversial breeding facility to rescues and shelters across the country.

FOX6Milwaukee On Friday, Marshall reported that 300 dogs had been removed from the facility in Wisconsin, and hundreds of dogs were expected to leave the facility in at least the next 10 days. The dogs were screened by veterinarians, vaccinated and given Benadryl to protect against reactions before being transported to animal welfare groups.

The announcement follows an agreement between Ridglan Farms, Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy to purchase 1,500 of the facility’s approximately 2,000 beagle dogs for an undisclosed price. The dogs are expected to undergo medical examinations, microchips and vaccinations before being considered for adoption, according to the Associated Press.

“This is a huge win and I am so happy to get these dogs out and take them to loving homes,” Lauree Simmons, president and founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, said in a statement.

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Most dogs will need to learn basic house living, such as walking on a leash and staying indoors, Simmons said.

The transfer marks a major turning point in the years-long fight for Ridglan Farms, a facility in the Blue Mounds area that is said to have bred beagles for scientific research for more than 60 years. Animal welfare advocates have long accused the facility of mistreating dogs and subjecting them to painful experiments.

Ridglan has denied mistreating animals and said his work supports biomedical research that benefits both humans and animals.

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Last year, the facility agreed to surrender its state breeding license by July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal abuse charges. A special prosecutor determined that Ridglan performed eye procedures on the dogs that violated state veterinary standards.

The statement came from Rep. Nicholas Langworthy, R-Y., speaking to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. It comes just days after he called on National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya to cut federal funding for research on dogs obtained from Ridglan Farms.

“This issue is not about opposing scientific progress; it is about ensuring that federally funded research reflects both ethical standards and scientific progress,” Langworthy wrote in his April 24 letter. he wrote.

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Langworthy asked NIH to provide a list of active grants and contracts involving dogs from Ridglan and other commercial breeders, to “immediately suspend funding for all projects relying on Ridglan beagles,” and to develop a timeline for phasing out federal support for invasive research that uses dogs and cats bred for experimentation and euthanasia.

“The American people expect tax revenues to reflect both fiscal responsibility and basic standards of humane treatment,” Langworthy wrote. “Ending support for facilities that raise beagles for painful experiments prior to euthanasia is consistent with these values.”

An NIH official told Fox News last month that the dog breeder did not receive a grant directly from the NIH, despite some public claims.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration has worked to restrict funding for animal testing at the NIH. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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“Ridglan Farms is a commercial dog breeder, not a research facility, and does not receive NIH grants or funding,” an NIH spokesperson told Fox News in an April 20 email. “NIH implements stringent policies to protect animal welfare and maintain strict oversight as the agency works to reduce reliance on animal models over time.

“It actively supports the development and use of new approach methodologies (NAMs) and will continue to invest in these alternatives.”

The Trump administration has accused the US government of RFK Jr. He added that he was working to save dogs from the tests carried out on them under his management.

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“NIH recently announced a $150 million investment to expand human-based methods that better reflect human biology,” the statement said. The statement was included. “This funding supports organoids, computational models and other tools to improve the way diseases and treatments are studied. The investment is part of a broader shift towards more predictive, human-relevant science.”

Although it is possible that institutions receiving NIH funding may have purchased animals from Ridglan Farms, purchases made by independent donors are not the same as NIH providing funding or supporting the vendor.

The removal of the dogs also comes after growing protests in Ridglan. Approximately 1,000 activists attempted to enter the facility on April 18 in an attempt to free the beagles, prompting a response from law enforcement that included tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray. The Dane County Sheriff’s Department said 29 people were arrested.

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Activists had previously entered the facility in March and removed 30 beagle dogs. Ridglan later described the April effort as an attack by a “violent mob”, while activists accused police of using excessive force.

animal rights lawyers Animal Activist Legal Defense Project The release from the University of Denver was called “a testament to the determination and perseverance of activists in Wisconsin and across the country who never give up on dogs.”

“This is their achievement,” the group said in a statement to Fox News. “Every Ridglan dog deserves a loving forever home as much as the dogs we welcome into our families. Almost a thousand of them will now live out their lives in peace; the remaining dogs deserve no less and should be released immediately.”

“Next, we must put a complete end to the disgusting practice of dog testing.”

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The agreement does not cover every dog ​​at Ridglan. While advocates say they will continue to push for the release of the remaining beagle dogs still housed at the facility, shelters in Wisconsin and beyond are preparing to accept dogs that advocates say have never known life outside of incarceration.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.