First Vans Leave Ridglan Farms as Major Rescue Begins for 1,500 Beagles
Marshall, Wisconsin (High Desert News Online) – Over 300 beagles were moved Friday from Ridglan Farms near Marshall, Wisconsin, beginning a coordinated rescue to relocate about 1,500 dogs nationwide after groups purchased most of the facility’s dogs as part of a legal settlement.
- About 300 beagles were transported Friday after veterinary screening, vaccines, microchips and doses of Benadryl to reduce transport reactions.
- Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy purchased roughly 1,500 of the facility’s estimated 2,000–2,200 dogs for placement with rescues nationwide.
- Dane County Humane Society is slated to take 500 dogs on May 11, including 150 bound for the Wisconsin Humane Society in Milwaukee; additional transport waves will continue for days.
What happened Friday
Vans arrived at the Ridglan Farms property near Blue Mounds on Friday morning. Teams from Big Dog Ranch Rescue and partner organizations loaded cages of small beagles into transport vehicles after on-site veterinarians performed health checks, administered vaccines and microchips, and gave doses of Benadryl to reduce allergic or travel reactions. On-site video and local reporting documented the intake and loading process; see YouTube video and coverage from Fox6Now.
“A very big win,” said Lauree Simmons, founder and president of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, who added she was “ecstatic” to get dogs into loving homes while warning many will need training to live in a home environment.
Scope and logistics of the transfer
The coordinated effort aims to move about 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms to rescues and shelters across the country. Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy arranged purchase and logistics; they staffed the site with veterinarians and technicians to handle intake and initial care. The initial wave of roughly 300 dogs is the first of several planned over the coming days. Local reporting and rescue videos document the multi-day transfer plan — see YouTube video and Fox6Now.
Health care and adoption processing
Rescue teams reported bringing multiple veterinarians and technicians to the site (nine veterinarians and supporting staff were reported) to ensure each dog received a thorough medical exam, vaccines, microchips and basic care before evaluation for adoption. Many dogs will require behavioral rehabilitation and basic home training, such as leash walking and housebreaking, after life at a breeding facility.
Placement and adoption timelines will vary by organization and by the rehabilitation needs of each dog. Rescue groups emphasized medical clearance and behavioral assessment as prerequisites to placement.
Background: years of complaints and a legal settlement
Ridglan Farms operated as a Wisconsin beagle breeder for more than six decades, supplying dogs to research labs. Animal welfare advocates alleged mistreatment and questioned procedures performed on animals, prompting reviews by a Dane County special prosecutor and a judge. Findings related to eye procedures and other concerns produced a settlement requiring Ridglan to surrender its state breeding license by July 1, 2026 and avoid criminal prosecution. Ridglan has denied mistreatment and said its work supports biomedical research.
Local reporting and on-site footage provide the primary contemporary accounts; see coverage from Fox6Now and rescue video documentation on YouTube.
Advocates and organizations involved
Leading the effort was Big Dog Ranch Rescue, led by Lauree Simmons, with coordination and purchase assistance from the Center for a Humane Economy. The Beagle Freedom Project and other advocacy groups have also participated in public communications and placement planning.
Political response and funding questions
Political leaders pressed for scrutiny of research that used dogs sourced from Ridglan Farms. On April 24, Rep. Nicholas Langworthy (R-N.Y.) asked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya to cut off federal funding for research using dogs sourced from Ridglan, framing the issue as oversight and ethics in federally funded science. Local coverage and compiled reporting provide context; see Fox6Now.
Numbers remaining at the facility
Estimates placed the facility at roughly 2,000–2,200 dogs. With about 1,500 purchased in the deal, roughly 500–700 dogs remained at Ridglan after the initial transport, according to local reporting and USDA estimate ranges. Advocates said they will continue efforts to place remaining animals.
Responses from Ridglan Farms
Ridglan has denied claims of mistreatment and said its breeding supplies support biomedical research. Under the settlement, the facility will surrender its state breeding license, which prevents it from operating as a commercial breeder for research in Wisconsin after the specified date.
Implications for The High Desert, California
Local implications include potential adoption interest in High Desert shelters, volunteer and donation opportunities for vetted rescue partners, and the need for regional coordination on intake, medical follow-up and behavioral rehabilitation. Organizations bringing dogs into the region will follow standard medical protocols — exams, vaccinations and microchipping — before adoption; local veterinarians should prepare for spay/neuter follow-ups and behavioral consultations.
- Adoption and shelter demand: Residents may partner with national rescues or adopt directly through placement networks.
- Volunteer and donation opportunities: Local animal clinics, trainers and volunteers can support rehab and training needs.
- Shelter capacity: Regional coordination is needed if distribution points bring dogs to Southern California; communication will prevent overloading facilities.
Reporting and source notes
This account relies on local reporting and video coverage from Fox6Now, on-site rescue videos on YouTube and YouTube, and advocacy background from the Beagle Freedom Project. Links are provided to primary video and reporting sources for verification.
How to help / contact points
For verified opportunities to adopt or support placement efforts, contact Big Dog Ranch Rescue, the Center for a Humane Economy, or partner organizations such as the Beagle Freedom Project. Local volunteers and donors should confirm needs with national rescue coordinators before sending funds, supplies, or transport assistance.
Further reporting will track subsequent transport waves, the fate of dogs still at Ridglan Farms, and how national rescues place beagles across states.
