UPDATE:

On April 18, 2026, more than 1,000 people gathered in Blue Mounds to bring aid and attempt to remove dogs from Ridglan Farms. They were met with tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray. These were not violent actors; they included students, medical professionals, animal rights activists, and local residents responding to conditions a judge has already said may constitute felony animal cruelty. Multiple injuries were reported, including one individual who reportedly lost consciousness and several teeth.

More than 2,000 beagles remain inside Ridglan Farms in Dane County.

For nearly a decade, these dogs have been bred, confined, and cycled through a system where their value is purely transactional. What has been documented—by inspectors, eyewitnesses, and state records—is neither vague nor anecdotal. It is consistent, detailed, and sustained over time.

Dogs are confined to wire cages for most of their lives, often without adequate space to move freely and with little or no access to sunlight, exercise, or normal social interaction.

The behavioral effects are visible. Dogs have been observed spinning repeatedly in place or pacing in tight, repetitive patterns—behaviors widely recognized as signs of severe psychological distress caused by prolonged confinement. 

Others show the opposite pattern: withdrawal, disorientation, and a lack of responsiveness to their surroundings.

The physical conditions are equally well documented. Reports describe dogs with inflamed or infected paws from standing on wire flooring, untreated wounds and infections, and eye conditions such as cherry eye that are either left uncorrected or handled improperly. Some procedures have been carried out by untrained staff, including times where anesthesia/pain management was not used.

These findings align with what the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has recorded: over 300 violations of basic animal welfare requirements.

A Dane County judge reviewed this record and found probable cause for felony animal cruelty.

No criminal charges followed.

The legal framework here is straightforward. The state can revoke a breeder’s license when the operator violates the law or is unfit to continue operating. Based on 300+ documented violations and the court’s finding, that threshold has already been met.

The state also has the authority to remove animals to prevent further suffering. That authority exists now.

This is not a situation where the law is unclear or inadequate. It is a situation where it has not been enforced.

Investigative reporting by Bryan Polcyn of FOX6 Milwaukee adds important context. A leaked buyer database identified major research purchasers, including one company that acquired more than 1,700 dogs in roughly two years. The company later stated those animals were cadavers, meaning Ridglan Farms sold them already deceased.

https://www.fox6now.com/news/buyers-list-leaked-wisconsin-puppy-mill-customer-defends-research

The reporting also traces what happens after these dogs leave the facility. In one documented case, beagles from Ridglan were used in a COVID-19 drug toxicity study and were euthanized partway through the experiment so their organs could be analyzed.

Taken together, this reflects a system in which harm is not incidental. It is built into the process itself. And despite that, the broader record remains unchanged: the overwhelming majority of drugs that appear successful in animal testing—often cited at over 95 percent—do not ultimately succeed in human clinical trials. The ethical cost is clear, while the scientific return remains highly contested.

In October 2025, Ridglan Farms entered into a civil agreement that allowed it to avoid criminal prosecution and continue operating until July 1, 2026. At present, the consequences amount to minor civil penalties.

At the same time, Dane County prosecutors have filed felony burglary and conspiracy charges against individuals who attempted to remove dogs from these conditions, relying on the same underlying evidence of cruelty that the state declined to pursue criminally.

They face up to 12.5 years in prison.

The result is difficult to ignore: those who acted in response to documented conditions now face severe penalties, while the operation itself continues.

Under the current agreement, Ridglan may continue operating until July 1, 2026. During that time, the remaining dogs may still be sold into research, transferred under federal licenses, or euthanized as surplus—a continuation of the existing system.

We are asking Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul to take the steps the law already allows:

1. Revoke Ridglan’s breeding license.
2. Initiate removal of the dogs and transfer them to qualified, registered rescue organizations.
3. Halt further sales or transfers into research.
4. Conduct an independent review of the April 18 use of force.
5. Reevaluate the decision not to pursue animal cruelty charges.
6. Conduct an independent review of charges arising from the March incident and the April 18 use of force, ensuring decisions are supported by the evidence.

Nine years of documented violations. Hundreds of citations. A judicial finding of probable cause.

Dogs are sentient animals. They experience fear, pain, and attachment. Wisconsin law already recognizes this.

Sign. Share. Demand accountability.

Governor Tony Evers

(608) 266-1212

governor@wisconsin.gov

Attorney General Josh Kaul

(608) 266-1221

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne

(608) 266-4211

danecoda@da.wi.gov

Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett

(608) 284-6170

sheriff@danesheriff.com