More than 1,000 animal rights activists attempted to break into Ridglan Farms, a beagle breeding facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, on Saturday, April 18.
The chaotic scene involved tear gas, arrests and competing accounts from law enforcement, activists and the facility.
Here’s what to know.
What happened at Ridglan Farms on April 18?
Between 1,000 and 1,500 activists attempted to break into Ridglan Farms starting at about 9 a.m. Saturday, according to organizers and the facility.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said activists were “violently trying to break in” and “assault Dane County officers.”
Activists have maintained the protest was peaceful.
According to Ridglan, an activist rammed a truck through the gate at 10 a.m., nearly hitting police before being arrested.
Ridglan said activists “repeatedly tossed smoke and tear gas canisters over the fence at police and other security officials.”
Videos posted online by activists show sheriff’s deputies in gas masks deploying tear gas at hundreds of people climbing over hay bales and fencing.
Organizer Wayne Hsiung said “at least a dozen activists” were arrested, including himself.
What’s happening with the dogs?
No dogs were removed from the facility on April 18. But Matt Johnson, spokesperson for the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, said anonymous donors offered $1 million that day for the release of all 2,000 dogs at the facility.
Johnson said organizers are waiting to see what comes of the negotiation.
What is Ridglan Farms?
Ridglan Farms is a beagle breeding facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, about 30 miles southwest of Madison.
The facility breeds thousands of beagles and sells them to laboratories for medical and scientific testing and has operated for nearly 60 years. It holds federal licenses both as a dog breeder and as a research facility.
Has Ridglan Farms been found to violate animal welfare laws?
Last January, a Dane County judge found probable cause of animal cruelty violations at Ridglan Farms and appointed a special prosecutor to investigate.
The special prosecutor determined that eye procedures conducted on beagles violated state veterinary standards and constituted animal mistreatment.
In exchange for the state not prosecuting, Ridglan agreed to surrender its state breeding license by July 1, 2026, ending its practice of selling dogs to outside researchers. It can continue breeding dogs for its own internal research.
What was planned for April 19?
Activists had publicly announced plans to return to Ridglan on Sunday, April 19, posting full details online.
Johnson said there are now no organized plans for Sunday.
More than 1,700 people signed up to participate in color-coded teams based on arrest risk, with nonviolence training conducted via Zoom.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office had distributed notices to nearby residents warning of increased traffic and elevated noise levels Sunday.
What happened during the first break-in?
On March 15, dozens of animal activists broke into Ridglan Farms and removed 23 dogs, resulting in 27 arrests.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office has sought charges against 62 people in connection to that raid, including 33 counts of burglary.
What have officials said?
Days before the April 18 break-in, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan raised concerns about Ridglan during a congressional hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Pocan said the facility has had 311 code violations and asked Kennedy to investigate why federal grants are still going to groups getting beagles from Ridglan. Kennedy said he would look into it.
In an April 6 letter, Pocan declined Ridglan’s request for help countering activist operations, instead encouraging the facility to prioritize “safe rehoming to every beagle possible.”
Gov. Tony Evers’ spokesperson said April 15 the state has already exercised its authority over Ridglan through the settlement requiring the facility to surrender its breeding license by July 1.
Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about second Ridglan Farms beagle break-in attempt
Reporting by Quinn Clark, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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