On April 22, Gov. Tony Evers declared that he had no authority over the evolving situation at Ridglan Farms, and that activists should let the legal process play out.
That is an unacceptable response from our state’s leader on a topic that is important to many of his constituents – and that involves the ongoing violation of state animal cruelty laws.
Ridglan’s beagle facility does not meet any conceivable animal welfare standard. Sadly, this egregious facility still holds thousands of dogs because the legal process has not yet succeeded and because state officials have refused to take responsibility to end the beagles’ suffering.
We are not asking Evers to wave a “magic wand” to resolve the Ridglan Farms issue, as he framed it. We are simply asking him to do his job as the most powerful man in Wisconsin. That includes using his authority to direct Wisconsin’s attorney general, Josh Kaul, state agencies and others to seriously investigate allegations of criminal animal abuse at Ridglan Farms.
Time is of the essence, as the July 1 deadline for Ridglan Farms to sell the remaining 1,900 beagles, euthanize them or transfer them to its research division for experimentation is approaching.
The people of Wisconsin elected Evers to uphold Wisconsin’s laws as our chief executive. I ask him to please help us save the Ridglan beagles.
Brian Wagenaar, Madison
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gov. Evers has unacceptable response to dog breeder cruelty | Letter
Reporting by Letters to the Editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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