For years, animal rights advocates outside a quiet Wisconsin farm held signs, organized rallies, and pleaded for the lives of the beagles inside. On April 29, 2026, they finally got the news they had been waiting for.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy announced an agreement to purchase nearly 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms, a commercial breeding facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, that has supplied dogs to biomedical research labs for over 60 years. It is one of the largest single rescue operations of research dogs in American history.
A Facility Under Fire
Ridglan Farms operated as a USDA-licensed beagle breeding facility roughly 25 miles southwest of Madison, supplying dogs to pharmaceutical and biomedical laboratories nationwide. The facility came under intense scrutiny in 2024 when former employees testified that dogs were subjected to painful eye procedures performed by non-veterinarians without anesthesia.
A Dane County judge found probable cause of felony animal cruelty. Rather than face prosecution, Ridglan settled in October 2025, agreeing to surrender its state breeding license by July 1, 2026. The facility was also cited for more than 300 administrative code violations in 2024 alone.
The Deal
The agreement, formally announced at a Madison press conference on April 30, covers 1,500 of the roughly 2,000 beagles at the facility. The purchase price was not disclosed, but it is reported to be under $1 million.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue will take responsibility for approximately 1,000 dogs. At the same time, the Center for a Humane Economy will work with the Beagle Freedom Project, the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, and the Dane County Humane Society to place the remaining 500.
“This is a dream come true, to hug and hold these dogs and prepare them for their forever homes,” said Lauree Simmons, president of Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy, called it part of a broader national effort to move away from beagle and primate testing altogether.
What Comes Next
Transfers began on May 1 and will continue for roughly a week and a half. Each dog will receive a medical exam, microchip, and vaccinations before being matched with rescue partners and placed for adoption. For many of these beagles, it will be their first time walking on grass or seeing sunlight.
Around 50 dogs will be available for local adoption in Dane County within the comin g weeks.
Questions remain about the roughly 500 beagles not included in the deal. Ridglan has declined to disclose how many dogs remain on the property. The Center for a Humane Economy says negotiations are continuing.
A Bigger Picture
The rescue comes as national momentum builds against animal testing. The FDA released a formal roadmap in 2025 to phase out animal testing in drug development. An estimated 50,000 dogs are still used in U.S. research today, with one facility in New York alone housing up to 20,000 beagles.
Advocates are calling the Ridglan agreement a meaningful win, but say the work is far from over.
