Around 1,000 animal rights activists clashed with law enforcement on Saturday at Ridglan Farms, a beagle breeding and biomedical research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. Police used rubber bullets and pepper spray to repel protesters attempting to breach the property and remove dogs.
The protest follows a March raid in which activists removed 13 beagles from the facility. The Dane County Sheriff's Office has referred charges including burglary and trespassing against 62 individuals linked to that incident. Activists claim the dogs are mistreated, but Ridglan Farms denies any abuse, stating on its website that 'no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect' has been presented.
The Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs had planned to seize dogs on Sunday but launched their operation a day early. Wayne Hsiung, the group's leader, posted a photo of his arrest on social media. The sheriff's department reported that a pickup truck 'recklessly' drove through the front gate, and the driver was arrested to prevent a 'potentially deadly outcome.'
Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement that 300–400 protesters were 'violently trying to break into the property' and assault officers, ignoring designated protest areas and blocking roads. A 'significant' number of arrests were made, though an exact total was not provided as processing continued.
Protesters attempted to overcome barricades including a manure-filled trench, hay bales, and barbed wire. Some breached the fence but could not access the facility housing an estimated 2,000 beagles. Activist Julie Vrzeski expressed defeat after three hours with no dogs seized. Later, protesters moved to the jail in downtown Madison.
From jail, Hsiung wrote on Substack: 'We cannot give up on our purpose. We cannot give up on the dogs. If we stay focused, the repression will backfire. The public will see armed men attacking grandmas desperately trying to save dogs, and their conscience will be awakened.'
