The Ridglan Farms lawsuit story is not one case but several, and by mid-2026 they had converged on a single outcome: the Wisconsin beagle breeding and research facility agreed to permanently shut down, surrender its state commercial breeder license by July 1, 2026, and transfer all of its roughly 2,000 dogs to rescue groups. A habeas corpus petition brought on behalf of the beagles, a federal civil rights class action over a violent protest, and felony burglary charges against activists who broke into the facility all remain unresolved.
What Ridglan Farms Was Accused Of
Ridglan Farms, in operation near Blue Mounds since 1966, was the nation’s second-largest breeder of purpose-bred beagles for biomedical research. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection cited the facility for 311 violations of the state administrative code, including 308 counts of mistreating dogs and 3 counts of failing to perform daily health checks, with conduct dating back to 2022. The state proposed a civil forfeiture of $55,148.50. Ridglan declined to settle, and the matter went to the Dane County District Attorney’s Office.1WMTV. Blue Mounds Dog Breeder Accused of 300 Violations, Fined $55K
At the center of the allegations were claims that painful surgeries, particularly “cherry eye” repairs and dental extractions, were performed by unlicensed staff without adequate anesthesia, pain management, or post-operative care. Inspectors also flagged problems with waste removal, ventilation, and recordkeeping.2The Progressive. The Battle to Close Ridglan Farms
On September 30, 2025, the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board unanimously suspended the license of Dr. Richard Van Domelen, Ridglan’s lead veterinarian and facility manager. The board found he had directed unlicensed staff to perform surgeries without proper anesthesia and had failed to comply with a March 2025 stipulated order on recordkeeping, anesthesia monitoring, and surgical protocols. It called his conduct a “flagrant violation of both veterinary ethics and animal welfare.”3FOX 6. Wisconsin Dog Breeding Farm Manager Has Veterinary License Suspended
The Special Prosecutor Case That Ended the Business
The Dane County District Attorney’s Office initially declined to bring animal cruelty charges. Attorney and activist Wayne Hsiung, Dane4Dogs, and the Alliance for Animals then petitioned under Wisconsin Statute § 968.02(3), which allows a judge to authorize a criminal complaint when a prosecutor refuses to act. After a six-hour evidentiary hearing, Dane County Judge Rhonda Lanford issued a 23-page decision on January 9, 2025, finding probable cause that Ridglan had violated Wis. Stat. § 951.02 (mistreatment of animals) and § 951.14 (providing proper shelter). She appointed La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke as special prosecutor.4AVMA. Wisconsin Dog Breeder Facing Allegations of Animal Abuse Will No Longer Supply Dogs for Research
Eight months later, Gruenke chose not to file criminal charges. He instead negotiated an October 2025 settlement under which Ridglan agreed to surrender its Wisconsin commercial dog breeder license by July 1, 2026, and stop supplying animals to laboratories. “If they were agreeing to shut down their business, that’s more than I can get out of a criminal prosecution, and so that seemed like the fair way to go,” Gruenke said.5FOX 6. Ridglan Farms License, No Criminal Charges
The Habeas Corpus Petition for the Beagles
On January 30, 2026, the Nonhuman Rights Project and the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project filed a habeas corpus petition in Dane County Circuit Court on behalf of the roughly 2,000 beagles at Ridglan. The theory was novel. The petitioners argued the dogs held a legal right to be free from cruelty under Wisconsin law, and that habeas corpus, historically used to challenge unlawful confinement of people, could enforce that right.6Nonhuman Rights Project. Ridglan Beagles
Ridglan Farms moved to dismiss on February 5, 2026, arguing that under Wisconsin law dogs are personal property, not persons entitled to habeas relief.7Nonhuman Rights Project. Respondent’s Motion to Dismiss Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Judge Stephen Ehlke dismissed the petition the next day, ruling that “existing law does not permit the requested remedy,” while acknowledging that future generations might question that conclusion.8Law Week Colorado. Animal Rights Attorneys Denounce Dismissal of Ridglan Farms Case
The petitioners appealed. On May 19, 2026, they filed their opening appellate brief and asked for an injunction barring Ridglan from euthanizing remaining beagles for non-medical reasons during the appeal. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals denied the injunction motion on May 21, 2026. The appeal itself is still pending.6Nonhuman Rights Project. Ridglan Beagles
The Federal Class Action Over the April 18 Confrontation
On April 18, 2026, a large crowd of activists, estimated by law enforcement and organizers at anywhere from 300 to 1,000 people, gathered at Ridglan Farms roughly a month after 50 to 60 activists had broken into the facility and removed 22 beagles. Officers deployed tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and OC Stinger Ball Grenades. Protesters reported chemical burns, respiratory injuries, and missing teeth. One protester said he was kicked and beaten while crawling through a hole in the fence; another said he was sprayed in the eye at point-blank range. Sheriff Kalvin Barrett called the response “appropriate and decisive” and said officers had been outnumbered by activists “violently trying to break into the property,” adding that fence-cutters, chainsaws, and tear gas had been seized from some protesters.9Isthmus. Law Enforcement Officers Accused of Excessive Force at Ridglan Farms10WPR. Animal Rights Activists Sue Ridglan Farms, Dane County
Five days later, attorney Susan Chana Lask filed a federal class-action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (Case No. 3:26-cv-00374) on behalf of two Utah activists, Joanna Baird and Linda Gregersen. The suit seeks class status for potentially more than 1,000 people affected by the confrontation. It names Ridglan Farms, Dane County Executive Melissa Agard, and Sheriff Kalvin Barrett as defendants, and alleges violations of the Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure and the 14th Amendment right to equal protection, along with a conspiracy between county officials and Ridglan to violate protesters’ civil rights.10WPR. Animal Rights Activists Sue Ridglan Farms, Dane County
The complaint also targets what activists call the “poop moat,” a manure-filled trench on the property they describe as a toxic deterrent designed to expose protesters to contamination. Dane County separately cited Ridglan for building the trench without a manure storage facility permit. Ridglan called the trench a “reasonable measure” against what it described as a “dangerous mob” and has called the lawsuit itself “without merit.”11Channel 3000. Ridglan Farms Cited for Manure-Filled Trench Built to Stop Protesters10WPR. Animal Rights Activists Sue Ridglan Farms, Dane County The case is pending.
Criminal Charges Against the Activists
The March 15, 2026 break-in produced its own docket. About 27 people were arrested at the scene, and on April 15 the Dane County Sheriff’s Office referred 70 charges against 63 individuals to the Dane County District Attorney, including 33 burglary referrals, 18 burglary as party-to-a-crime referrals, 8 conspiracy charges, and additional counts of property damage, possession of burglary tools, and trespassing.12Dane County Sheriff’s Office. Ridglan Farms
Wayne Hsiung and three co-defendants, Aditya Aswani, Michelle Lunsky, and Dean Wyrzykowski, each face four felony charges: burglary as party to a crime, criminal damage to property, theft, and attempted theft. The attempted theft counts come from a separate incident on April 18, when the defendants allegedly tried to re-enter the facility. All four pleaded not guilty in Dane County Circuit Court on May 21, 2026. Each faces up to 31 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Hsiung was released on a $20,000 cash bond, was barred by a court commissioner from the Town of Blue Mounds and from contacting his co-defendants, and is representing himself at trial.13WMTV. 4 Charged in Ridglan Farms Break-In Plead Not Guilty, Face New Felony Charges14FindLaw. Attorney Faces Felony Burglary Charges After Open Rescue Action to Save Beagles at Ridglan Farms
Where the Dogs Went and What Remains Open
On April 30, 2026, the Center for a Humane Economy and Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced a deal to purchase 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms for an undisclosed price. Big Dog Ranch Rescue took roughly 1,000 dogs to facilities in Florida, Alabama, and partner rescues nationwide. The Center for a Humane Economy placed the remaining 500 through the Dane County Humane Society and Wisconsin partners including the Beagle Freedom Project and the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project. All 1,500 dogs were out by May 12, 2026.15WMTV. Organizations Make Announcement on Ridglan Farms Dogs16WPR. Welfare Organizations Complete Transfer of Hundreds of Ridglan Farms Beagles
On June 15, 2026, Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced a binding agreement for the permanent closure of Ridglan Farms. The company committed to ending all breeding, sales, research, and testing. The remaining 475 beagles, including dogs kept for in-house research, were being transferred in stages, with 325 moved in mid-June and the final 150 puppies scheduled to leave by early August 2026. “Not one dog will remain,” said Big Dog Ranch Rescue founder Lauree Simmons.17The Guardian. Wisconsin Beagle Research Facility Shut Down
The business is closing, but the litigation is not. The federal class action against Ridglan and Dane County officials is pending in the Western District of Wisconsin, the Nonhuman Rights Project’s habeas corpus appeal is before the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, and the felony prosecution of Hsiung and his co-defendants is heading toward trial in Dane County Circuit Court.13WMTV. 4 Charged in Ridglan Farms Break-In Plead Not Guilty, Face New Felony Charges