Ridglan Farms Releases 1,500 Beagles to Rescue Groups

Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin has agreed to release 1,500 of its approximately 2,000 beagles to rescue organizations, following years of protests, court hearings, investigations, and open rescues by animal activists. The facility, which breeds and sells beagles for biomedical research and conducts some experiments on site, faced an activist break-in in March where several dogs were rescued.

The dogs are now being transferred to properties like one in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, for veterinary checks before placement in shelters for adoption.

Activists have highlighted extreme cruelty at the facility, including procedures such as the removal of vocal chords performed without anesthesia or pain control by non-veterinarians. Ridglan Farms has received millions in federal taxpayer funds, according to reports.

White Coat Waste, a watchdog organization, revealed that the NIH spent over $126 million on experiments involving cats and dogs, including Ridglan beagles, as recently as April. Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI) confronted HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

about the NIH's connection to Ridglan during a recent hearing. The secretary stated he was surprised and would look into the matter.

“I would have to look into it.”

85% of Republicans and Democrats agree that animal testing should be phased out, according to polling data. Notable voices including Lara Trump, Tomi Lahren, Dave Portnoy, Jennifer Welch, and groups such as Democracy Now! have spoken out against Ridglan Farms and animal testing practices.

The Trump administration has made progress toward reducing taxpayer-funded animal testing, earning praise from PETA. Federal agencies including the NIH, FDA, EPA, CDC, DOD, and Department of Veterans Affairs have pledged to phase out animal testing entirely or cut specific programs.

Drugs tested on animals fail in human trials 92% of the time, while new methods like computational modeling, cell-based experiments, and chemical analysis offer higher predictive accuracy. These innovations are seen as paving the way for alternatives to animal testing.

The federal government historically spends about $20 billion annually on animal experiments, with agencies providing significant funding to facilities like Ridglan. Legislators are seeking to modernize research methods, address unethical breeding, and enable adoption of laboratory animals instead of euthanasia.

Change remains slow, requiring continued public pressure and oversight. The release of the beagles marks a step forward, but broader policy updates are needed to align with public opinion and end taxpayer support for such practices. Meghan Miller, a senior fellow at the Wilberforce Institute, emphasized the rarity of bipartisan support for ending animal testing and called for swift government action.