Wisconsin Beagle Activists Press Governor After 29 Arrests At Ridglan Farms Clash
Animal-rights activists clashed with law enforcement at Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin, leading to 29 arrests after an attempted seizure of beagles.
The clash unfolded Saturday after organizers moved a planned Sunday action to Saturday, drawing roughly 1,000 activists to the Ridglan Farms breeding facility outside Madison. Authorities say about 300 to 400 people tried to breach fences and barriers and some briefly got past fencing but did not reach buildings housing an estimated 2,000 beagles. Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said deputies used tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and "less-lethal" munitions after long-range acoustic warnings to repel the crowd. Authorities report they recovered saws, fence cutters and sledgehammers and that most of the roughly 29 people arrested were booked and released. Organizer Wayne Hsiung was arrested on a tentative felony conspiracy to commit burglary charge and is being held in the Dane County Jail. Social media posts and a CBS News Facebook post confirmed crowd estimates and captured activists' reactions, with one protester saying she felt "defeated" after no dogs were seized. Ridglan maintains it denies mistreatment and says no credible evidence of abuse has been substantiated, though it agreed in October to surrender its state breeding license effective July 1.
Early accounts, led by Fox News, framed the event as a largely violent breach attempt and emphasized deputies' tiered, forceful response. Later reporting from ABC and other outlets added nuance, noting that a calmer protest followed the next day and that activists were also pressing officials for investigations and dog releases. The shift matters because coverage moved from focusing mainly on confrontation to incorporating questions about Ridglan's licensing history, prior seizures of dogs and political pressure on federal and state officials.
📌 Key Facts
- About 1,000 activists gathered after organizers moved a planned Sunday protest up to Saturday; Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said roughly 300–400 people were "violently trying to break into the property."
- Deputies used a pre-planned, tiered response — including LRAD warnings, tear gas, pepper spray/balls and rubber bullets — to repel attempts to breach Ridglan Farms.
- Authorities say some protesters breached outer fencing and defensive barriers (a manure-filled trench, hay bales and barbed-wire fence) but did not reach the buildings housing an estimated 2,000 beagles.
- Police seized burglary tools (including saws, fence cutters and sledgehammers) at the scene and said some activists attempted to block nearby roads.
- Dane County reported 29 arrests from Saturday's attempted entry; most arrestees were booked and released, while organizer Wayne Hsiung was arrested within minutes and is being held on a tentative felony conspiracy-to-commit-burglary charge.
- After the raid activists protested outside the Dane County jail and later held a follow-up demonstration at Gov. Tony Evers' Capitol office chanting "Free the dogs," urging state action and asking the attorney general to execute a search warrant at Ridglan.
- Ridglan Farms denies mistreatment and describes itself as a biomedical research facility focused on veterinary medicine, but it agreed in October to surrender its Wisconsin state breeding license effective July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal-mistreatment charges.
- This was the second attempt in as many months: in March protesters removed about 30 dogs and 27 people were arrested. Lawmakers including Rep. Mark Pocan have pressed federal officials about NIH-funded projects sourcing beagles from Ridglan; HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would "look into" it and claimed his administration had "ended most" animal testing.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"An opinion piece criticizing the beagle‑rescue protest’s militant tactics and anthropomorphic rhetoric, arguing that treating dogs as people and storming facilities undermines the animal‑welfare cause and should be replaced by legal, regulatory efforts."
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Animal welfare activists held a follow-up protest Monday outside Gov. Tony Evers' Capitol office, chanting "Free the dogs" and demanding action against Ridglan Farms.
- Dane County Sheriff's Department now reports 29 arrests from Saturday's attempted mass entry at Ridglan Farms, slightly higher than earlier tallies of about 25.
- Protest leaders asked Attorney General Josh Kaul to execute a search warrant on Ridglan to investigate alleged ongoing cruelty.
- Ridglan previously agreed in October to surrender its state breeding license effective July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.
- Rep. Mark Pocan publicly urged state officials to work with Ridglan on a plan to release the dogs without overwhelming placement groups, after questioning HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about federal grants tied to Ridglan beagles.
- Ridglan reiterated on its website that it denies mistreating animals and says no credible evidence of abuse has been substantiated, describing itself as a biomedical research facility mainly focused on veterinary medicine.
- Dane County sheriff now puts total arrests from Saturday's Ridglan Farms protest at about 25, clarifying earlier estimates.
- Authorities say roughly 1,000 activists tried to gain entry Saturday, with officers using pepper spray and rubber bullets to repel them.
- Sheriff Kalvin Barrett reported Sunday that about 200 people returned for a significantly calmer, peaceful protest that dispersed after roughly two hours.
- Most of those arrested Saturday were booked and released; leader Wayne Hsiung is held on a tentative felony conspiracy to commit burglary charge.
- Authorities confirmed this was the second attempt in as many months, after protesters previously took 30 dogs and 27 people were arrested in March.
- Ridglan Farms reiterated in background that it denies abuse but agreed in October to surrender its state breeding license as of July 1 to avoid prosecution.
- Confirms crowd size of about 1,000 protesters, with Sheriff Kalvin Barrett saying 300 to 400 were 'violently trying to break into the property' and assault officers.
- Details the facility's defensive measures, including a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence that protesters attempted to overcome.
- Reports that some protesters breached the fence but did not reach the buildings housing an estimated 2,000 beagles.
- Adds that activists moved from the Ridglan Farms site to protest outside the Dane County jail in downtown Madison after the attempted entry.
- Notes sheriff's statement that a person 'recklessly' drove a pickup truck through the front gate and was arrested, 'preventing a potentially deadly outcome.'
- Recaps that the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs had publicly announced plans to seize the dogs Sunday but launched the operation a day early.
- Provides direct activist reaction, quoting protester Julie Vrzeski saying she felt 'defeated' after no dogs were seized.
- Adds that Ridglan Farms agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges, while asserting on its website that 'no credible evidence' of abuse has been substantiated.
- Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said deputies used tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets under a pre-planned tiered response to keep order.
- Sheriff Barrett publicly declared that 'it was clear from the beginning that this was not going to be a peaceful protest' and called the response 'appropriate and proportionate.'
- Organizer Wayne Hsiung was arrested within minutes of arriving on probable cause for conspiracy to commit burglary and is being held in Dane County Jail.
- Deputies reported hundreds of activists attempting to breach fencing and barriers and block nearby roads after LRAD warnings not to cross onto marked private property.
- The sheriff's office says it seized burglary tools including saws, fence cutters and sledgehammers from activists at the scene.
- Roughly 1,000 activists gathered after organizers moved up a previously planned Sunday protest to Saturday, according to authorities.
- Rep. Mark Pocan publicly pressed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about NIH-funded projects using beagles from Ridglan Farms, citing 'hundreds of code violations' at the facility.
- Kennedy told Pocan he found it hard to believe NIH was still sourcing from Ridglan, said he would 'look into this,' and claimed his administration had 'ended most' animal testing.