Ridglan Farms to Cease Operations and Transfer Remaining Dogs to Rescue Organization

Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced on Monday that it had acquired hundreds of dogs from Ridglan Farms. CEO Lauree Simmons stated, "This marks a historic victory for the dogs of Ridglan Farms. No more breeding, no more selling, no more testing, and full closure. Not one dog will remain."

Under a binding agreement with Big Dog Ranch Rescue, Ridglan Farms has committed to completely halt its operations in the coming months. On Monday and Tuesday, 325 dogs are scheduled to be transferred, with the final 150 puppies being sent out in mid-August after completing a testing contract.

Simmons assured, "We’ve been assured that every one of them will be kept safe and unharmed throughout this process," adding that the monitoring would involve only temperature checks for the next six weeks.

Ridglan Farms has faced longstanding allegations of animal abuse, which the facility has denied. Activists have staged several protests and raids at the site. In March, some activists broke into the complex and removed 22 beagles. An attempted raid in April was met with resistance from law enforcement, resulting in the use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters.

Some activists now face criminal charges, including felony burglary related to their actions at Ridglan Farms. The facility's representatives have called for an end to what they describe as a harassment campaign against its owners and staff, while also hoping for accountability for those involved in the violent protests.

Simmons expressed compassion for the activists during the news conference, stating, "We are praying that the courts have a leniency on them, and see that what they were doing was out of love for the animals."

This spring, several protesters filed a lawsuit against the sheriff’s office and Ridglan Farms, claiming excessive force was used during the protests. However, the plaintiffs chose to voluntarily dismiss their lawsuit to avoid interfering with ongoing criminal proceedings related to the protests.

Ridglan Farms confirmed that the last 150 dogs were donated to Big Dog Ranch Rescue, while others were purchased. In 2025, a Dane County judge appointed a special prosecutor to investigate potential violations of Wisconsin's animal cruelty laws at the facility. That inquiry resulted in a settlement allowing Ridglan Farms to avoid prosecution by relinquishing its state-level breeding license by July 1, 2026. Activists expressed concern over ongoing animal testing in the meantime.

Earlier this year, Big Dog Ranch Rescue in collaboration with the Center for a Humane Economy had bought 1,500 dogs from Ridglan Farms, followed by a purchase of 135 additional dogs. Big Dog Ranch Rescue did not disclose the financial terms of the latest acquisition, with Simmons stating, "We paid a nominal fee for these dogs. Nobody got rich on this effort."

On Monday, dozens of beagles were transported to a farm in Marshall, where they awaited health assessments, including vaccinations and microchipping. Various animal welfare organizations are now working to facilitate adoptions of the beagles nationwide, with Big Dog Ranch Rescue sorting through over 7,000 adoption applications to find homes for the dogs.