Florida rescue secures agreement to permanently close Ridglan Farms facility, transfer 475 dogs
BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced Monday, June 15, that it negotiated the permanent closure of a beagle breeding and research facility, with the first 325 of 475 remaining dogs set to transfer this week.
The dogs leaving Ridglan Farms in Mount Horeb on June 15 and 16 will go to rescue partners or to Big Dog Ranch Rescue's campuses in Florida and Alabama, where they will be spayed, neutered and prepared for adoption.
The other 150 beagles are set to be released to the rescue by August, at which point no dogs will remain at the facility.
"As this effort comes to a close, we respectfully ask that the public refrain from further protests directed at Ridglan Farms, its owners, or its employees," said Lauree Simmons, founder and CEO of Big Dog Ranch Rescue. "Our focus now should be on supporting these dogs as they transition into their new lives."
In another Tuesday statement, Ridglan Farms acknowledged their agreement to sell the first 325 beagles to Big Dog Ranch, with the others being donated.
Ridglan said that the beagles are all "happy, healthy animals as demonstrated by extensive USDA inspection documentation and also the most recent DATCP inspection that occurred just a few weeks ago."
They also addressed protesting, requesting that "the years-long harassment campaign" against staff cease. They also wished accountability for the people who "organized and carried out the repeated violent assaults and thefts that have taken place" at Ridglan's facility.
In a post on X, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a statement on the closure of Ridglan Farms, saying it's a major win for animal welfare.