An armada of animal rights activists warned that they will be raiding a contested breeding facility in Wisconsin to free 2,000 beagles trapped inside — and preemptively labeled any police intervention as “illegal.”
The coalition of activists from near and far will storm the Ridglan Farms, a research lab that doubles as a beagle mill, in broad daylight on April 19, organizers told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The “Ridglan Rescue” crew promised to use “every nonviolent means” available to free 2,000 beagles from the farm.
A public signup form indicates that at least 1,700 people are planning to participate in the raid — creating a certifiable mob that the farms warned could cause $6 million in damages, despite the group’s promise to be peaceful.
The organizers additionally told protesters that they may be arrested and charged with felonies for their involvement, even though they believe they are legally protecting the beagles from further harm.
“Baywatch” actress Alexandra Paul was arrested during a smaller raid at the facility last month, where 23 dogs were taken.
This time, the organizers announced their plans well in advance, and implored the police to “enforce the law and protect the dogs.”
“If police illegally attempt to stop us, we will shield one another from their attempts to hurt the dogs…Nothing will stop us from getting all 2,000 beagles out of cages,” organizer Wayne Hsiung wrote in a blog post.
Lisa Castagnozzi, another one of the leaders, told the outlet that she stormed the facility with Paul and 60 other activists. She said that the mournful howls from 1,500 beagles stuffed inside windowless sheds created “a wall of screaming.”
Wire fencing, six-foot hay bales and trenches were erected around the property after the March incursion.
While the company is technically licensed to breed dogs, it has been at the center of various abuse scandals.
Last year, a former employee alleged that the dogs were being mistreated, with some undergoing invasive procedures like eye surgery without general anesthesia.
A special prosecutor appointed to investigate the claim determined that the surgeries violated state veterinary standards and constituted animal mistreatment.
The company agreed to surrender its state breeding license by July 1, 2026, effectively ending its practice of selling dogs to outside researchers. However, it’s still permitted to breed dogs for its own internal research.
The company claims there is “no credible evidence” backing the years’ worth of claims, according to a statement on its website.
