Police Use Rubber Bullets and Pepper Spray as 1,000 Protesters Attempt to Storm Wisconsin Beagle Facility
About 1,000 animal welfare activists attempted to enter a beagle research facility in Wisconsin on Saturday, prompting law enforcement to fire rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrest multiple people, including the group’s leader.
The confrontation unfolded at Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, about 25 miles southwest of Madison. It marked the second attempt in two months by protesters to remove beagles from the facility, which houses an estimated 2,000 dogs.
Sheriff Calls Protest Violent
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement, per the AP, that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property.” He accused demonstrators of assaulting officers, ignoring designated protest areas and blocking roads needed by emergency vehicles.
“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.
Authorities made a “significant” number of arrests from the crowd of roughly 1,000 protesters, though an exact total was not confirmed. Among those arrested was Wayne Hsiung, the group’s leader, who posted an image from his X account following his detention.
Law enforcement also arrested an individual who “recklessly” drove a pickup truck through the facility’s front gate, with authorities saying they prevented “a potentially deadly outcome.”
Barricades and Breached Fences
Protesters faced barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some demonstrators breached the fence but did not reach the facility’s interior, and no dogs were removed during the attempt.
The group behind the action, the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, had announced plans to seize dogs on Sunday but launched its operation a day early on Saturday instead.
Julie Vrzeski, an activist, spoke to the Wisconsin State Journal about the outcome.
“I just feel defeated,” she said.
After the failed attempt, activists later protested outside a jail in downtown Madison.
A Calmer Sunday
The situation shifted dramatically the following day. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday was “significantly calmer and more peaceful,” with around 200 people assembling outside the farm before dispersing after about two hours.
“We’re pleased with the group’s cooperation today, and their willingness to remain peaceful, while still sending their message of concern for the dogs at Ridglan Farms,” Sheriff Barrett said in a statement. “We are happy to support anyone who wants to exercise the right to protest, as long as they do so lawfully.”
Saturday’s clash was not the first time activists physically entered the property. In March, protesters entered the facility and removed 30 dogs. Twenty-seven people were arrested on trespassing and other charges during that incident.
Facility Denies Wrongdoing
Ridglan Farms has denied any animal mistreatment. In October, the facility reached an agreement to surrender its state breeding license effective July 1 to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.
On its website, Ridglan Farms stated that “no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has ever been presented or substantiated.”
The standoff between activists and the facility underscores a deeply contentious dispute over the treatment of beagles at Ridglan Farms — one that has now resulted in two major confrontations, dozens of arrests and growing public attention on the operation’s future as its July 1 license deadline approaches.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
