Hundreds of activists attempted to breach Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, on Saturday, leading Dane County deputies to deploy tear gas, pepper balls and less-lethal munitions to repel what authorities called violent break-in efforts. Organizer Wayne Hsiung was arrested on probable cause of conspiracy to commit burglary and was being held in the county jail. Officials reported recovering tools allegedly intended for forced entry and said some demonstrators blocked roads and attempted to overwhelm emergency services. Ridglan Farms, which houses an estimated 2,000 beagles, has denied mistreatment while agreeing to surrender its state breeding license next July.
Violent Clash at Ridglan Farms: Deputies Use Tear Gas and Pepper Balls as Activists Try to Breach Beagle Facility
Hundreds of activists attempted to break through fencing to enter the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin.(Fox News)
Hundreds of animal welfare activists descended on Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, on Saturday, prompting a large law enforcement response. Dane County deputies say they deployed tear gas, pepper balls and less-lethal 40mm munitions to stop what authorities described as coordinated attempts to breach the facility and remove dogs.
Timeline and response
The sheriff's office said the confrontation began at about 8:52 a.m., after organizers unexpectedly moved a previously announced Sunday action to Saturday. Deputies say roughly 1,000 people gathered, and that 300 to 400 protesters moved to cut or force their way through fencing and barriers while others blocked roads, impeding law enforcement and emergency access.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said deputies had preplanned a tiered response to resistance. According to the department, the response was intended to preserve public safety and prevent serious injury; sheriff's officials said no one was seriously injured during the operation.
Arrests and alleged tools
Wayne Hsiung, a lead organizer linked to the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, was arrested within minutes of arriving at the property on probable cause of conspiracy to commit burglary and was being held in the Dane County Jail. Authorities reported a substantial number of additional arrests but had not released a final tally as of Saturday evening.
Dane County Sheriff’s Office seized burglary tools from activists at Ridglan Farms, including saws, fence cutters and sledgehammers.
Investigators said they recovered items they described as burglary tools, including saws, fence cutters and sledgehammers, along with handcuff keys and canisters officers say were tear gas carried by demonstrators. Officials also said a driver was arrested after allegedly recklessly driving a vehicle onto the property, an act described as a potentially deadly threat to officers and others.
Activists statements and tactics
From custody, Hsiung posted on X that he was moved to tears by reports of the action and praised participants as courageous. Some activists told reporters the plan had been to seize dogs from the property the following day but that organizers moved the operation up by a day.
Protesters described barricades on the farm that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and barbed-wire fencing. Some demonstrators breached the outer fence but were unable to reach animals inside the facility, and many later shifted their demonstration to outside the Dane County Jail in Madison.
Background and political fallout
Ridglan Farms, which is estimated to house about 2,000 beagles, has denied claims of mistreatment. The company agreed last year to surrender its state breeding license effective July 1 as part of a settlement that avoided prosecution on alleged animal welfare violations; Ridglan continues to deny abuse or neglect and says no credible evidence of cruelty has been substantiated.
The activists arrived at Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, armed with what the Dane County Sheriff’s Office labeled "burglary tools."
The clash has intensified a national debate over the use of dogs in laboratory research and related federal funding. Representative Mark Pocan, whose district includes the facility, has criticized continued use of beagles tied to federally funded research and pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a House hearing. The White Coat Waste Project has also publicly disputed administration statements about funding levels for dog and cat labs.
Prior incidents
Saturday's confrontation was the second high-profile action at Ridglan Farms in recent weeks. In March, activists entered the facility and removed 30 dogs; 27 people were arrested on trespassing and related charges after that incident.
Officials' view
Law enforcement officials maintain their tactics were proportional and focused on preventing injuries and preserving public order. They also said some protesters attempted to overwhelm emergency services by flooding 911 lines and inundating the sheriff's office with calls to divert resources during the attempted breach.
The Associated Press contributed to reporting on this incident.
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