It’s not every day that you’ll find Upworthy celebrating break-ins and arrests, but this is one of those truly exceptional times.
Ridglan Farms, based in Wisconsin, has bred beagles to supply research laboratories for nearly 60 years. Tragically, the very thing that makes this breed such wonderful pets (their sweet and peaceful nature) is also what makes them the number one breed of choice for testing.
When a grassroots effort became impossible to ignore
A decade ago, animal rights lawyer and activist Wayne Hsiung began fighting to rescue these creatures. Sometimes that meant trying to raise awareness online. Other times, things took on a more hands-on flavor.
In March 2026, Hsiung and seven other activists, including Baywatch’s Alexandra Paul, broke into Ridglan and managed to get a portion of the beagles out of the facility before being arrested. This drew national attention to the issue.
Then the following month, Hsiung was arrested a second time when a larger group of activists attempted a second breach. This time…it wasn’t pretty. The group was met with tear gas and rubber bullets. Some were beaten. One member lost a few teeth.
Persistence (and press) paid off
But their efforts ignited a “movement,” as Hsiung called it. One that would end up getting Ridglan shut down for good and 2,000 beagles freed.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue negotiated an agreement with Riglan for the transfer of the 475 remaining dogs by August, after which Riglan would be “winding down” operations.
Hsiung credits the “faith” shared by members of his organization, especially when “so few believed,” as well as the thousands of everyday people who joined the fight by protesting, sharing, and signing the petition.
What’s next for the movement
While Hsiung and other lead activists still face trials for multiple felonies including burglary, criminal damage to property, theft, and attempted theft, he feels optimistic that this victory is only the beginning,
“If we ride the momentum, we can rescue every one of the 40,000+ dogs destined for torture or death in labs across the U.S. by the end of 2026,” Hsiung said, according to Animals 24-7.
As for the next fight, Hsiung and his Save The Dogs organization is aiming for the “biggest abuser” of all: New York’s Marshall BioResources (MBR), where 20,000+ beagles are bred for laboratories every year.
“And the MBR dogs are victims of chemical warfare,” Hsiung alleged, as reported by Animals 24-7. “[They’re] trained to breathe phosgene gas that will drown their lungs in pools of blood. Despite decades of abuses such as these, and a long list of legal violations, the government has refused to protect the MBR dogs. So we must.”
If you’d like to get involved with this cause, click here. Alternatively, many of these beagles from Ridglan Farms are still in need of help or homes. You can learn more about how to help or adopt them here.
