LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. (CBS12) — After spending their lives bred for laboratory research, 1,500 beagles are getting a second chance, with a Florida-based rescue stepping in to lead one of the largest dog relocations in U.S. history.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue, headquartered in South Florida, and the Center for a Humane Economy announced an agreement with Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin-based dog breeding facility that supplies laboratories, to transfer ownership of 1,500 beagles. The dogs will be treated, socialized and adopted out to families in Wisconsin and across the country, with Florida expected to play a major role in their rehabilitation and placement.

Under the agreement, announced on Thursday, Big Dog Ranch Rescue will take responsibility for approximately 1,000 beagles, while the Center for a Humane Economy will coordinate the care and placement of the remaining 500 dogs with partner organizations, including Beagle Freedom Project, the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies and the Dane County Humane Society. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The dogs will be moved in phases to ensure their health and safety, with veterinary teams, transport specialists and rescue partners coordinating care and relocation. Several hundred of the beagles are expected to be adopted in Wisconsin, while more than 1,000 will find homes in other states, including Florida.

“This is a dream come true—to hug and hold these dogs and prepare them for their forever homes,” said Lauree Simmons, founder and president of Big Dog Ranch Rescue. “It was important that this be done responsibly, with a structured plan to make sure every dog is safely transitioned into our care and the care of trusted partners.”

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Big Dog Ranch Rescue operates large, dog-centered facilities in Florida and Alabama and has managed major rescue operations nationwide. Founded in 2008, the organization has saved more than 88,000 dogs and is known for handling complex, large-scale rescues involving medical treatment, behavioral rehabilitation and long-distance transport.

Ridglan Farms will continue to house dogs not included in the initial transfer. The Center for a Humane Economy and Big Dog Ranch Rescue said they intend to continue working with the company to explore pathways to secure ownership of the remaining dogs at a later time.

APRIL 30, 2026 – A Florida-based rescue is leading a landmark nationwide effort to move 1,500 beagles from a Wisconsin laboratory breeding facility into safety, rehabilitation and permanent homes, signaling both a major animal rescue and a broader shift away from animal testing. (Big Dog Ranch Rescue)

Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy, said the agreement represents both a lifesaving rescue and a signal of growing momentum away from animal testing.

“This is a moment to celebrate that 1,500 dogs will soon know only kindness,” Pacelle said. “It also comes as we push to end the archaic and inhumane use of animals in testing and move toward modern scientific methods that do not cause suffering.”

Animal welfare advocates say the rescue reflects broader changes in science and public policy. Federal laws passed in recent years have removed longstanding requirements that drugs be tested on animals before human trials, allowing researchers to use alternatives such as human cell–based testing and computer modeling. While tens of thousands of dogs are still used in research nationwide, advocates say the Ridglan agreement is among the largest efforts yet to dismantle the pipeline supplying animals to laboratories.

Local Wisconsin organizations involved in the transition said the effort highlights the power of collaboration between national and regional groups.

“This shows what’s possible when local expertise and national resources come together for the animals,” said Eilene Ribbens, executive director of the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project.

For the beagles themselves, the shift will be dramatic—away from laboratory breeding and toward life as family pets. For many, that journey will begin hundreds of miles from where they were born, in the care of a Florida rescue now leading them toward a very different future.