LOXAHATCHEE GROVES, Fla. (CBS12) — The organization behind one of the largest dog rescue operations in U.S. history is celebrating what advocates say is the impending closure of the Wisconsin breeding facility at the center of the effort.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue says it has now secured an agreement for the permanent closure of Ridglan Farms and the transfer of its remaining 475 beagles. Under the plan, 325 dogs will be moved out of the facility from June 15 to 16, with some going to rescue partners and others to Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s Florida and Alabama campuses, where they will be spayed, neutered and prepared for adoption nationwide.
The remaining 150 dogs are expected to be released by the beginning of August 2026, after which no dogs will remain at the facility.
The Center for a Humane Economy announced Monday that Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin-based commercial breeder that supplied beagles to research laboratories, is expected to wind down operations following the transfer of its remaining dogs.
Ridglan Farms beagles in packed cages. (WPEC)
The development comes a month after hundreds of rescued beagles arrived at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee Groves, where many of the dogs began receiving medical treatment, socialization and preparation for adoption.
According to the Center for a Humane Economy, attorneys representing Ridglan Farms confirmed earlier this month that the company would be “winding down” operations following the transfer of its remaining dogs.
“I didn’t want to wait any longer to share this extraordinary news of Ridglan’s impending closure, since it has been such an eagerly awaited outcome for many millions of Americans,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue played a key role in relocating and rehoming dogs from the facility. In late April, the rescue partnered with the Center for a Humane Economy to secure the release of approximately 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms. More than 300 of those dogs were transported to South Florida, where they arrived at the Loxahatchee campus to begin their transition from laboratory life.
“Our transport teams arrived at Big Dog Ranch Rescue late last night,” the rescue organization said following one of the arrivals. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who showed up in the late and early hours to welcome our transport buses and vans and help receive these dogs with such care and compassion.”
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The effort continued earlier this month when Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy secured the release of an additional 135 beagles from the facility. Sixty-seven of those dogs were transported to Florida for medical care before being placed up for adoption.
A new busload of beagles arrived at Big Dog Ranch Rescue on Wednesday night, pushing its total to almost 400 canines freed from a Wisconsin lab and prompting a Mother’s Day Adoption Special event to open up space at the now-full shelter. (Big Dog Ranch Rescue)
“This rescue reminds us that compassion can change an entire life,” Big Dog Ranch Rescue founder and CEO Lauree Simmons said at the time. “Every dog deserves the chance to experience love, safety, and a forever home.”
Ridglan Farms, located in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, became the focus of years of criticism from animal welfare organizations and advocates who raised concerns about conditions at the breeding operation and its role in supplying dogs for laboratory testing.
Animal welfare groups say beagles have historically been used in research because of their friendly and docile temperament. Advocates argue those same traits make them ideal family pets and have pushed for alternatives to animal testing.
The closure announcement follows a series of events that began in 2025, including legal action, public protests and negotiations that ultimately led to thousands of dogs being removed from the facility.
Officials say discussions are continuing regarding the transfer of approximately 475 remaining dogs still at Ridglan Farms.
The organization also said the case highlights a broader national movement away from animal-based testing and toward modern testing methods that do not rely on dogs and other animals.
For South Florida residents, the rescue effort is still unfolding. Big Dog Ranch Rescue continues to evaluate, treat, and place former Ridglan beagles in homes across the country, with many of the dogs beginning their new lives from the organization’s Palm Beach County campus.
Rescue officials have described the ongoing operation as one of the largest beagle rescue missions ever conducted in the United States.