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Beagles rescued from breeding farm arrive in MN
A group of 1,500 beagles rescued from Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin are being sent to shelters nationwide, including 33 to Minnesota. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has the latest.
(FOX 9) - A group of beagles sent to Minnesota after being rescued from Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin have all been adopted and are now doing well.
Beagles rescued all adopted
What we know:
The rescued dogs were part of a larger group of 1,500 beagles that two animal welfare groups bought as part of a confidential agreement with the breeder, which allowed them to avoid prosecution on felony animal mistreatment charges.
The Bond Between in Minnetonka took care of them in the interim, with assistance from Minnesota's Animal Humane Society.
What they're saying:
An email to FOX 9 from the Animal Humane Society confirms that all the dogs have since been adopted and are doing well.
"All 33 of the Ridglan Farms beagles that AHS took in have been adopted," AHS confirms. "We've received some really heartwarming adopter stories about how they're doing.
The backstory:
Ridglan Farms breeds beagles to sell to laboratories for animal testing, including tests for the maximum lethal dosage of new drugs. Beagles are commonly used in research because of their size and gentle temperament.
However, the farm has faced criticism from activists who have tried to free the animals in the past.
A special prosecutor found Ridglan Farms performed eye surgery on the dogs without anesthesia, though the farm denies mistreating animals.
The breeder has since said it will give up its license and downsize operations.
The Source: Information provided by the Animal Humane Society and previous FOX 9 reporting.