This browser does not support the Video element.
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. Thirty have arrived at The Bond Between in Minnetonka, with more expected at other Minnesota rescues soon. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has the latest.
MINNETONKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - A group of beagles rescued from a commercial breeder and research business in Wisconsin are getting a fresh start in Minnesota.
Beagles arrive at The Bond Between for a new beginning
What we know:
The Bond Between in Minnetonka is now caring for 30 beagles rescued from Ridglan Farms near Madison, Wisconsin. The dogs are part of a larger group of 1,500 beagles that two animal welfare groups bought as part of a confidential agreement with the breeder. This deal allows Ridglan Farms to avoid prosecution on felony animal mistreatment charges.
"This is the most beagles we've ever had in the building," said Rachel Mairose, executive director of The Bond Between. Crates were unloaded from a van, giving the dogs their first taste of life outside the confines of a breeding facility.
"They've probably never been in a car before. A lot of them had never been in grass before. So this is a whole new experience for them," said Mairose.
The rescued beagles will soon have photos taken and receive veterinary checks before being placed with foster families. The hope is that they will find permanent homes soon. "They deserve to live out their days in grass and beds and all that good stuff," said Mairose.
A second chance after Ridglan Farms
This browser does not support the Video element.
1,500 beagles rescued from Wisconsin breeding farm
Nearly 1,500 beagles that were bred for animal testing were rested from Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin. FOX 6- Milwaukee Investigator Bryan Polcyn sat down with FOX 9 to explain
The backstory:
Ridglan Farms breeds beagles to sell to laboratories for animal testing, including tests for the maximum lethal dosage of new drugs. The farm has faced criticism from activists, including Baywatch star Alexandra Paul, who have tried to free the animals. Beagles are commonly used in research because of their size and gentle temperament.
A special prosecutor found Ridglan Farms performed eye surgery on the dogs without anesthesia, though the farm denies mistreating animals. The breeder is giving up its license and downsizing.
"They needed to be picked up because Ridglan Farms is getting rid of their breeding license, so they had to downsize all their breeding animals," explained Mairose.
The local impact and what’s next for the beagles
Local perspective:
The Bond Between is preparing the dogs for adoption and expects them to be ready for new homes in the next three to four weeks.
"It's that combination of hope, excitement, but also it's hard to watch them go through such dramatic changes and be a little confused," said Mairose.
Another 50 beagles will arrive in Minnesota next week through other organizations. "We are hoping they are wreaking havoc on a lot of families lives in about three months here," said Mairose.