Activists Storm Ridglan Farms Ahead of Planned Protest, Prompting Arrests and Disruptions

Animal rights activists breached Ridglan Farms in the Town of Blue Mounds Saturday morning ahead of a scheduled protest, with the Dane County Sheriff estimating 300–400 on-site protesters and roughly 1,500 involved overall as authorities used tear gas and pepper spray and blocked emergency vehicles; a leader was arrested and a pickup driver was detained after nearly hitting officers, while no dogs were rescued as of 11:43 a.m. This follows a March break-in and scrutiny over the facility’s beagle breeding and ‘cherry eye’ procedures, part of a 2026 settlement that allowed Ridglan to surrender its breeding license and continue operating as a research facility; activists are linked to Direct Action Everywhere and co-founder Wayne Hsiung.