A horde of animal rights activists tried to break into a beagle research facility on Saturday before police stopped them.
The incident occurred when the activists used various violent methods to gain entry into the building to steal the dogs housed within, according to The Associated Press.
About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.
It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.
“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.
Waves of tear gas: Peaceful animal lovers are being tear gassed, pepper sprayed, and fired at with rubber bullets at Ridglan Farms. At least a dozen activists have been arrested. Hundreds of others are on the property now trying to rescue the dogs. pic.twitter.com/7JYg8S2XhP
— Wayne Hsiung (@waynehhsiung) April 18, 2026
About 1,000 animal rights activists swarmed Ridglan Farms used ladders, cutting tools, and even a vehicle to try breaching the facility’s barriers. Some made it onto the property before law enforcement intervened.
Activists of this type often use similar means to take people’s animals under the guise of “rescuing” them. The group was made up of members of a coalition of animal rights groups who resort to extreme legal and physical measures to impose their values on others.
Ridglan Farms has come under fire over recent years, with critics accusing the company of violated animal rights laws by keeping beagles in small, unsanitary cages while failing to provide appropriate veterinary care.
A Wisconsin judge found probable cause that the facility violated the law. State regulators cited Ridglan for 311 alleged violations. The organization has denied mistreating its animals, but agreed to surrender its breeder license due to pressure from the government, which threatened prosecution.
We must all stand in solidarity with the thousands of beagles enslaved and severely suffering at #Ridglan, and the brave rescuers putting their own freedoms on the line to bring freedom to the victims. 🙏 #DxE #CoalitionToSaveTheRidglanBeagles https://t.co/XoL2ova2DI
— Equality For All Animals🐓 (@AnimalUnite) April 21, 2026
The Nonhuman Rights Project, which is part of the coalition, typically uses the legal system to justify stealing dogs, cats, and other animals from their owners. They argue that some animals should be treated as legal persons who can invoke habeas corpus and other protections.
In the case of Nonhuman Rights Project v. Breheny, the organization used this argument against the Bronx Zoo in 2022. Their objective was to use habeas corpus to force the transfer of an Asian elephant named Happy to a sanctuary. New York’s highest court rejected the argument.
Still, if the group manages to persuade other courts to treat animals as persons with rights, they will gain a powerful new tool to go after research organizations, zoos, farmers, and even pet owners. It would allow them to use the force of government to steal these animals from their rightful owners.
Direct Action Everywhere is another member of the coalition. The group tends to favor more aggressive tactics to push its agenda. It is known for disruptive protests. Some of its members have trespassed on private property to try stealing different types of animals.
Co-founder Wayne Hsiung was convicted in California on felony conspiracy to trespass and misdemeanor trespass charges after he and his minions snuck into two poultry farms and stole chickens and ducks.
Animal rights activists are also pushing a ballot measure in Oregon that would essentially criminalize hunting, fishing, farming, pest control, and animal research. Their ultimate objective is to use the threat of government violence to control how people own animals, a clear violation of property rights.
The Wisconsin raid is part of a broader effort to prevent people from owning animals, hunting, and eating meat. The animal rights movement has shown it will use any tactic and go to whatever lengths necessary to make sure their ideology reigns over the rest of the nation.
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