Ridglan Farms will close breeding facility

Embattled Blue Mounds beagle breeder Ridglan Farms is set to close a portion of its facility following a year-long investigation into animal cruelty and abuse.  The announcement comes in response to a special prosecutor investigation into Ridglan for animal cruelty. Ridglan is the second largest breeder of beagles for experimentation to close in less than five years, according to the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project. The Special Prosecutor told the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project attorney that he would not press any charges if the facility closed. A research portion of Ridglan Farms is not part of the agreement. The facility will work on closing over the next eight months. In 2024, Ridglan’s then-competitor Envigo pleaded guilty to violating the Animal Welfare Act, after having closed its beagle breeding facility in 2022 due to extensive animal welfare violations.  With the closure of Ridglan’s breeding facility, only Marshall Farms, in upstate New York, remains as a large breeder of beagles for experimentation. Marshall Farms holds approximately 18,000 dogs, According to the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project.