Turning Point for Animal Testing? Beagle Raid Sparks National Debate
Twenty-seven animal rights activists were arrested after breaking into the Ridglan Farms breeding facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, over the weekend and removing more than 20 dogs.
The incident comes amid a broader debate over animal testing in the U.S.. Regulators are looking for alternatives, but scientists say current technology still cannot fully replace animal research in many cases.
THE PROTEST
Authorities say about 60 protesters entered the property in Wisconsin. Law enforcement later recovered some of the animals the activists took, but several remain unaccounted for. The activists say police recovered eight dogs from their group.
THE FARM: Ridglan Farms is a licensed research facility that breeds beagles to sell them to labs for medical testing. It has operated for nearly 60 years and has been targeted by animal rights activists for decades. Ridglan Farms called for swift legal action against the activists and said that their “serious and extreme actions” were set to be “the first of many actions targeting farms and research facilities.”
The farm — the second-largest research dogs breeder in the U.S. — had already agreed to shut down its breeding operations by July 1, 2026, as part of a deal to avoid animal cruelty charges. A judge last year found enough evidence to establish probable cause of animal cruelty violations at the facility and appointed a special prosecutor to investigate.
But, the beagles there on Sunday were reportedly allowed to stay at the facility for research purposes — an arm of the operation with hundreds of dogs that is not required to shut down. It’s unclear how many dogs are currently there, but as of May, the farm had about 2,500 dogs.
THE ACTIVISTS: Attorney and activist Wayne Hsiung, who helped organize the effort, alleged the dogs at the facility are subjected to abuse and that “under Wisconsin law, you have] a right to rescue animals who are suffering from criminal abuse.”
The group was booked on “tentative criminal trespass charges,” police said.
Dogs are commonly used in testing new drugs, medical devices, and chemicals, as well as in research on diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Beagles are the most frequently used breed due to their small size and docile temperament. Other animals widely used in laboratory research include cats, sheep, rabbits, and fish.
BY THE NUMBERS: In 2024, more than 40,000 dogs were used for testing in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The vast majority of animals used for research are rats and mice, and less than two percent are cats, dogs, and nonhuman primates.
Mice, rats, fish, and birds bred for research are excluded from USDA reporting requirements, so it’s not clear how many have been used.
STATE OF ANIMAL TESTING
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new efforts Wednesday to reduce reliance on animal testing in drug development, though researchers say current technology still can’t fully replace animal testing yet.
In January, the U.S. EPA moved to end its testing of chemicals on mammals by 2035 — which the Trump admin introduced in his first term. The Biden Administration canceled the phase-out deadline over scientists’ concerns that the timeline was premature as computer models, AI and other methods do not produce the same level of information as animal testing.
PART OF THE ISSUE: While animal testing typically happens before human trials, recent studies suggest that many drugs that succeed in animals ultimately fail in humans.
UP NEXT: Scientists are increasingly turning to alternatives like artificial intelligence and lab-grown human cell models. The NIH also committed more than $150 million to institutions working to develop methods that better simulate human biology.
Drug developers have been increasingly adopting AI tools for testing, Reuters notes, which biotech companies believe could cut development timelines and costs by at least half within three to five years.