La Crosse district attorney to handle animal abuse claims against Blue Mounds beagle breeder

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07-02-2025

MADISON - The La Crosse County District Attorney has been assigned to investigate claims of animal mistreatment against a Wisconsin facility known for breeding beagles for use in research.
After Dane County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Lanford last month found evidence for an investigation into Ridglan Farms, she asked Attorney General Josh Kaul for help in identifying a prosecutor to take over the case, according to documents.
Kaul and the Department of Justice selected La Crosse DA Tim Gruenke to investigate whether charges could be brought against the facility.
Ridglan Farms, located in Blue Mounds just outside of Madison, is home to 3,200 beagles bred for medical testing and research, according to its website.
The beagles raised and bred at the facility are sometimes experimented upon in the facility but can also be purchased and delivered to a buyer.
According to court documents, the Blue Mounds business is mistreating the thousands of animals it breeds and cares for. Allegations range from unclean premises, with excrement collecting under cages, to surgical procedures conducted on dogs without anesthesia or pain medication, such as cutting their vocal flaps so they can't bark at full volume.
The documents said after medical procedures, witnesses reported "the dogs would be thrashing around in pain, often yelping, crying out." Employees would put them back into a cage even if they were bleeding.
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The dogs are also forced to live in close quarters and rarely leave the enclosures, the documents say. The business employs 16 people, three of whom were tasked with socializing and spending time with the dogs.
Dogs often developed sores on their feet from living on the wire mesh floors of their cages, and often puppies could be seen with their legs and paws falling through the holes, documents allege.
Ridglan Farms did not respond to questions about the conditions described in the documents. On its website Ridglan touts its attention to care. "We are committed to the highest standards of health and quality which is backed by our AAALAC International accreditation for animal care and welfare."
In addition to the prosecutor assignment, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Veterinary Examining Board conducted a follow-up inspection Wednesday, according to Sam Go, the communications director for DATCP.
Go said the findings would be reviewed by the Examining Board, who will decide the next steps.
Laura Schulte can be reached at [e-mail] and on X @SchulteLaura.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: La Crosse DA to look into animal abuse claims at beagle breeder