Hundreds of adorable beagles rescued from research lab to be put up for adoption

Hundreds of adorable dogs have been rescued from a Wisconsin research lab and will soon be up for adoption.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Florida received 300 beagles Saturday evening from Ridglan Farms, a laboratory that breeds the puppies for veterinary testing and disease research.

In 2025, a lab judge found probable cause of animal cruelty after state inspectors discovered 300 alleged animal welfare violations.

The puppies reportedly had untreated injuries and underwent surgery without anesthesia.

Ridglan Farms entered into an agreement in October 2025 to surrender its breeding license as of July 1, 2026.

But animal rights activists remained outraged, with some breaking into the facility in March and taking 22 beagles. Eight were later returned by police, the Sun Sentinel reported.

The following month, hundreds of protesters swarmed Ridglan Farms, and the standoff ended with multiple arrests.

The rescue team and the Center for a Humane Economy struck a deal with the lab last week to save more than 1,000 adorable beagles.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue received 300 beagles from a research lab in Wisconsin on Saturday evening

Ridglan Farms is a laboratory that breeds beagles for veterinary testing and disease research

In 2025, a judge found probable cause of animal cruelty in a laboratory after state inspectors discovered 300 alleged animal welfare violations

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who was there in the late and early hours to welcome our transport buses and vans and help take in these dogs with such care and compassion,” the shelter wrote on Facebook.

“Thanks to your prayers and generous donations, we were able to transport 300 of these precious beagles here to begin their new journey in life.

“While this is an important milestone, the road ahead is still long,” she added.

In a statement to Fox News, the research lab addressed the allegations of abuse.

‘The dogs at Ridglan Farms are happy, healthy and well cared for. Publicly available USDA documentation shows that this has been the case for many years.

“As the dogs sold this week leave our veterinary research facility, we hope they will continue to live happy lives in their new adopted homes,” she added.

The four-legged friends will be spayed and neutered upon arrival at Big Dog Ranch Rescue, where they will also receive appropriate vaccinations and microchips before joining a new family.

Another 700 beagles will be transported to the rescue farm in Florida at a later date, while the Center for a Humane Economy will arrange a new home for the remaining 500 pups in the laboratory.

The four-legged friends are spayed and neutered upon arrival at Big Dog Ranch Rescue

They will also receive appropriate vaccinations and microchips before joining a new family

At a later date, another 700 beagles will be transported to the rescue farm in Florida

The Center for a Humane Economy will arrange a new place in the laboratory for the remaining 500 puppies

Beagles are the breed of choice for testing because of their friendly and docile nature

Center for a Humane Economy President Wayne Pacelle praised the workers, calling the scheme “one of the largest transfers” ever.

According to the Beagle Freedom Project, beagles are the best choice for testing because of their friendly, docile nature.

“The same characteristics that make them incredible companions and family members are why they are exploited by the animal testing industry,” the organization said.