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Big Dog Ranch Ends Ridgelan Farm, Saves 2,110 Beagles

6/16/2026

23 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Big Dog Ranch Rescue secured an agreement to shut down Ridgelan Farms in Wisconsin, ending its beagle breeding operation and closing after moving 475 beagles, with 150 slated for August.
This week 325 dogs left, raising the total rescued from Ridgelan Farms to 2,110 beagles.
The rescued dogs will go to partners and to Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s Florida and Alabama campuses for medical care, spaying, neutering, and adoption.

History

Historical Context

State bans on animal confinement—Florida’s 2002 amendment, Arizona’s 2006 Proposition 204, Oregon’s 2007 law, and Colorado’s 2008 gestation-crate phase-out—combined with the USDA’s 2008 amendment to the federal Animal Welfare Act, spurred stricter inspections. The heightened enforcement prompted Big Dog Ranch Rescue to shut Wisconsin’s Ridgelan Farms and relocate 2,110 beagles to shelters across the South.

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Story summary

Big Dog Ranch Rescue secured an agreement to shut down Ridgelan Farms in Wisconsin, ending its beagle breeding operation and closing after moving 475 beagles, with 150 slated for August.
This week 325 dogs left, raising the total rescued from Ridgelan Farms to 2,110 beagles.
The rescued dogs will go to partners and to Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s Florida and Alabama campuses for medical care, spaying, neutering, and adoption.

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