County resolution calls for Blue Mounds dog breeder to be shut down

A resolution introduced by members of the Dane County Board would, if approved, call on the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to revoke Ridglan Farms’ commercial dog breeder license. The resolution, which was sponsored by Dane County Board supervisors David Boetcher and Dan Blazewicz, both of whom represent districts located near Madison and miles from the Blue Mounds facility in question, also asks that the dogs living at Ridglan Farms be confiscated and placed “in custodial care during [the] ongoing investigation.”

The county has no legal authority over the state agency that oversees Ridglan Farms, so the resolution is purely advisory and would have no direct statutory impact on the facility.

2025 RES-119, which was introduced in August and is currently in committee, states: “[B]ased on the findings of probable cause of criminal animal cruelty by the Dane County Circuit Court, the Dane County Board of Supervisors calls on DATCP to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the animals at Ridglan Farms by immediately revoking Ridglan Farms’ commercial dog breeder license and placing the dogs currently located at the facility in the custodial care of the State of Wisconsin while the ongoing investigations of animal cruelty allegations are conducted and completed.”

The resolution also states: “Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin-based company founded in 1966 and located in Dane County, breeds beagles primarily for scientific research. The facility houses roughly 3,000 dogs and has been subject to scrutiny regarding animal welfare and compliance with state laws governing the treatment of animals.”

“Two animal advocate groups, Dane4Dogs and Alliance for Animals, petitioned the Dane County Circuit Court to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that Ridglan Farms, Inc. violated Wisconsin’s animal cruelty laws,” the resolution continued. “On January 9, 2025, the Dane County Circuit Court found probable cause that Ridglan Farms committed criminal acts, including the mutilation of dogs’ vocal cords and cherry eye surgeries without anesthesia or veterinary supervision, in violation of Wisconsin Statutes § 951.02 and 19 § 951.14. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Lanford ordered the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of criminal animal cruelty offenses and inhumane treatment in violation of Wisconsin’s animal cruelty laws.”

The draft resolution continues: “Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) also has been investigating charges of animal cruelty in violation of Wis. Stats. §951 at Ridglan Farms. Per Wis. Stats. §173.41(5), DATCP may, ‘by written notice, without prior notice or hearing, suspend a license issued under §173.41(5) if, upon inspection of the licensed premises, the department finds any condition that imminently threatens the health, safety, or welfare of any animal on the licensed premises or there is evidence that an act of animal cruelty in violation of Ch. 951 has been committed by the licensee or has occurred on the licensed premises.’”

“To date, DATCP has not taken action to revoke Ridglan Farms’ facility breeding license,” the resolution continues. “However, their inspection reports as late as September 2024 found deficiencies in the care of the animals’ welfare. On March 5, 2025, the DATCP Disciplinary Counsel for Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board petitioned the board to suspend Ridglan Farms’ staff veterinarian’s license. Concerned residents and animal advocates are now calling on the Dane County Board of Supervisors to act to safeguard the welfare of voiceless animals and the approximately 3,000 dogs at Ridglan Farms that are the subject of criminal animal cruelty allegations currently under investigation by both a special prosecutor and the State of Wisconsin.”

Dane County Board supervisor Patrick Downing, who represents Blue Mounds, plans to put together a presentation on the matter for the Thursday, September 4 Executive Committee and County Board meetings.

The resolution is just the latest chapter in a saga that has unfolded over the course of many years, from a failed voter referendum that animal rights activists put on the ballot in the Village of Mount Horeb, which is not where Ridglan Farms is located, back in 2018, to a recent courtroom drama that is still far from over.

On January 9 of this year, Circuit Judge Rhonda Landford issued an order after listening to testimony from animal rights activists and attorneys at an all-day hearing on Oct. 23 of 2024. The October hearing was held without Ridglan or the District Attorney’s office being allowed to cross examine the six witnesses who testified, and Ridglan’s defense team was not permitted to give its side of the story during the proceedings on that day.

Wisconsin law allows citizens to petition a circuit court to appoint a special prosecutor if they believe local authorities won’t investigate or charge alleged criminality. It’s a rare occurrence, however, and last fall, Eric McLeod, an attorney for Ridglan Farms, called it an “unusual procedure” in which both sides are not given the opportunity to make their cases.

“It allows for a private party to go and ask a judge for a criminal complaint separately from the District Attorney,” McLeod said. “It’s entirely one-sided.”

“Essentially it’s a well-choreographed show they put on to try to convince this judge that a lot of bad stuff is happening, without giving us the opportunity to rebut or make objections,” he continued.

McLeod and Rick Van Domelen, a veterinarian at Ridglan Farms, said earlier this year that many of the claims made in court last year were hearsay or misinformation.

“Anyone watching that or reading about it should use a high degree of caution to make sure the information is correct,” said McLeod in October. He added that U.S. Department of Agriculture’s regulations for such facilities are extremely stringent and ensure that they are run “ethically and responsibly.”

“This is not some fly-by-night operation,” he said.

After Judge Landford’s decision to appoint a special prosecutor, Ridglan issued the following statement:  “Ridglan Farms denies both the factual allegations and legal claims that have been asserted in this matter. These claims were brought by activists whose goal it is to end all lawful use of animals for important medical research. Unfortunately, Ridglan Farms was denied the right to participate in the hearing that gave rise to the Dane County judge’s decision allowing this matter to proceed.”

“Notably, in response to the claims raised by these activists, the Dane County District Attorney has declined to pursue any charges against Ridglan Farms,” Ridglan Farms continued. “Furthermore, Ridglan Farms is subject to extensive State and Federal regulations that govern its operations, and Ridglan Farms takes compliance with those regulations seriously.”

The petition that prompted Landford to move forward with a special prosecutor was brought by Madison-based Alliance for Animals, Dane4Dogs and animal rights attorney Wayne Hsiung, of San Francisco. 

Later in the year, Ridglan Farms sued the activists who have led a long-running campaign against the Blue Mounds-based beagle breeder. Their complaint, filed in Dane County Circuit Court in the spring of 2025, alleges that activists have broken multiple laws in their attempts to shut down the facility. Ridglan has been targeted by groups and individuals opposed to the use of animals in research and want to put Ridglan out of business, the business alleges.  

Initially, groups, including defendants Dane4Dogs Ltd., and individuals including, Jamie Hagenow and Scott Gilbertson, both of Verona, and Rebakah Robinson, of Oakland, Calif., engaged in lawful protest. However, in recent years, the protests have become unlawful and have cost the company customers, they allege in their lawsuit.

Dane4Dogs’ stated mission is to end the breeding, sale, and use of dogs and cats for scientific research and shut down Ridglan Farms. Robinson is the current president of Dane4Dogs and is believed to also be known as Rebekah Klemm.  Hagenow is also a co-founder of Dane4Dogs. Gilbertson responded to Dane4Dogs’ Facebook request to work for Ridglan. He worked for less than a month to provide an “inside perspective” of the facility. 

Back in 2017, Wayne Hsiung and other animal activists unlawfully entered Ridglan’s facility and stole three beagles, documenting their illegal activity in a misleading video, which was posted on social media boasting that it was an “open rescue,” Ridglan alleged.

Hsiung and two others were charged by the Dane County District Attorney with burglary and theft. As Hsiung’s March 2024 trial date neared, Ridglan received death threats and approached the district attorney voicing concern for its employees and the business. 

The district attorney dismissed the charges saying that Ridglan no longer wanted the case to go to trial. 

After the DA declined to prosecute Ridglan for alleged animal mistreatment, Hsiung, Gilbertson and others testified before Landford last fall in support of the petition to appoint a special prosecutor.  

Lanford found probable cause that Ridglan has violated the state’s animal cruelty, contrary to the position of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and in January appointed La Crosse District Attorney Tim Gruenke as special prosecutor. 

Meanwhile, Dane4Dogs and the other defendants have filed complaints against Ridglan with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board (VEB) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

In March, the VEB declined to suspend one of Ridglan’s veterinarians. 

The USDA made an unannounced inspection at Ridglan in January and found that it operated in compliance with the federal Animal Welfare Act. 

Dane4Dogs obtained Ridglan’s customer list and in February threatened to publish the customer list unless it dropped Ridglan as a dog supplier by March 1, the company alleges. After receiving Dane4Dogs’ letter, many customers contacted Ridglan and said they will quit doing business with Ridglan, causing the company a substantial loss of revenue. The letter amounted to extortion, Ridglan’s suit alleges, as the customers could only avoid public shaming by no longer buying Ridglan’s dogs. Ridglan’s suit seeks unspecified damages against the defendants “consistent with the allegations.” 

That suit has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jacob Frost.