Wisconsin is currently the epicenter of a historic clash between animal rights activists and the dog-breeding/animal experimentation industry. UnchainedTV is LIVE on the ground as as estimated 2,000 animal activists who have traveled from across the nation and the world converge on the Madison, Wisconsin region. Their mission is unprecedented: a second "Open Rescue" to remove all the remaining 2,000 beagles at the troubled Wisconsin facility. This widely reported planned action is publicly scheduled for Sunday, April 19th. Their leader? Open Rescue activist and attorney Wayne Hsiung. What is going to happen now? You have to watch LIVE to find out.
This escalation follows a dramatic March operation involving about 100 activists. Teams entered the facility rescuing 22 dogs, resulting in high-profile arrests, including Hsiung and Baywatch actress Alexandra Paul. Several other dogs were grabbed by law enforcement before they could be whisked to safety.
Now, as this second - much larger - open rescue approaches, the company has erected massive barricades of hay, rocks, and manure, plus metal fencing around the facility.
Backstory
In 2025, a Dane County judge found probable cause that Ridglan had committed crimes of animal cruelty by allowing non-veterinarians to perform painful surgeries on the dogs without anesthesia.
The judge appointed a special prosecutor to investigate. But instead of filing criminal charges, he cut a deal, allowing Ridglan and its owners to avoid charges if they close their breeding-for-sale operation for good by summer 2026, while still allowing the company to conduct its own research on beagles. This deal infuriated animal activists leading to them to decide an “open rescue” of the beagles was the only way for justice to be served. A local congressman and a Dane county supervisor have expressed support for the rescuers’ position.
In a statement to the media, Ridglan Farms denounced the planned rescue, labeling the activists "extremists" and asserting:
“…our facility is not under any court order. Instead, a joint settlement was reached following an investigation that revealed misinformation conveyed by individuals who investigators say ‘lacked credibility.’"
Activists counter that, in the 21st Century, with organs on a chip and AI, animal experimentation is outdated and holds science back. The company is invited on at any time to respond further.
Now, UnchainedTV hosts Jane Velez-Mitchell and Lindsey Baker bring you LIVE coverage with reporters on the scene in Wisconsin as this historic event in the animal rights movement unfolds.