In a stunning and historic development for the global animal rights movement, the defendants in the second Animal Rising beagle rescue trial in Cambridgeshire, England, have been found NOT GUILTY. The verdict marks a dramatic reversal from the first trial connected to the same campaign, where a separate group of activists were convicted—sending shockwaves through advocacy communities worldwide.

This case centered on the rescue of beagles from a breeding facility supplying animals for laboratory experimentation. Beagles, known for their gentle temperament and trust in humans, are among the most commonly used dogs in animal testing. For years, campaigners have argued that these facilities operate behind closed doors, shielded from public scrutiny, while animals endure lifelong confinement and suffering.

The acquittal is being hailed as a major victory for animal rights, not only because it frees the defendants, but because it sends a powerful signal: juries are increasingly willing to scrutinize the moral and ethical dimensions of laws that criminalize compassion while protecting institutional cruelty. The contrast between the guilty verdicts in the first trial and today’s not-guilty outcome underscores a growing public unease with the criminalization of nonviolent rescue efforts.

Now, we are bringing you LIVE analysis and insight from one of the most influential figures in the modern animal rights movement—attorney Wayne Hsiung, founder of Simple Heart and co-founder of Direct Action Everywhere. Wayne is widely regarded as the founder of the Open Rescue movement, a strategy rooted in transparency, nonviolence, and the moral conviction that rescuing suffering animals is not a crime, but a duty.

Wayne Hsiung brings a rare and deeply informed perspective to this moment. In the United States, he was convicted and served time in connection with open rescue actions—cases that helped ignite international debate over animal protection laws, whistleblower suppression, and the legitimacy of civil disobedience on behalf of animals. His legal battles have shaped the movement and forced courts, lawmakers, and the public to confront an uncomfortable question: when laws protect cruelty, is breaking them an act of justice?

As the world watches the implications of this UK verdict ripple outward, we are honored to speak with Wayne Hsiung LIVE about what this decision means—for the defendants, for future animal rescue actions, and for the rapidly evolving legal and moral landscape of animal rights worldwide.

This is not just a court ruling.
It is a turning point.

For more, visit: https://www.animalrising.org/