Las Vegas Rescue Receives 16 Beagles from Wisconsin Research Facility
Sixteen beagles from a controversial Wisconsin breeding and research facility have arrived at the Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation in Las Vegas, part of a sweeping national rescue effort that will ultimately rehome roughly 1,500 dogs.
The dogs came from Ridglan Farms, a facility that has bred beagles for scientific research for nearly six decades, reports Fox5 Las Vegas, and agreed to surrender its state breeding license to avoid prosecution on felony animal mistreatment charges.
A special prosecutor determined the facility was performing eye procedures on dogs that did not meet veterinary standards, though Ridglan Farms has denied the allegations and maintains it operates within state and federal regulations.
The rescue is part of a deal between Ridglan Farms, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, and the Center for a Humane Economy to remove approximately 1,500 of the facility’s 2,000 beagles.
The majority are going to rescues in Alabama and Florida, with the Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation taking in 16 dogs as part of the effort.
The Las Vegas dogs range from about 9 months to 5 years old.
Staff at Enterprise Animal Hospital are performing health checks on the arrivals, including cardiac and lung evaluations, vaccinations, and microchip scanning, before the dogs can be placed in foster and forever homes.
Julie Thorn, operations manager for the Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation, said some of the dogs may have spent their entire lives confined to cages and have never seen daylight.
She noted that the rescue has experience with research dogs, including a previous intake from a lab about ten years ago in which some dogs exhibited repetitive circling behavior from prolonged cage confinement.
The Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation is the same Las Vegas organization behind Beaglefest, the annual local event that raises funds and awareness for the breed.
Those who would like to support the care of the arriving Ridglan beagles can donate at southernnevadabeaglerescue.com.