Ridglan Farms

Wisconsin

Take Action

Call and email Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne asking him to prosecute Ridglan Farms for animal cruelty.

Ridglan Farms is the second largest breeder of beagles for experimentation in the United States. In 2017, DxE investigators entered the facility and documented the filthy conditions and the psychological trauma of the dogs spinning endlessly inside small cages. The team rescued three beagles, Julie, Anna, and Lucy. Eva, Paul, and Wayne were charged with felony burglary and felony theft charges. Their trial was set to start in March 2024 at the Dane County Courthouse in Madison, Wisconsin. However, ten days before trial, the state DROPPED all the charges. We believe this dismissal was the result of pressure and press coverage that made it clear there is public support for animal rescue.

This court case completely flipped. Now, Ridglan is shutting down its breeding operation!

The Dane County District Attorney’s office failed to prosecute Ridglan Farms for criminal animal cruelty, but former defendant Wayne Hsiung and local groups Dane4Dogs and Alliance for Animals filed a petition with the Dane County Courthouse asking the court to appoint a special prosecutor to prosecute Ridglan. Dane County Judge Rhonda Lanford agreed to hold an evidentiary hearing, which took place on October 24, 2024. The Animal Activist Legal Defense Project represented Dane4Dogs. The court heard testimony from investigator Wayne Hsiung, veterinarians, and former Ridglan employees who testified about the company's routine abuse of dogs, including non-veterinarians conducting surgeries on dogs without anesthetics. After reviewing this evidence, Judge Lanford issued her ruling on January 9, 2025. She granted the petition to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate and prosecute Ridglan Farms for animal cruelty! On February 5, the Court appointed La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke to be the special prosecutor on this case. On October 28, 2025, DA Gruenke was about to file criminal charges of animal cruelty against Ridglan Farms when Ridglan announced they will just shut down breeding operations at Ridglan Farms for good.

Meet the Defendants

Eva Hamer

Eva is a researcher with Pax Fauna, a nonprofit that seeks to improve the ways animal advocates organize, take action, and communicate with the public. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

Paul Darwin Picklesimer

When Paul was a roofer in West Virginia, they worked on farms and saw animal abuse up close. Those experiences helped lead them to becoming an animal rights activist.

Wayne Hsiung

Wayne is an attorney and co-founder of The Simple Heart. He has been a community organizer for over 20 years.