🐕 The Beagle Owner's Hub

Major Breeding Facilities and Testing Companies

Ridglan Farms (Blue Mounds, Wisconsin)

Status: Agreed to close breeding operations by July 2026 after years of activism

Ridglan Farms was the second-largest research dog breeder in the United States, housing over 3,000 beagles. After a special prosecutor investigation launched in January 2025, the facility agreed to surrender its breeding license to avoid criminal prosecution.

Violations and Concerns:

• Former employees testified to cutting off dogs' eyelids and vocal cords without anesthetic or veterinary licenses
• Over 300 citations from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for animal welfare violations
• Noticeable ammonia odors and improper waste disposal documented in 2022 and 2024 reports
• Nearly 275 beagles died annually while still at the breeding facility

University Connection: The University of Wisconsin-Madison purchased 19 dogs from Ridglan between January 2022 and July 2025, though this represented less than 2% of Ridglan's sales.

Marshall BioResources (North Rose, Wayne County, New York)

Status: Currently operating - ongoing protests

Marshall is one of the largest breeding facilities in the country for canines used in animal research, breeding thousands of beagles annually. The company also breeds Marshall Cats and Göttingen minipigs for research.

Protests:

• Regular demonstrations have been held at the facility since 2020
• Activists argue the facility operates as a "puppy farm"
• Animal rights groups continue efforts to shut down the operation

MBR Acres (Wyton, Cambridgeshire, UK)

Status: Currently operating - subject to longest-lasting protest camp

Camp Beagle, established in June 2021, has maintained a permanent presence outside this facility owned by Marshall BioResources. Up to 2,000 beagles are bred at the facility annually and sold at approximately 16 weeks old for drug and chemical testing.

Notable Incidents:

• In December 2022, activists freed 18 beagles from the facility
• Singer Will Young handcuffed himself to the facility gates in November 2021
• Nine campaigners were found guilty of aggravated trespass in July 2023
• Protests have included "Operation 1,000" with 400-500 demonstrators

Envigo RMS LLC (Cumberland, Virginia)

Status: CLOSED - Facility shut down in 2022

Envigo, owned by parent company Inotiv, pleaded guilty in 2024 to animal welfare and environmental crimes and was fined a record $35 million. The company became the first-ever federally convicted supplier of animals for experimentation.

Violations:

• Nearly 4,000 beagles were rescued from the facility
• Dogs were killed instead of receiving veterinary treatment for easily treatable conditions
• Nursing mother beagles were denied food
• Food provided contained maggots, mold, and feces
• 25 beagle puppies died from cold exposure over an eight-week period

Settlement Terms: As part of the agreement, no Inotiv entities, including Envigo, will be allowed to breed or sell dogs again.

Testing Laboratories and Contract Research Organizations

Inotiv (Mount Vernon, Indiana)

Status: Currently operating - subject of major investigations

This contract research organization has faced intense scrutiny following a seven-month undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States.

Findings:

• 80 beagle puppies used in toxicity testing commissioned by pharmaceutical companies
• Dogs force-fed potentially toxic drugs via stomach tubes daily for months
• Animals continued receiving doses even when vomiting, shaking, having high fevers and labored breathing
• Laboratory veterinarians did not always assess or treat severely sick dogs due to "personal inconvenience"
• At least two primates accidentally hanged themselves in restraint chairs
• Most animals killed at the end of studies

Pharmaceutical Companies Connected: The investigation documented over 70 toxicity studies commissioned by more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies, including prominent work for Crinetics Pharmaceuticals.

Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (San Diego, California)

Status: Facing public pressure and Congressional scrutiny

This pharmaceutical company contracted with Inotiv for toxicology studies on 80 beagle puppies. Despite public outcry, the company has refused to release the dogs for adoption.

Public Response:

• Over 275,000 people signed petitions for the beagles' release
• 167 bipartisan lawmakers from 32 states signed a letter requesting the dogs be released instead of euthanized
• Actress Kim Basinger wrote a public letter expressing concern
• The company claims FDA requirements mandate the testing, though advocates dispute this claim

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Beagle Laboratory (Bethesda, Maryland)

Status: CLOSED - Shut down in May 2025

The NIH's beagle experimentation laboratory operated for over 40 years before being closed by the Trump administration under NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya.

History:

• Allegedly killed more than 2,133 beagles in septic shock experiments
• Used beagles from the convicted breeder Envigo
• White Coat Waste Project documented pumping pneumonia-causing bacteria into beagles' lungs
• Dogs were bled out and forced into septic shock for deadly experiments

What Types of Testing Are Conducted

Toxicology and Safety Testing

Dogs are primarily used for testing the toxicity and safety of:

• Novel pharmaceuticals (overseen by the FDA)
• Pesticides (monitored by the EPA)
• Chemical compounds
• Drug dosing and side effects

Specific Tests

• 90-Day Pesticide Test: Forces dozens of dogs to ingest pesticides daily for 90 days, then kills them. Scientific analysis has shown this test provides little to no added value in protecting humans.
• Septic Shock Research: Testing immune system responses to infections
• Disease Research: Including studies on conditions like Alzheimer's, cancer, and COVID-19 organ impacts

Legislative Progress and Hope

FDA Modernization Act 2.0 (2022)

This landmark legislation removed the Depression-era mandate requiring animal testing for all new drug candidates. The law opened the door for computer-based models and other alternatives.

FDA Modernization Act 3.0 (2024)

Passed the U.S. Senate unanimously in December 2024 to compel the FDA to update regulations and allow non-animal test methods.

FDA Roadmap (April 2025)

FDA Commissioner Dr. Makary announced plans to phase out animal testing requirements for monoclonal antibodies and other drugs, prioritizing human-based research technologies.

State-Level Progress

17 states have now enacted laws requiring laboratories to make dogs and cats available for adoption after testing, including:

• Michigan ("Teddy's Law" - 2023)
• Colorado (2023)
• Pennsylvania ("Beagle Bills" - pending)

Why Beagles?

Animal activists and experts note several reasons beagles are disproportionately used:

• Docile temperament: They remain trusting even when hurt
• Small size: Easy to handle and house in laboratories
• Friendly nature: Unlikely to bite or resist handling
• Well-documented genetics: Decades of research provide consistent baseline data
• Purpose-bred: Specific lineages maintained for scientific consistency

The Scientific Reality

According to animal welfare advocates and some scientists:

• Close to 90% of drugs tested on animals ultimately fail in human trials
• Approximately half of those failures are due to unexpected toxicity in humans that wasn't observed in animal tests
• Dogs are inconsistent predictors of toxic responses in humans
• Modern alternatives (AI, organ-on-chip technology, 3D bioprinting, human cell-based testing) are often more accurate, faster, and cost-effective

Major Animal Rights Organizations Leading the Fight

1. Dane4Dogs - Grassroots Wisconsin organization focused on ending dog experimentation
2. White Coat Waste Project - Bipartisan government watchdog seeking to end government-funded animal testing
3. Humane Society of the United States - Major rescue operations and legislative advocacy
4. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) - Undercover investigations and exposés
5. Direct Action Everywhere - Documentation and direct action campaigns
6. Animal Wellness Action - Legislative advocacy and policy change
7. Beagle Freedom Project - Rescue and adoption advocacy
8. Animal Activist Legal Defense Project - Legal representation for activists

How You Can Help

Legislative Action

• Contact your representatives to support the FDA Modernization Acts
• Support state-level laboratory animal adoption laws
• Sign petitions calling for the release of laboratory beagles

Consumer Choices

• Use apps like Cruelty Cutter to identify and boycott companies that test on animals
• Support cruelty-free certified products and companies
• Pressure pharmaceutical companies to use alternative testing methods

Direct Support

• Donate to organizations fighting to end animal testing
• Adopt rescued laboratory beagles when possible
• Raise awareness on social media about ongoing testing practices

Contact Companies

Many organizations provide "Bite-Back" features allowing you to easily contact companies about their testing policies and express opposition to animal testing.

The Path Forward

The movement toward ending beagle experimentation has gained significant momentum with:

• Federal facilities closing laboratories
• Major breeding operations shutting down
• Legislative mandates being removed
• Alternative testing methods gaining acceptance
• Increased public awareness and outcry

While progress is being made, thousands of beagles still face painful experimentation. Continued public pressure, legislative action, and support for modern non-animal testing methods are essential to ending this practice entirely.