Hundreds of dogs to be sent to rescue as US beagle research facility shuts down

A beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin that has been the focus of animal rights protests is shutting down, and a rescue group in Florida is taking in the remaining dogs. “Not one dog will remain,” Lauree Simmons, founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Florida, said in a press conference announcing the news on Monday. “No more breeding, no more testing, no more anything.” Groups such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) celebrated Monday’s news as a substantial step toward ending the practice of using animals for research. “This victory is the culmination of years of pressure from Peta and other animal protection organizations … who challenged a system that breeds dogs and other animals only to be confined, mutilated, poisoned, and killed in laboratories,” said a statement from Peta. “Peta will build on this momentum by continuing to work to end the use of dogs, primates, and other animals in experiments altogether and replace these cruel, scientifically flawed practices with cutting-edge, superior methods that offer real promise for treatments and cures.” Protesters descended on the Ridglan Farms breeding and research facility in March and April in an attempt to free the beagles there. An estimated 1,000 activists clashed with police in April in another open rescue attempt for the dogs, resulting in 29 arrests , according to the Dane county sheriff’s department. …