A Wisconsin beagle breeding and research facility that鈥檚 been the site of is closing, and its remaining dogs are being taken in by a Florida rescue group.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced Monday that it has reached an agreement for the permanent closure of Ridglan Farms and the transfer of its 475 remaining beagles starting this week.
鈥淣ot one dog will remain,鈥� Lauree Simmons, the group鈥檚 founder, said in a news conference at a farm in Wisconsin. 鈥淣o more breeding, no more testing, no more anything.鈥�
Yearslong opposition to the facility came to head in April when a large group of animal welfare activists property in an attempt to take away beagles, prompting police to use as they made dozens of arrests.
Some protesters were also arrested in March after they broke in and took 30 dogs from the facility, which is located in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue said some of the beagles will go to rescue groups while others will be sent to its Florida and Alabama campuses where they will be spayed, neutered, and prepared for adoption.
The group of the facility鈥檚 more than 2,000 beagles in April for an undisclosed price.
About 200 dogs were being transferred Monday, according to Simmons. Another 125 will be moved Tuesday. The transfer of the remaining beagles will happen in August, as they are still puppies.
Simmons called on protesters to refrain from further demonstrations as it says Ridglan Farms has committed to permanently closing its dog breeding, sales, research and testing operations.
鈥淥ur focus now should be on supporting these dogs as they transition into their new lives,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淭hese dogs will get to experience safety and a normal life for the first time.鈥�
Simmons said her group is also 鈥渨orking closely鈥� with the Trump administration to stop funding studies that subject dogs to 鈥渋nvasive and painful experimentation.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., called Monday鈥檚 deal a 鈥渕ajor win for animal welfare鈥� .
Ridglan Farms, in a statement, said all the dogs being transferred are 鈥渉appy, healthy animals鈥� with 鈥渆xtensive鈥� state and federal inspection documentation.
鈥淲e hope these dogs will continue to flourish in their new homes,鈥� the company said, adding that it hopes that the 鈥測ears-long harassment campaign targeting the research facility鈥檚 owners, staff and neighbors comes to an end.鈥�
Animal activists for years had sought to have dogs at the facility adopted, not sold to other research facilities.
Beagles are the most common breed of dog used for animal testing, primarily because of their smaller size and gentle temperament, according to Big Dog Ranch Rescue.
Ridglan Farms agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on felony animal mistreatment charges.
The firm has denied mistreating animals, but a special prosecutor determined that Ridglan Farms was performing eye procedures that violated state veterinary standards.
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