Pop singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson and heavy metal rocker Terry “Geezer” Butler of Black Sabbath fame may not have much in common musically, but they are kindred spirits when it comes to finding homes for the scores of beagles rescued from Ridglan Farms, a controversial Dane County dog breeding and medical research facility.
Gibson and Butler took part in a press conference at the Dane County Humane Society in Madison on Tuesday. Both held and comforted rescued beagles in their arms throughout the hourlong session, which provided an update on the ongoing placement of the remaining 500 – of a total of 1,500 – beagles that Ridglan Farms agreed to sell to the Washington, D.C.-based Center for a Humane Economy and Florida-based Big Dog Ranch Rescue, both nonprofits, for an undisclosed amount in an accord reached in April.
Fifty dogs are expected to remain at the Dane County Humane Society, with the rest being sent to shelters throughout the Midwest, including Milwaukee, Waukesha and Green Bay.
The Dane County Humane Society, in partnership with the Beagle Freedom Project, the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project and Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies, have set out to find permanent homes for the dogs.
Ridglan Farms, located in the village of Blue Mounds, about 35 miles southwest of Madison, has bred beagles used for medical research and testing. Its operations drew national attention when animal rights activists broke into the facility in April in an attempt to set the dogs free.
Ridglan Farms agreed in October to surrender its state breeding license as of July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on felony animal mistreatment charges. Although the firm has denied mistreating animals, a special prosecutor determined certain eye procedures performed on the dogs violated state veterinary standards. Although Ridglan Farms must halt the breeding and sale of beagles to other labs by the deadline, the facility will remain open and continue conducting “in-house” research on remaining dogs under federal licenses.
“This was a no-brainer for me to come here and help with this historical rescue of these amazing animals,” said Butler, a devout vegan who formed the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath in 1968 along with the late Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward and served as the band’s bassist and primary lyricist, penning such intense anthems as “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and “Paranoid.”
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Butler referred to medical testing on dogs and other animals as “torture” and completely unnecessary, especially in light of technological advancements, including artificial intelligence.
“There’s no need for it. I’m just here to hopefully help with putting an end to all experiments on animals,” Butler said. “I’ve been a dog lover since I was a little kid. They’ve been my best friends. I’ve got five dogs at home now, and five cats. They’ve never let me down.”
He described the testing on beagles at Ridglan Farms, which contends that its work contributes to lifesaving research for both humans and animals, as “heartbreaking” while displaying “disgusting inhumanity.”
“If the general public could actually see what goes on at these places and see how these poor animals are tortured,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be the end of this horrendous process of experimenting on these poor things.”
Gibson, a longtime animal advocate and a spokesperson for the Beagle Freedom Project, held a beagle as she spoke, one that made such an impression on her that she said she planned on fostering or possibly adopting it.
“It’s so profound to be able to hold each of these dogs in our arms and to be able to assure them that their new life is starting and that they are going on a grand adventure,” Gibson said, fighting back tears. “People can take one voiceless being at a time and give them their dignity back. Today is a very emotional day, a monumental day.”
With many facilities like Ridglan remaining in operation, there’s still plenty of work that needs to be done, “but this is such a big step in the right direction,” said Gibson, who scored No. 1 hits with the heartfelt pop ballads “Foolish Beat” and “Lost in Your Eyes.” She released her debut album in 1987 at age 16 and continues to perform. “A lot of entertainers like me use our voices and we use our platforms, but the people every day who show up to me are the real heroes. Thank you so much for being boots on the ground every single day. I’m just honored to lend my voice today.”
And what about Gibson and Butler together lending their voices to a song about dogs?
“Maybe,” Butler said, smiling.
This week wraps up the movement of 1,500 beagles from Ridglan Farms to animal welfare groups. The Dane County Humane Society accepted 150 dogs on Monday and another 150 on Tuesday, with a total of 200 more expected to arrive there on Wednesday and Thursday. The Dane County Humane Society alone has received requests from about 1,300 people who are interested in adopting the dogs.
“The reality is, there’s more people willing to adopt and foster these dogs than we have, which is absolutely incredible, and we’re really grateful for people’s willingness to open their arms,” said Amy Good, director of marketing and development for the Dane County Humane Society.
The beagles are receiving medical care and socialization before being made available for adoption across the country.
“It’s not a tough sell to get beagles into homes. The response around the nation has been overwhelming, and it is just quite extraordinary to see how many people have opened up their hearts to these animals and who want them to live full, complete and safe lives,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy.
Even after that deal for 1,500 beagles, it’s estimated that as many as 500 dogs remain in Ridglan’s custody, although an exact number is unclear, Pacelle said, adding that the Center for a Humane Economy and Big Dog Ranch Rescue hope to take custody of the remaining dogs in the future.
“Ridglan Farms wanted to get through this process before there was a discussion about the remaining dogs,” Pacelle said. “We hope that the company is open to our entreaties to take the remaining animals.”
