4 charged in March break-in at Ridglan Farms beagle breeding facility
WISC Madison DANE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Four activists are now charged for their alleged roles in a break-in while attempting to rescue dogs from Ridglan Farms -- a facility in the Town of Blue Mounds that breeds beagles to be used in research.
Each are charged with burglary as a party to a crime, accused of breaking into the facility March 15 to take dogs.
Court documents say the four: Wayne Hsiung, Michelle Lunsky, Dean Wyrzykowski, and Aditya Aswani, were among dozens of people who knocked out a window with a hammer and removed beagles.
Ridglan reported to authorities that 22 dogs were taken, while eight were taken and later recovered. The facility says damage to the building cost them more than $34,000.
The four charged belong to the group Direct Action Everywhere, which accuses Ridglan of animal cruelty.
Just over a month later, on April 18, officials said around 400 protesters broke into the Ridglan Farms property while attempting to rescue more beagles. Several protesters said they were injured by law enforcement and that tear gas was used against them, with one woman reporting being shoved to the ground by police, resulting in a concussion and injuries to her face.
Hundreds gathered at the state Capitol Monday, calling on Governor Tony Evers to meet with them to discuss freeing the dogs and to share concerns about how they were treated.
Ridglan Farms maintains they are not doing anything illegal.
