MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Ridglan Farms activists were in court Monday, where they pleaded their case to the judge. The defendants appeared virtually for their oral pretrial arguments. This was their opportunity to share why they believe they aren't guilty of a crime. Meanwhile, the prosecution shared its legal argument for why the defendants are.
This case stems from a March 15 break-in onto Ridglan Farms' property. The activists attempted what they have called an open-air rescue. That break-in created national attention and eventually led to all the beagles at the breeding and testing facility being purchased by an out-of-state rescue organization.
Those activists are arguing that the dogs were being abused by Ridglan Farms, a claim the facility denies. The state argues that's not the case. The state says abuse of an animal is open to interpretation.
“The defense, at this point, is trying to place their views of how animals should be treated and make it the law in how animals should be treated,” Lexi Keyes, the assistant district attorney at the Dane County District Attorney's Office, said. “That is exactly why we don’t have this affirmative defense for animals. Reasonable minds can disagree on how an animal should be treated in the privacy of either the company or someone’s own home. Instead, the defense is saying we don’t like what we think was happening at Ridglan Farms and therefore we are justified in doing what we did, and that is what they are trying to make, an affirmative defense, and that is just not an affirmative defense.”
The activists and their lawyer disagree. They claim there is significant evidence that the breeding and testing facility was abusing animals. They say after the dogs were purchased from the facility, many had severe health problems, both physical and mental.
“The Dane County District Attorney’s Office has held on to legal and factual claims that Ridglan Farms was not abusing animals or committing animal cruelty, and this is despite years of investigations and a finding by a Dane County judge that yes, Ridglan Farms has indeed committed misdemeanor and felony animal cruelty,” Chris Carraway, the staff attorney at the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, said.
This case is scheduled to go in front of a jury. Jury selection for the trial will begin Jan. 25. Following jury selection, there will be a two-week trial.
