PAWS Chicago welcomed 25 beagles rescued from a breeding and biomedical research facility in Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon, after the dogs were surrendered from wire cages where they had spent their lives.
The dogs were all young males, and PAWS said veterinarians will evaluate them before they go to foster homes when they are ready. The rescue was carried out by Ridglan Farms, a dog breeding and biomedical research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin.
Ridglan Farms agreed to surrender its state breeding license effective July 1 to avoid criminal prosecution for civil animal cruelty violations, according to the State of Wisconsin Circuit Court. That court filing gives the rescue its larger frame: the dogs were not simply transferred, but removed from a facility already under legal pressure over its treatment of animals.
The beagles’ arrival also marks the beginning of a longer recovery process for the young dogs, who had lived their entire lives in cages. PAWS will not place them immediately. The shelter’s veterinarians have to clear each animal first, and only then will the dogs move on to foster homes.
For PAWS, the next step is straightforward and slow at the same time: medical evaluation, rehabilitation and placement. For the beagles, the answer to the headline is already clear. They are out, they are safe for now, and their next home will come after the exam room.