JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When Jacksonville-area scientist Lisa Sapp emailed News4JAX, she had one goal: to share a story she hoped would touch the hearts of animal lovers everywhere.
She recently welcomed two rescued beagles named Milo and Josie into her home.
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But the road that brought them to her door is part of a story that captured national and international attention.
Ridglan Farms is a breeding and biomedical research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. The facility bred beagles for use in laboratory research, selling them to labs for product and medical testing.
For the dogs living inside, life looked nothing like what most people picture when they think of a family pet.
Many of the beagles had never touched grass, seen sunlight or known a home outside of the facility’s walls.
In March, scenes of activists carrying 23 dogs out of Ridglan Farms went viral following a successful raid of the facility.
Activists continued holding rallies where they were met with tear gas and rubber bullets. Many were arrested and taken to jail.
But their efforts paid off.
The Center for a Humane Economy and Big Dog Ranch Rescue stepped in, negotiating directly with the facility’s owners to purchase around 1,500 dogs.
From there, the beagles were distributed to rescue organizations across the country.
Twenty of those beagles made their way to Alaqua Animal Refuge in Florida’s Panhandle and many others went to Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee Groves, Florida.
That is where Sapp found Milo and Josie.
For Sapp, the decision to adopt was personal in more ways than one.
As a scientist, she spent years working in and around laboratories, hearing dogs behind closed doors and feeling a deep sadness for the lives they were living.
“I have never conducted experiments on animals personally, but just knowing it was happening in some of the facilities where I was working affected me deeply. I never forgot those dogs,” she wrote to News4JAX.
When she learned beagles from Ridglan Farms were being rescued and desperately needed homes, she didn’t hesitate.
“Their transition to life outside of a laboratory environment has been both heartbreaking and incredibly beautiful. They are learning what it means to be dogs- to play, explore, receive affection, and experience the ordinary joys of having a safe home,” Sapp said.
She said she also wants to recognize the people who made it all possible.
Sapp said the brave rescuers who worked tirelessly to save these dogs deserve recognition and that without their efforts, dogs like Milo and Josie would never have had the chance to become beloved members of a family.
In the end, the effort to save these dogs was bigger than anyone imagined.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue secured the release of all 2,110 beagles from Ridglan Farms, permanently shutting down the facility and giving every single dog a chance at a new life.
If Milo and Josie’s story has you thinking about opening your own door, Big Dog Ranch Rescue still has beagles available for adoption. For more information click here.