Animals need everyone

I was at my local No Kings protest Saturday, and the biggest thing on my mind was the upcoming Ridglan Farms beagle rescue. I was shocked by how many friends were unaware of what is building to be the largest animal rights action in our lifetime. Here’s what’s going on.

Ridglan Farms is a massive beagle‑breeding operation in Wisconsin that has supplied thousands of dogs for biomedical and pharmaceutical testing for decades. Multiple investigations, employee testimony and activists’ documentation have revealed chronic widespread neglect and abuse. A judge found probable cause for animal cruelty violations and, to avoid criminal prosecution, Ridglan took a settlement and must surrender its breeding license by July 1. But the facility is not closing, and about 2,000 dogs are suffering inside.

On March 15, activists led by Wayne Hsiung carried out a nonviolent open rescue to document the conditions and free the dogs. Twenty-seven rescuers were arrested and released.

The team saved 23 beagles – dogs who saw sunlight, touched the ground and felt kindness for the first time in their lives.

On April 19th, rescuers are going back for the rest. Two thousand humans are needed to carry 2,000 dogs to safety. This is a very big deal.

I made a video about it, and you can see it here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWhEtzqDaUQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I am writing about this, but no, I am not going.

There are multiple ways to work in the animal rights movement: You can strategize in policy and advocacy to shift laws and systems. You can take direct action to address oppressors, wage campaigns on corporations and make open rescues. You can do street outreach, and you can work in education and journalism. You can innovate in alternative proteins and food science. You can build and run sanctuaries. And you can help others choose and thrive in a vegan lifestyle – that’s the lane I chose when I entered this movement.

Because when people shift their choices, they shift the culture. When they align with animals, they become advocates. When someone thrives as a vegan, they become a living argument for liberation.

Policy is about strategy, activism is about urgency, alternative proteins is about innovation, and sanctuary is about compassion. Vegan transition coaching is about intimacy, self-awareness and ethical clarity.

Without lifestyle transformation, policy has no constituency. Without thriving vegans, activism has no cultural foothold. Without ethical clarity, alt protein is just another consumer trend. Without inner alignment, people burn out before they can contribute.

I guess you could say that bringing people to the vegan lifestyle – and helping them stay there – is the entry point that stabilizes the entire movement.

But what about wanting to actually lift a beagle from her torture chamber, feel her body in your arms, her breath on your cheek, removing her from suffering and delivering justice, doing it for her and symbolically for all of them?

Yes, I want that.

But I can’t 100 percent know I am physically capable of carrying a 25-30 pound dog for an undetermined time and speed in a very chaotic setting.

My nervous system cannot manage massive crowds.

Travel is a true hardship for multiple reasons.

And to be honest, I am sad that I cannot stretch, grow (literally!) and overcome these personal challenges to meet the moment. That’s a “me” issue that I am working on.

What I know, however, is that there is no single correct way to show up for animals. I think you should find the form of participation that keeps you aligned and grounded and able to sustain the effort.

If you feel called to go to Ridglan, go with clarity and courage. If you feel called to support from where you are, do that with the same clarity and courage. And if you’re still figuring out your lane, that’s fine too. Movements are ecosystems. They need urgency and strategy, innovation and compassion, direct action and deep inner work. They need people who can lift a beagle out of a cage – and people who can help someone become the kind of person who would.

Learn more about the upcoming Ridglan action at savethedogs.io