Dog rescue providing care for 'senior' Ridglan Farms beagles

A small rescue in Walworth County is caring for 19 older beagles that came from Ridglan Farms. Albert’s Dog Lounge Rescue, based in Whitewater and run by Mandy Lewis, accepted the group after Big Dog Ranch Rescue vetted dogs being relocated under a larger agreement that will move 1,500 beagles from the Blue Mounds facility to rescues around the country. Ridglan Farms has faced public allegations of mistreatment; the farm says its website denies any credible evidence of abuse, and it will surrender its state breeding license by July 1 as part of an agreement with a special prosecutor. Lewis, who has operated Albert’s Dog Lounge Rescue for eight years, specializes in animals with high medical needs, seniors, hospice cases and special-needs dogs. She said the 19 beagles she received were among the later releases from Ridglan — older and in need of extra medical attention — after younger, healthier dogs were moved earlier in the process. The group requires a range of veterinary care and Lewis estimates it will take several months to complete all necessary procedures. While that work is coordinated, the beagles are living with a network of trusted foster families to begin recovery and transition from life at the breeding facility. One foster, Neil Robinson, and his wife took in a beagle named Knox. Robinson said the medical treatments are manageable but the bigger challenge is helping the dogs adjust socially and learn how to be pets after their time at the farm. He urged patience, noting some dogs may normalize quickly while others could take months—or possibly never fully acclimate to household life. Lewis hopes to have the 19 beagles ready for adoption this summer once medical needs are addressed. In the meantime she and her fosters are focused on giving the dogs new experiences—first walks, first time on grass—and on making each day better than the last as the animals heal and relearn canine life.