Ongoing Legislation

On August 18, 2025, Sen Wanggaard, Sen Carpenter, Rep Kitchens, and Rep Joers sent out a co-sponsorship memorandum for a Beagle Freedom Bill in Wisconsin.

On September 4, 2025, SB414 was officially introduced and sent to the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development. The Assembly version, AB436, was sent to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs.

On January 22, 2026, Sen Wanggaard and Rep Kitchens introduced harmful amendments that would reduce oversight and penalties, and weaken enforcement.

On January 27, 2026, the Senate Committee held a public hearing. We had great turnout and testimony in support of the original bill.

Next steps: The Assembly Committee might hold a hearing and/or the Senate Committee might hold a vote. Stay tuned!

The Beagle Freedom Bill would require animal testing facilities and breeders to offer certain dogs and cats for adoption to releasing agencies once they are no longer being used. Read the bill text here.

The bill has 22 bi-partisan co-sponsors, in addition to the original four authors:

  1. Sen. Habush Sinykin

  2. Sen. Jagler

  3. Sen. Keyeski

  4. Sen. Ratcliff

  5. Sen. Spreitzer

  6. Rep. Anderson

  7. Rep. Armstrong

  8. Rep. Bare

  9. Rep. Behnke

  10. Rep. DeSmidt

  11. Rep. Donovan

  12. Rep. Goodwin

  13. Rep. Kreibich

  14. Rep. Maxey

  15. Rep. Melotik

  16. Rep. Miresse

  17. Rep. Mursau

  18. Rep. Palmeri

  19. Rep. Piwowarczyk

  20. Rep. Sheehan

  21. Rep. Sinicki

  22. Rep. Udell

Passed Legislation

Dane4Dogs has successfully passed laws banning dog and cat experiments in seven Wisconsin cities, with four of those cities banning all animal experimentation. To our knowledge, these are the only cities in the country that have passed such bans. 

Richland Center (first in the country, only dogs and cats)

Spring Green (278-4 F) (passed via a ballot initiative that won a majority of the public vote, only dogs and cats)

Kimberly (ALL species)

Little Chute (ALL species)

Stoughton (only dogs and cats)

Sun Prairie (ALL species)

Combined Locks (ALL species)