Dane County judge dismisses lawsuit against local animal rights group

Animal rights activists who took aim at a dog breeder in Blue Mounds were exercising their right to free speech, a Dane County judge decided Tuesday. Ridglan Farms filed a lawsuit against Dane4Dogs last spring, claiming that the organization had weaponized regulators against them and spread false allegations of mistreatment to drive away their customers. But the activists’ efforts are protected by the First Amendment, according to a 13-page decision yesterday dismissing the lawsuit. Dane4Dogs President Rebekah Robinson told our News Producer Faye Parks this afternoon that Ridglan’s lawsuit was a blatant attempt to silence their critics – and its dismissal is a win for animal rights activists across the state. Image courtesy: Dane4Dogs via Facebook.