Armed Men Won’t Stop Us From Rescuing the Ridglan Dogs

A few days ago, a supporter of our rescue effort drove by Ridglan Farms to see the facility firsthand—and she was immediately confronted by armed men. Five men in masks and black attire rushed down the Ridglan driveway in an effort to intimidate her. One pulled out a gun and waved it menacingly, as she drove away.

I shared an image of the scene to our WhatsApp rescue community. People were understandably alarmed.

“How will we be handling the new security team Ridglan hired for our action on April 19th?” one rescuer asked on our Zoom call, receiving 110 upvotes on her comment. “I hear they will be carrying guns. That’s pretty scary!”

But the presence of armed men is only the latest threat Ridglan and its allies in government have used to scare people from participating in our rescue. Over the weekend, the authorities issued a statement indicating that it might file charges against the activists from the last rescue as early as this week. The company has built up its compound like a medieval fortress, with moats and barbed wire fencing. Rumors have even spread that the organizers of the April 19 rescue, including me, could be raided or arrested before the action.

And yet I am more confident than ever that our mission will succeed.

How can that be the case?

It’s not because fear is unreasonable. When cruel men threaten violence, we should take them seriously.

It’s also not because I expect the authorities to suddenly see the light. While the tide is turning against Ridglan, they still have a stranglehold over local law enforcement, which repeats the company’s absurd claims of corporate immunity like a broken record.

No, I am more confident than ever because overcoming fear is precisely what gives movements power. And the greater the fear we overcome, the greater the power. Our willingness to rescue dogs, even as masked men menace us, will inspire even more public support. Indeed, this is precisely why legendary activists like Dr. King and Gandhi chose the most brutal adversaries in their campaigns, such as the violent racist Bull Connor in Birmingham. When peaceful protesters challenged cruel oppressors, it shocked the nation’s conscience into action.

Civil rights activists chose to march in Birmingham precisely because they knew there would be a violent response.

Let me be clear: participating in an open rescue does not require everyone to risk this sort of danger. We have a plan to handle the armed men at Ridglan Farms. Trained leaders, such as me, will be the ones who are tasked with immediately engaging this threat. Our goal will be for these men to see our common humanity—and spark doubt in their support for a company that likely treats them (like the dogs) as nothing more than tools for illicit profit. After all, it will not be the company, but the security guards as individuals, who may be arrested if someone is hurt at the protest.

We are also pursuing legal strategies. Our lawyers at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law have already written one demand letter to the authorities concerning the state government’s violations of our constitutional rights. We are exploring other options to protect our activists, including a class action complaint against Ridglan—and the individuals it has hired for security—seeking tens of millions in damages.

I am confident that these strategies can mitigate the threat. But there is another reason I’m confident going into April 19.

Our love for animals is stronger than their cruelty. My friend Lincoln Quirk, who participated in the last open rescue, wrote this week that love is the “growth engine” for movements. From deposing dictators to fighting the KKK, love—rather than outrage—is key to inspiring support for change. It is the attractive force that counterbalances the negative force of outrage.

But, perhaps even more importantly, love counteracts fear. Lincoln writes, “[W]hen I saw the opportunity to throw open those doors, and have the potential of giving and receiving love for the sweet beagles being tortured inside, that inspired enough courage to get me over the hump to join a rescue for the first time in my life.”

What was true for Lincoln is true for so many thousands planning to join us on April 19. Yes, we are anxious. Yes, some of us are even afraid. But when you love someone, you protect them—even when you are scared.

We love animals. We love the birds and the bees. We love the fish that swim in the sea, and birds that soar in the skies.

And we love dogs. So let them send armed men at us. We will still act to protect those we love. Because love, not fear, is the greatest force in the universe. And, with love, we will overcome.

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Other updates

• If you are coming to the action, remember that our required briefings and trainings start on Friday, April 17. The Action Guide and the Announcements channel in the WhatsApp are your “master source for truth” for the action. (You can find both at savethedogs.io.) Dress for outdoor activity throughout the weekend and note that multiple documentary companies are planning to be present both at the action and the full group briefing on April 17. Dress as if you’ll be on camera starting on April 17, because you will be!

• Negotiations are ongoing on multiple fronts. I still have some hope that some form of negotiated release can be accomplished through the authorities. But we should know for certain by Friday, as the government tends not to work on weekends. I will just say for now that we have many friends in higher places aiding this effort behind the scenes.

• Work with your team lead if you are having a problem on your rescue team. If your problem can’t be worked out directly with your team lead—and only then—shoot us an email at recruiting@simpleheart.org, and we can help. (Otherwise, our initial suggestion will be to touch base with your team lead.)

• I want to apologize to the Deputy I called out on social media. I was outside Ridglan Farms today, and I spoke to the Deputy who seized a dog from the back of a rescue van. She explained that she has faced many threats as a result of posts I’ve made, which aggressively condemned her actions in seizing rescued dogs. That is not ok (and it’s not good for the dogs). This is a hard issue, one that creates anger in all of us. But all of us—including me—must learn to harness our anger in productive directions. I missed the mark in the moment. I hope to do better next time—and make absolutely clear the compassionate nature of our movement in all my interactions.

• Pray for us. Pray for the dogs. I have great hope for the future of the Ridglan dogs. I have seen that hope come to life, as traumatized puppies have come out into this big new world and learned that it’s full of joy and love. I am inspired by the many who are coming in person to support us. But even if you are not coming in person, send your prayers. It helps.

That’s all for now!