Biography
Michelle Lunsky, 33, of Mesa, Arizona, is an animal-rights activist and one of four co-defendants — alongside Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) co-founder Wayne Hsiung — charged in Dane County, Wisconsin over the March 15, 2026 "open rescue" at Ridglan Farms, a beagle-breeding and research facility in Blue Mounds. About 27 people were arrested at the scene and the sheriff later referred charges against dozens more. Lunsky was charged in April 2026 with four felonies — burglary (as party to a crime), criminal damage to property, theft, and attempted theft — carrying a combined maximum of roughly 31 years, and pleaded not guilty on May 21, 2026 after release on a $10,000 bond. Trial is set for September 28–October 9, 2026 before Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland.
Known as "Misha", she was jailed twice: briefly detained after the March 15, 2026 rescue on an initial trespassing allegation — discharged by March 16, the exact day unresolved — and again from April 18 to April 21, 2026 on the felony counts, until release on the $10,000 cash bond.
