Baywatch Alum Alexandra Paul Arrested for Second Time on Charges from Freeing Animals During Animal Rights Protest
The actress was allegedly freeing beagles during the incident, 5 years after being charged with misdemeanor theft for taking two chickens from a truck
Alexandra Paul, best known for her role on Baywatch, is making headlines after being arrested again in connection with an animal rights protest. Authorities say the incident involved alleged trespassing during an effort tied to freeing animals.
The 62-year-old actress was arrested on Sunday, March 15, in Blue Mounds, Wisc., after a group of 50-60 protestors allegedly trespassed the Ridglan Farms property around 8:30 a.m., the Dane County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. Paul was one of approximately 20 people to be arrested. At the time of publication, she was still in police custody.
Ridglan Farms is one of only two large dog breeders in the U.S. that offer experimentation for scientific research. However, in October 2025, the La Crosse County District Attorney and Ridglan Farms agreed that the facility would no longer operate under its Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) license and would not sell dogs purposefully bred for biomedical research, beginning no later than July 1, 2026, per WKOW 27.
On March 15, “some activists broke into the facility and began removing numerous dogs,” the DCSO said.
After the incident, some of the beagles taken were recovered and returned to Ridglan Farms. However, several more remain unaccounted. Additionally, authorities seized two vehicles, burglary tools and other evidence.
Authorities are still investigating the incident.
DCSO Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said the agency “understands how deeply people feel for the beagles at Ridglan Farms, and we respect their right to express that passion through peaceful protests.”
He continued: “Our role is to keep everyone safe and to respond when unlawful activity takes place. We encourage anyone with concerns about animal welfare or research practices to engage through lawful and constructive avenues.”
The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to maintaining public safety, promoting peaceful dialogue, and ensuring that all parties can exercise their rights within the bounds of the law,” Sheriff Barrett.
Paul’s trespassing arrest occurred three years after she was charged with misdemeanor theft, for allegedly taking two chickens from a Foster Farms truck in September 2021, the Los Angeles Times previously reported. She testified in Merced County in March 2023 and was found not guilty, per The Fresno Bee.
More than a decade prior to her 2022 arrest, she spoke to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) about her animal activism.
During her September 2011 interview, she revealed that her activism began when she became a vegetarian at 14 and then a vegan at 47. At 26 years old, she stopped wearing leather, wool, silk and fur. She wrote in her acting contracts that I would not wear “any makeup tested on animals.”
PEOPLE reached out to Paul’s representatives for comment.
