‘Baywatch’ star Alexandra Paul arrested during Wisconsin beagle rescue raid at Ridglan Farms - Reports

'Baywatch' alum Alexandra Paul was arrested on March 15 in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, after authorities said a group of protesters entered Ridglan Farms during an animal rights demonstration and removed dogs from the property.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said the 62-year-old actor was among about 20 people taken into custody after 50 to 60 protesters allegedly trespassed at the facility around 8:30 a.m. on March 15. At the time the report was published, Paul remained in police custody. Authorities said the case is still under investigation.

Alexandra Paul's arrest at Ridglan Farms

According to People, the arrest happened during a protest at Ridglan Farms, a Wisconsin facility that has drawn scrutiny over dog breeding for scientific research.

According to the statement from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, some activists entered the facility and began removing several dogs. Authorities later recovered and returned some of the beagles, but several were still unaccounted for. Investigators also seized two vehicles, burglary tools, and other evidence from the scene.The incident comes months after a major change tied to the facility. As WKOW 27 previously reported, the La Crosse County District Attorney and Ridglan Farms agreed in October 2025 that the business would no longer operate under its Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection license and would stop selling dogs purposefully bred for biomedical research no later than July 1, 2026.

Ridglan Farms is one of only two large dog breeders in the United States that offer experimentation for scientific research, according to the report cited in the provided material.

Alexandra Paul's animal activism history

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 added, “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.” He also said 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.

”Paul’s latest arrest comes three years after she faced misdemeanor theft charges for allegedly taking two chickens from a Foster Farms truck in September 2021. The Los Angeles Times previously reported on that case. She later testified in Merced County in March 2023 and was found not guilty, according to The Fresno Bee. In a 2011 interview with PETA, Paul said her activism began when she became a vegetarian at 14 and later a vegan at 47.

She also said she stopped wearing leather, wool, silk, and fur and added to her acting contracts that she would not wear “any makeup tested on animals.”