‘Baywatch’ Actress Alexandra Paul Arrested in Wisconsin Animal Rescue Protest

Actress and longtime animal rights activist Alexandra Paul was arrested Sunday during a controversial “open rescue” operation at a Wisconsin dog-breeding facility, marking the latest chapter in her decades-long activism.

Authorities say Paul, 62, was among roughly 20 individuals taken into custody after a group of 50 to 60 protesters entered Ridglan Farms, a facility that breeds beagles for scientific research. The incident unfolded around 8:30 a.m. in Blue Mounds, a rural community in Dane County.

Paul has been charged with one count of trespassing. The case remains under active investigation.

What Happened at Ridglan Farms

According to the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, protesters allegedly breached private property by cutting through a chain-link fence and a locked gate. Investigators say tools including sledgehammers, electric saws, and crowbars were recovered at the scene, along with two vehicles.

Authorities report that eight dogs were intercepted and returned to the facility, while several others remain unaccounted for.

The activist group behind the operation, calling itself the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, claims it removed 31 beagles during the protest. Officials have not confirmed that number.

Ridglan Farms is one of only two large-scale breeders of beagles for research purposes in the United States. Notably, the facility had already announced plans to stop selling dogs for biomedical research by July 1, 2026, following a prior agreement in October 2025.

Sheriff: “We Respect the Passion, Not the Trespass”

Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett addressed the incident in a public briefing, acknowledging the emotional nature of the protest.

He stated that law enforcement “understands how deeply people feel” about the animals but emphasized that entering private property unlawfully cannot be tolerated.

While describing the interactions as “somewhat peaceful,” Barrett made clear that officers intervened because of the illegal entry. He encouraged concerned citizens to pursue “lawful and constructive avenues” to address animal welfare issues.

A Long History of Activism

For Paul, the arrest is far from her first. She has been involved in animal rights activism for decades and is known for participating in “open rescues”—a strategy where activists openly enter facilities, remove animals they believe are suffering, and document the process on video.

She has been affiliated with the organization Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) since 2016.

Her past arrests include:

• 2020: Attempted rescue of a pig from a California slaughterhouse

• 2019: Arrest at a duck farm protest in Sonoma County

• 2018: Civil disobedience at a poultry facility

• 2017: Sit-in protest at an Oakland slaughterhouse

• 2016: First open rescue involving pigs from a factory farm

In total, Paul has been arrested more than a dozen times for causes ranging from animal rights to environmental protection and nuclear disarmament.

The 2023 Trial That Drew National Attention

Paul’s most high-profile legal battle came in 2023, when she and fellow activist Alicia Santurio were charged with misdemeanor theft after removing two sick chickens from a Foster Farms truck in California.

After a nine-day trial, both were acquitted.

Their defense argued that the chickens were too sick to be used for food and therefore had no economic value to the company. More broadly, they framed their actions as part of a “right to rescue” philosophy—an idea that individuals have a moral obligation to save animals from suffering when laws fail to protect them.

That case brought national attention to the legal and ethical tensions surrounding animal rescue activism.

Roots of Her Advocacy

Paul’s commitment to activism began early. At age nine, she wrote a letter to then-President Richard Nixon about pollution—an experience she later described as empowering.

As a teenager, reading Diet for a Small Planet and Animal Liberation shaped her views on food ethics and animal welfare. She became a vegetarian at 14 and transitioned to a fully vegan lifestyle in 2010.

Over the years, she has aligned her personal and professional life with her beliefs—refusing to wear fur or animal-derived materials and advocating for cruelty-free practices in the entertainment industry.

A Divisive Strategy

Paul’s “open rescue” approach has drawn both praise and criticism.

Supporters view it as a necessary act of civil disobedience to expose cruelty and force change. Critics, including law enforcement and facility operators, argue it crosses legal boundaries and risks escalating confrontations.

Even within activist circles, her transparency—publicly documenting rescues rather than operating covertly—has sparked debate about strategy and effectiveness.

What Comes Next

As of now, Paul faces a misdemeanor trespassing charge. It remains unclear whether additional charges could be filed against others involved in the operation.

Meanwhile, the broader debate over animal research, ethical treatment, and activist tactics continues to intensify.

With Ridglan Farms already set to phase out its research breeding program later this year, the incident raises a key question: will actions like this accelerate change—or deepen divisions over how that change should happen?