Photo: Dane County Sheriff's Office
Baywatch actress Alexandra Paul was among 20 people arrested arrested in Wisconsin over the weekend after allegedly participating in a caught-on-camera incident in which protesters freed beagles from a controversial breeding facility, the New York Post reports.
Paul, 62, was charged with trespassing during the operation at Ridglan Farms and was among an estimated 60 activists filmed breaking into the facility and nabbing the dogs Sunday (March 15) morning. The group, identified as the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, claimed to have taken 31 beagles, though eight were intercepted by authorities.
“Some of the beagles taken were recovered and returned to Ridglan Farms but several beagles remain unaccounted for,” Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said via the New York Post. “Two vehicles, along with burglary tools and other evidence, were seized at the scene.”
Ridglan Farms developed a notorious reputation among animal rights activists after previously breeding beagles used in a scientific research, WMTV reports.
“The Dane County Sheriff’s Office understands how deeply people feel for the beagles at Ridglan Farms, and we respect their right to express that passion through peaceful protests,” the sheriff said. “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.”
Paul is best known for her role as Lt. Stephanie Holden on the iconic lifeguard series Baywatch from 1992 to 1997. The actress had previously been arrested for her animal rights involvement in recent years, which included being charged with misdemeanor theft, but later being found not guilty, of taking two chickens from a California Foster Farms truck in 2021.