Alexandra Paul, the television actress who rose to fame playing Lt. Stephanie Holden on “Baywatch,” found herself in handcuffs Sunday morning after authorities say she was among a large group of protesters who forced their way into a commercial beagle breeding operation in rural Wisconsin.
Deputies with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office received a trespassing call on March 15 directing them to Ridglan Farms, a sprawling dog-breeding facility situated in the town of Blue Mounds, roughly 30 miles west of Madison.
Between 50 and 60 protesters allegedly descended on the property around 8:30 in the morning, with many of them dressed in white protective suits.
Footage captured at the scene showed individuals forcing their way inside the building and walking out carrying dogs in their arms, Fox News reported.
Workers at Ridglan Farms told local television station WMTV that the intruders cut through a chain-link fence and gate before gaining entry to the building itself.
Roughly 20 individuals were placed under arrest at the scene, Paul among them.
She remained in Dane County Jail as of Tuesday morning, according to jail records.
Two vehicles were seized at the scene along with burglary tools and other items collected as evidence by responding deputies.
Animal rights organization Direct Action Everywhere claimed responsibility for coordinating the operation, saying its members pulled 30 beagles from the facility.
Law enforcement, however, recovered eight of those dogs and returned them to the property. Several animals remained unaccounted for.
Ridglan Farms holds a significant position in the American research industry. The facility is one of only two large-scale dog breeders in the United States that supply animals to scientific research laboratories.
The farm had already been under scrutiny before Sunday’s events. In October 2025, Ridglan Farms announced it would cease supplying dogs to research labs following mounting animal cruelty allegations and pending investigations, said Fox.
Under a separate agreement reached with the La Crosse County District Attorney, Ridglan Farms agreed to stop operating under its Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection license, with that arrangement set to take effect on July 1, 2026.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett addressed the arrests in a public statement.
“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,” Barrett 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.”
“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.”
Direct Action Everywhere co-founder Wayne Hsiung defended the group’s actions in a statement of his own. “We did what we believed was necessary to bring the dogs to safety after authorities declined to intervene,” Hsiung said.
Sunday’s arrest was not Paul’s first collision with law enforcement over animal activism. The actress has been arrested multiple times over the past decade during protests at various agricultural facilities across California, including actions at a slaughterhouse in Oakland, a chicken farm in Petaluma, and a duck farm also in the Petaluma area.
In 2021, the Los Angeles Times reported that Paul had been charged with misdemeanor theft after she allegedly took two chickens from a Foster Farms truck. A Fresno jury ultimately found her not guilty in 2023.
