Former actress Alexandra Paul found herself in trouble again, this time on Sunday when she was arrested for allegedly trespassing on a farm to free some animals.
According to a press release, law enforcement in Dane County, Wisconsin, including deputies and officers from surrounding areas, responded to Ridge Run Farm in Blue Mounds. The alert was triggered by about 50 to 60 protesters who accessed the property without permission.
Paul, known for her role in “Baywatch,” reportedly joined activists in entering the facility, where they began to remove a significant number of dogs. This farm is notable for being one of only two major breeders in the U.S. that provides dogs for scientific research.
Authorities stated that two vehicles were seized at the location along with tools believed to have been used for theft. While some of the beagles were “recovered and returned to Ridge Run Farm,” others remain unaccounted for.
Paul, now 62, and around 19 other individuals were arrested during the incident. However, officials noted that everyone was “cooperative and respectful” during the process.
Sheriff Calvin Barrett of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office remarked on the public’s strong feelings regarding the beagles at the farm, asserting that they respect peaceful protest but also have a duty to ensure safety and respond to illegal activities. He encouraged engagement through lawful means for anyone concerned about animal welfare.
The Ridge Run Farms facility is expected to relinquish its breeding license by July 1 as part of an ongoing investigation into animal welfare practices.
Paul has had multiple encounters with the law tied to her advocacy for animal rights. Back in 2017, she was arrested during a sit-in at a slaughterhouse in Oakland, California. The following year, she faced legal action for civil disobedience at another poultry farm. In 2019, she was arrested for protesting peacefully at a duck farm, spending two days in jail as a result. More recently, in September 2020, Paul and several activists were detained while attempting to rescue pigs from a slaughterhouse.
Her latest legal issue came in 2023 when she was in court for rescuing chickens from a slaughterhouse truck; ultimately, she was acquitted following a lengthy trial.
Paul’s passion for animal rights dates back to her teenage years, when she adopted a vegetarian lifestyle at 14—and later became vegan, cutting out leather, wool, silk, and fur from her life. She has also made a point to include a clause in her acting contracts stating that she won’t use makeup tested on animals.
