In SAN FRANCISCO (AP), a California-based advocate for animal rights, Zoe Rosenberg, was convicted on Wednesday for her involvement in taking four chickens from a prominent Perdue Farms facility. The charges included felony conspiracy, trespassing, and additional offenses, potentially leading to a lengthy prison term.
Rosenberg, 23, openly admitted to removing the chickens from Petaluma Poultry, defending her actions as a rescue mission to save the animals from an abusive environment. Her trial spanned nearly seven weeks and took place in Sonoma County, a region known for its agricultural significance in Northern California.
The decision of the Santa Rosa jury came swiftly, as they deliberated for less than a day before unanimously convicting Rosenberg on all charges. As a member of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), an animal rights organization based in Berkeley, Rosenberg faced two misdemeanor trespassing charges, a misdemeanor for vehicle tampering, and a felony conspiracy charge.
Rosenberg remains unapologetic about her actions.
“I stand by my decision to take sick and neglected animals to receive medical care,” Rosenberg declared post-conviction. “When confronted with cruelty and violence, we have the choice to ignore or intervene to improve the world. I chose to act, and because of that choice, Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea are alive today. I have no regrets.”
The rescued birds have since been given names and are residing in an animal sanctuary.
Rosenberg walked out of court wearing an ankle monitor and briefly spoke to supporters, who were holding signs that read “Prosecute Petaluma Poultry” and “Right to Rescue.” She told them she would immediately head to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and report animal cruelty at Petaluma Poultry.
“We’re going to go now and report Petaluma Poultry and ask them to please finally give justice to these animals,” she said.
Rosenberg’s attorney, Chris Carraway, said the district attorney’s office was ignoring criminal animal cruelty in Sonoma County factory farms and that he plans to appeal the verdict.
“Sonoma County spent over six weeks and hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to protect a multi-billion-dollar corporation from the rescue of four chickens worth less than $25,” Carraway said in a statement. “No doubt, the District Attorney’s office would never have spent a fraction of this time or money if the chickens had been dead in a supermarket meat case.”
Rosenberg’s sentencing is set for Dec. 3, when she faces a maximum jail sentence of 4 1/2 years, Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said in a statement the verdict affirms no one is above the law.
“While we respect everyone’s right to free expression, it is unlawful to trespass, disrupt legitimate businesses, and endanger workers and animals in pursuit of a political or social agenda,” she said.
Petaluma Poultry has said that DxE is an extremist group that is intent on destroying the animal agriculture industry. The company says the animals were not mistreated.
“The jury’s verdict makes it clear: personal beliefs don’t justify breaking the law,” Herb Frerichs, general counsel of Petaluma Poultry, said in a statement. “DxE members admitted to planning and carrying out illegal acts — including break-ins, theft of private data, and stealing livestock — under the guise of activism and to gain publicity.”
Frerichs said the company supports the right to free speech and lawful protests, but this was not that.
Rosenberg testified she disguised herself as a Petaluma Poultry worker using a fake badge and earpiece to take the birds, and then posted a video of her actions on social media.
Petaluma Poultry is a subsidiary of Perdue Farms — one of the United States’ largest poultry providers for major grocery chains.
The co-founder of DxE was convicted two years ago for his role in factory farm protests in Petaluma.
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This story’s headline has been corrected to say the company name is spelled Perdue, not Purdue.
