A California activist who took four chickens from a slaughterhouse has been convicted of trespassing and conspiracy, the Guardian reports. Zoe Rosenberg, 23, admitted to removing the birds from Petaluma Poultry in Sonoma County last year but described her actions as an animal rescue, not a crime. Despite her defense, a local jury found her guilty, and Rosenberg now faces a potential sentence of more than five years behind bars.
The incident occurred late one night in June 2023, when Rosenberg and other members of the animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) entered the facility disguised as workers. They encountered a truck loaded with thousands of chickens, took four, and later released video footage of the act. Petaluma Poultry is a supplier for Perdue Farms, a major player in the US poultry industry.
Rosenberg's legal team did not dispute the facts of the case but argued it was about motivation, not theft: They said Rosenberg was driven by a desire to save animals from what she saw as inhumane treatment. "Sonoma County spent over six weeks and hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to protect a multibillion-dollar corporation from the rescue of four chickens worth less than $25," said Rosenberg's attorney, Chris Carraway.
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The case unfolded in a region where agriculture is big business, and comes two years after another DxE co-founder was convicted for similar protests. Rosenberg's team plans to appeal the verdict. Following her conviction, Rosenberg refused to apologize, ABC 7 reports. "I chose to intervene, and because I did, Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea are alive today. For that, I will never be sorry," she said. The chickens are now at an animal sanctuary. Rosenberg will be sentenced Dec. 3.
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