**California Animal Rights Activist Found Guilty in High-Profile Chicken Rescue Case**
*Santa Rosa, Calif.* — A verdict has been reached in the trial of Zoe Rosenberg, a 23-year-old California animal rights activist who gained national attention for rescuing four chickens from a major Perdue Farms poultry plant. This case, closely watched by both animal rights advocates and the agriculture industry, concluded after a seven-week trial in Sonoma County Superior Court.
### The Case Background
Rosenberg was charged with felony conspiracy, two misdemeanor counts of trespassing, and a misdemeanor count of tampering with a vehicle. Prosecutors allege that she illegally entered the Petaluma Poultry plant in 2023, a facility supplying chickens to Perdue Farms—one of the largest poultry providers to grocery chains in the United States.
Rather than disputing that she took the chickens, Rosenberg’s defense focused on the justification for her actions. She claimed she was rescuing the birds — named Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea — from abuse and neglect.
### How the Rescue Happened
According to testimony and media reports, Rosenberg disguised herself as a Petaluma Poultry worker by using a fake badge and earpiece. She also shared a video of the rescue on social media. Rosenberg stated that her actions were motivated by concern for animal cruelty, not criminal intent.
“These chickens were incredibly ill and they needed care,” Rosenberg told The Associated Press before the trial’s closing arguments. “When an animal is in distress, and authorities aren’t stepping in, we have the legal right to help them ourselves. My intent was to help animals and to do so legally, not to break the law.”
### Support at the Trial
On the day of closing arguments, around three dozen supporters showed their solidarity by wearing orange paper poppies—representing one of the rescued chickens named after the flower.
### Defense and Prosecution Arguments
Chris Carraway, one of Rosenberg’s defense attorneys, emphasized the motivation behind her actions. “This is not a whodunit but a why-dunit. Zoe genuinely believed these chickens were suffering, and that sincere belief guided her to act compassionately,” he told the jury.
In contrast, Deputy District Attorney Matt Hobson argued that the break-in was a staged publicity stunt orchestrated by Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), the Berkeley-based animal rights group Rosenberg joined at age 12. Hobson highlighted multiple unauthorized entries into the plant, theft of company information, and attaching GPS devices to delivery trucks.
“Getting filmed was more important than those chickens,” Hobson said during closing arguments, criticizing the defense for not calling a veterinarian who reportedly examined the rescued animals.
Rob Muelrath, spokesman for Petaluma Poultry, called DxE “an extremist group intent on destroying the animal agriculture industry” and maintained that animals at the facility were not mistreated. He stated, “The actions of Rosenberg and her associates triggered a temporary facility shutdown and posed contamination risks, creating a more dangerous situation than claimed.”
### Local Context: Sonoma County’s Tough Stance on Activism
Sonoma County is known for its stringent approach toward animal rights activism, particularly where it intersects with agriculture—the region’s major industry.
In 2022, Wayne Hsiung, DxE co-founder, was prosecuted for factory farm protests in Petaluma, resulting in a 90-day jail sentence and probation. More recently, DxE member Raven Deerbrook, who testified in Rosenberg’s defense, reached a plea agreement on similar charges. Deerbrook described herself as a former DxE member and reported investigating alleged animal cruelty at Petaluma Poultry, informing Rosenberg of her findings.
### Rosenberg’s Activism and Previous Arrests
As a condition of pre-trial release, Rosenberg had worn an ankle monitor since the start of the trial last month. She is currently a student at the University of California, Berkeley.
On social media, Rosenberg expressed frustration about the resources spent prosecuting her rather than addressing alleged animal cruelty. “Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea are safe, but so many others are not,” she wrote on Instagram, emphasizing the urgency of her cause.
Her history includes a 2022 arrest for chaining herself to a basketball post during an NBA playoff game as a protest against Rembrandt Farms, a large egg supplier accused of animal abuse.
### Verdict and Sentencing
Zoe Rosenberg faces more than five years in prison if convicted. The verdict marks another significant chapter in the ongoing conflict between animal rights activism and agricultural interests in California.
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*This story is developing. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.*
https://abc7news.com/post/zoe-rosenberg-jury-reaches-verdict-trial-santa-rosa-california-activist-took-chickens-purdue-plant/18087441/
