California animal activist who stole chickens from Perdue Farms plant convicted of conspiracy
By Carlos E. Castañeda
A California animal activist has been found guilty of felony conspiracy and other charges after stealing four chickens from a Perdue Foods poultry farm in Sonoma County in 2023.
Zoe Rosenberg is part of the Berkeley-based animal activist group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), known for its high-profile demonstrations. She did not dispute that she stole the chickens, arguing they were very ill and her rescue of them was necessary.
Aside from the conspiracy conviction, Rosenberg was also convicted of two misdemeanor counts of trespassing and a misdemeanor count of tampering with a vehicle.
Prosecutors said some animal activist groups show a deliberate disregard for the law, believing that their personal cause justifies criminal conduct.
“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,” District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said in a prepared statement.
An attorney for the Animal Activist Legal Defense Fund said prosecutors ignored extensive documentation of criminal animal cruelty at Petaluma Poultry, owned by Maryland-based Perdue Foods, one of the country’s largest poultry producers.
“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,” said attorney Chris Carraway. “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 said the chickens she stole were covered in wounds and scratches, had infections in the pads of feet, and were struggling to breathe. She said the four chickens, which she has named Poppy, Ivy, Aster and Azalea, are alive and well and living at a sanctuary for rescued farm animals.
“I will not apologize for taking sick, neglected animals to get medical care,” said Rosenberg in a prepared statement following her conviction. “When we see cruelty and violence, we can choose to ignore it or to intervene and try to make the world a better place. I chose to intervene, and because I did, Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea are alive today. For that, I will never be sorry.”
“For years, DxE has harassed farm families and workers, trespassed on private property, and stolen from local businesses,” said Sonoma County Farm Bureau executive director Dayna Ghirardell in a prepared statement. “Our community has consistently rejected their extreme tactics, and this verdict reinforces that. Farming and poultry production are cornerstones of life in Sonoma County-and they deserve our continued respect, support, and protection.”
Rosenberg was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 3 and faces a maximum jail sentence of 4 1/2 years. Her legal team said they plan on appealing the verdict.
