A 23-year-old California animal rights activist has been found guilty of felony conspiracy and several misdemeanors after taking four chickens from a poultry facility owned by Perdue Farms in Sonoma County. The case, which lasted about seven weeks, concluded with a Santa Rosa jury returning a unanimous verdict in less than a day.
Zoe Rosenberg, affiliated with the Berkeley-based organization Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), was charged after entering the Petaluma Poultry plant and removing four birds she said were in poor condition. The activist did not deny taking the animals but maintained that she was acting to save them from mistreatment. Prosecutors argued her actions constituted illegal trespass, vehicle tampering, and conspiracy.
Following the conviction, Rosenberg left the courtroom under electronic monitoring and met with supporters outside, where demonstrators gathered in protest of the verdict. The group, which campaigns against industrial farming practices, has stated that the chickens were relocated to an animal sanctuary following their removal from the facility.
Rosenberg’s legal team criticized county prosecutors for devoting extensive resources to the case, claiming that authorities ignored broader allegations of animal cruelty at local farms. Her attorney has said an appeal will be filed.
Sentencing is set for December 3. Rosenberg faces up to four and a half years in jail if given the maximum penalty.
Officials from the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office have emphasized that the verdict reinforces the principle that political or social causes do not exempt individuals from following the law. They said the case was about unlawful entry and disruption of a business, not free speech.
Petaluma Poultry, which supplies major grocery chains nationwide, has denied accusations of animal mistreatment. Company representatives described DxE as a radical organization that engages in illegal acts designed to damage the agricultural sector.
Evidence presented in court showed that Rosenberg used a fake employee badge and equipment to enter the facility and later shared footage of the incident online. The trial followed similar legal action two years ago involving a co-founder of DxE, who was convicted for a related protest in Petaluma.
The case has reignited debate over the limits of animal rights activism, the ethics of industrial farming, and whether so-called “rescue” actions should be treated as civil disobedience or criminal conduct.
