Direct Action Everywhere (DxE)

Today is day 12 of Zoe's incarceration and activists rescued Molly and Jay from a slaughterhouse. In solidarity with jailed animal rescuer Zoe Rosenberg activists are rescuing animals every single day of her incarceration. #RightToRescue #FreeZoe

Check out our Annual Report at dxe.io/2025report

In 2025, we faced our most high-profile animal rescue trial, exposed factory farming cruelty, pressured corporations and institutions complicit in animal suffering, and continued building a globally connected grassroots movement for animals.

1/2 While the powerful torture animals & jail Zoe Rosenberg, their unjust conduct has led to tens of thousands of signatures and hundreds of millions of views in media & online.

This kind of mobilization isn't possible without you. Demand freedom for Zoe and justice for animals at www.FreeZoe.org

Thank you!

Go to FreeZoe.org right now and ask California Governor @gavinnewsom to pardon Zoe and immediately release her from jail. Rescue is not a crime. #RightToRescue

…including that the court denied the necessity defense even though Zoe's actions were necessary to save Poppy, Aster, Ivy, and Azalea from imminent harm. But appeals take a long time and Zoe needs our help now.

Zoe's legal team, led by the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project (@aaldp-du.bsky.social), filed a formal notice of appeal today to appeal her conviction on several grounds…

When Zoe was initially arrested, the jail threatened to take away her insulin pump. Despite this risk to Zoe's life and the nonviolent nature of her actions, Sonoma County Judge Kenneth Gnoss nevertheless sentenced her to jail.

30 days of her sentence will be in jail and she will be eligible for jail alternatives for the final 60 days. For giving Poppy, Aster, Ivy, and Azalea their freedom, Zoe has lost hers.

For giving Poppy, Aster, Ivy, and Azalea their freedom, Zoe has lost hers.

Lifelong animal rescuer Zoe Rosenberg was just sentenced to 90 days in custody for her rescue of four suffering chickens from Perdue's Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse. She is ordered to turn herself in one week from today on December 10th.

@aaldp-du.bsky.social

Vigil Outside Trader Joe's-Supplying Slaughterhouse following Chicken Rescuer Conviction Silent protesters held a vigil outside of the Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse Saturday to bring attention to criminal animal cruelty at the company. The protest comes 10 days after Zoe Rosenberg was convicted for rescuing four chickens from a trailer within the facility.

Vigil Outside Trader Joe's-Supplying Slaughterhouse following Chicken Rescuer Conviction

An Animal Rights Activist Rescued Four Sick Chickens From a Slaughterhouse. Now She’s Facing Five Years in Prison. How ‘open rescue’ prosecutions reveal larger systemic issues.

In 2023, UC Berkeley student and @dxeofficial.bsky.social activist @zoerosenberg.bsky.social removed four severely ill chickens from a slaughterhouse truck in Petaluma, California. Now, she’s facing over five years in prison. Seth Millstein reports:

Zoe Rosenberg getting arrested. Text is a quote from her that reads: A few years of my freedom is worth significantly less than even one animal’s entire life, and certainly less than four animals’ entire lives. And so it’s absolutely worth it to me on that level.

Last week, activist @zoerosenberg.bsky.social was found guilty of trespassing and conspiracy after taking four chickens from a slaughterhouse truck in Petaluma, California. Now, she faces more than five years in prison, something @dxeofficial.bsky.social activists view as a necessary risk.

UC Berkeley student found guilty after 'rescuing' chickens from Perdue Farms She could now face up to four and a half years in prison for her role in the 2023 heist of four birds she named Poppy, Ivy, Aster and Azalea.

UC Berkeley student found guilty after 'rescuing' chickens from Perdue Farms www.berkeleyside.org/2025/10/30/c...

She will appeal her conviction, including several of the court’s rulings, such as its refusal to allow her to present a necessity defense and severe restrictions on what animal cruelty evidence the jury was allowed to see.

These charges carry a potential sentence of nearly 5 years in jail. Meanwhile, Petaluma Poultry faces no consequences for leaving sick animals to die or scalding animals alive.

Animal rescuer Zoe Rosenberg was just found guilty of felony conspiracy and 3 misdemeanors for her rescue of four chickens from Perdue's Petaluma Poultry. Zoe was represented by Chris Carraway, of Animal Activist Legal Defense Project (@AALDP-DU.bsky.social), and attorney Kevin Little.

Excellent @sfchronicle.com story about our case, representing @zoerosenberg.bsky.social of @dxeofficial.bsky.social in the #PerdueRescueTrial. This is the power of #openrescue cases.

#animalrights #animalwelfare #animalcruelty #vegan #chicken #chickens www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

To the enormous frustration and surprise of Hobson, Gnoss rules that Picklesimer’s speech didn't further any conspiracy. Paul merely spoke about actions taking place. Judge Gnoss said the prosecution's attempt to examine Picklesimer lacks foundation.” This, he said, makes the immunity issue moot.

Court starts for the day with discussions outside the presence of the jury. Picklesimer takes the stand alongside their lawyer, EmilyRose Johns. Johns points out the immunity issues that arise from the prosecution forcing Picklesimer to testify for them.

Carraway moves on to the documents Rosenberg saw inside Petaluma Poultry, specifically a tally sheet indicating birds were scalded alive. He argues the door has been opened to discuss these documents because the prosecution has strongly contested the fact that birds were scalded alive.

Court resumes. Sonoma County Deputy District Attorney Matthew Hobson asks about playing video of Zoe doing a presentation with a slideshow, requesting to play audio only of her speaking and exclude the images as the slideshow contains animals like cows, otters, etc. They say the video is irrelevant

Hobson: You know the action was widely publicized?

Deerbrook: I was working with The Intercept.

Hobson: But by DxE?

Deerbrook: I assume so.

Day 18. Court starts for the day with defense's direct examination of Raven Deerbrook.

Deerbrook is sworn in and takes the stand.
Little: What's your occupation and for how long?
Deerbrook: Photography and Animal Cruelty Investigations for over 6 years.

Carraway raises Zoe being restricted from testifying about the photos/videos documented at Perdue’s Petaluma Poultry. He asks Judge Gnoss to reconsider. This limitation hinders her right to a fair trial. Gnoss reaffirms his ruling, stating she cannot rely on this info or be questioned about it.

Day 17: Carraway (@aaldp-du.bsky.social) speaks about being informed by Rocky Chau's attorney, he will be invoking his 5th amendment right (against self-incrimination), so there's no need on calling him to the stand anymore. Hobson insists that the prosecution still wants to put him on the stand.

Hobson introduces posts from Cabral's social media. One says "you're either an animal abuser or a vegan." The posts are 5 years old.

H: You believe that?

Cabral: Not anymore. When you see what's going on, you can get very upset, and it takes time to grow and learn.

Gnoss indicates that he's going to allow social media posts broadly, and they begin going through each of the posts to determine whether they'll be allowed to be shown

Hobson gets up to cross, but before starting Carraway asks for a quick sidebar. After a couple minutes Gnoss sends the jury out for a prolonged discussion.