(KRON) — A Berkeley animal activist was convicted Wednesday by a Sonoma County jury for stealing four chickens from a local poultry slaughterhouse in 2023.
Zoe Rosenberg, 23, was convicted of a felony charge of conspiracy, two misdemeanor counts of trespass, and one count of tampering with a vehicle. The verdict came after a seven-week long trial. She faces five years in prison.
Rosenberg visited the Perdue-owned Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse without authorization on May 21, 2023, and then weeks later on June 13. During those visits, she allegedly attached GPS devices to 12 different farm delivery vehicles, took the chickens off a vehicle and left with them.
According to the Sonoma County DA’s office, Rosenberg and a co-conspirator planned the June 13 “incursion for weeks, complete with disguises, false employee uniforms, tracking devices, rented vehicles, and a prearranged ‘Airbnb safe house’ where the stolen chickens were taken for filming and social media use.”
Rosenberg was also ordered by a Sonoma County judge to wear a GPS-monitored ankle bracelet to keep her from returning to Petaluma Poultry.
“This verdict affirms that no one is above the law,” added Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez in a news release. “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.”
Rosenberg continues to defend her actions and remains unapologetic.
“I will not apologize for taking sick, neglected animals to get medical care,” said Rosenberg 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.”
Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea are the rescued chickens named by Rosenberg.
In September, KRON4’s Catherine Heenan spoke with Cassie King, a member of the Berkeley-based animal advocacy group Direct Action Everywhere. She said Rosenberg was trying to bring light to a disturbing situation. You can watch the interview in the video player above.
“Zoe and other investigators with our group, Direct Action Everywhere, have been documenting abuses of animals in factory farms here in Sonoma County for seven years now,” said King. “We have been reporting these unlawful violations to the authorities at every level — state, county, local, city level. The authorities refused to address even clear, documented violations of California’s animal cruelty laws. So given the authorities’ failure to act in the face of this cruelty, Zoe herself rescued four suffering birds from Perdue’s slaughterhouse, and she took them to get veterinary care. Our biggest weapon is a camera, and you have to ask yourself, ‘Why is a camera so threatening?’ It’s because this industry has so much to hide.”
Rosenberg said she plans to appeal her conviction. Her sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 3.
