On February 15, activists gathered at the office of Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira to ask her to prosecute documented criminal animal cruelty and worker abuse at Foster Farms’ slaughterhouse in Livingston, instead of prosecuting the individuals who rescued two animals from just outside the facility.

In September 2021, Alicia Santurio and Alexandra Paul removed two chickens from a truck at the slaughterhouse, took them to receive veterinary care, and placed them in a sanctuary for rescued animals. The women are being charged with theft, with the trial set to begin March 7 at Merced County Superior Court.

The rescue occurred on the same day animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) released hidden camera footage obtained inside the slaughterhouse. Former slaughterhouse worker Susana Chavez, who co-organized the February protest, said, "the DA’s office isn’t lifting a finger to investigate or prosecute, opting instead to come after members of the group that blew the whistle on Foster Farms."

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See Also: Protesters Call for Closure of Primate Research Center at UC Davis | Activists Call for End of Gas Chambers, Deliver Undercover Pig Slaughter Footage to USDA in Berkeley | First-Ever Footage Inside a US Slaughterhouse Gas Chamber Obtained at Smithfield Foods