Animal Rights Activists March in Petaluma During Felony Animal Rescue Trial

Photos: DirectActionEverywhere

September 20, 2025, Petaluma, CA – Over 60 activists with the animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) marched in Petaluma Saturday afternoon in support of the right to rescue animals from abuse, following the first week of the high-profile felony trial of animal rescuer Zoe Rosenberg. The activists gathered downtown at Penry Park at noon for a rally where Ms. Rosenberg and others spoke. Then, they marched about 2.5 miles to the Perdue-owned Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse at 2700 Lakeville Highway, concluding the march just before 3:00 PM. 

In addition to supporting Ms. Rosenberg, whose felony trial for rescuing four suffering chickens from the Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse began Monday, the march also showed support for an Animal Bill of Rights, which DxE calls Rose’s Law, named for an injured hen who was rescued from a Petaluma Poultry factory farm in 2018. 

“When Rose arrived to me at Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary, she had a swollen, infected leg. She was incredibly sick,” said Ms. Rosenberg at the rally. “Her leg was full of pus. It was growing perpendicular to her body. She had completely lost use of the limb.” Ms. Rosenberg continued, “The judge has ruled in my case that I will be able to talk about Rose and how her story impacted me...So Rose after several years will finally have her story shared in a courtroom. Today, we will march for Rose and we will march for every chicken who has been abused and neglected by Perdue’s Petaluma Poultry.”

During the march, activists chanted animal rights messages and handed out leaflets to the public about the proposed Animal Bill of Rights called Rose’s Law.

One of the five planks of Rose’s Law—the right to be rescued from situations of distress and exploitation—is at the crux of DxE’s legal entanglements in Sonoma County. Activists have submitted years of reports of animal cruelty at Sonoma County factory farms and the Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse—criminal conduct under California law, according to legal scholars, veterinarians, as well as a report from Sonoma County Animal Services. Yet law enforcement has taken no enforcement action regarding animal cruelty, but have instead prosecuted the activists who exposed the abuse and provided care to ill and injured animals.

"I believe Zoe did the right thing by taking sick animals to the vet," said Sharon Loren of Penngrove, who joined the march. "Compassion should never be a crime, but it's on trial here in Sonoma County. I hope this rescue trial brings more awareness among the public and spurs action from those in power to defend all the other animals who are still suffering at Petaluma Poultry."