Zoe Rosenberg Testifies in Perdue Chicken Rescue Trial

(Santa Rosa, Oct. 17, 2025) - Zoe Rosenberg took the stand in her open rescue trial. She discussed her experiences growing up with chickens and what led her to animal rights activism, founding a sanctuary, and caring for thousands of chickens over the years along with her mother, who is a veterinarian. She discussed her belief in animal rights, and that factory farms and slaughterhouses should not exist.

She testified that she has worked with law enforcement to rescue animals from cockfighting rings and hoarding situations. She also discussed her animal rights activism, including her membership in Direct Action Everywhere, doing speaking events, social media, leading trainings, and investigating factory farms. She openly admitted to rescuing four birds from the Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse on June 13, 2023, whom she named Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea, and taking them to receive care. She stated she believed Petaluma Poultry was criminally abusing animals and she believed her actions were lawful, in part due to a legal opinion she received from a former federal prosecutor.

Prior to Ms. Rosenberg taking the stand, Raven Deerbrook completed her testimony from yesterday, in which she discussed investigating the Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse prior to Ms. Rosenberg’s rescue, documenting condemnation records (of birds who died in ways that rendered them unfit for human consumption), accessing computers, emailing documents, and placing tracking devices on Petaluma Poultry trucks. Ms. Deerbrook also testified to sharing her findings with Ms. Rosenberg and inviting her to participate in the investigation of Petaluma Poultry.

Court will resume on Monday at 11 AM with evidentiary matters and then Ms. Rosenberg will continue her testimony at 1:30 PM.