The Animal Liberation Conference 2023 was a huge success!
Hundreds of us came together to connect, train, and take action. Together, we rescued 23 suffering animals during ALC 2023! Check out this inspiring video recap produced by Cavelight Films:
Our next big opportunity to help animals and push for the Right to Rescue is the upcoming Perdue Rescue Trial. The preliminary hearing for this case took place on May 3rd, 2024 but trial dates have not yet been scheduled.
More information about the case and trial:
For years, investigators with Direct Action Everywhere have been exposing criminal animal cruelty and rampant disease at factory farms in Sonoma County, including Petaluma Poultry, a subsidiary of poultry giant Perdue. Instead of prosecuting these companies, the Sonoma County District Attorney has gone after the whistleblowers and animal rescuers. They took animal rescuer Wayne Hsiung to trial and on Nov. 30, 2023, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail for his role in nonviolent open rescues at factory farms. On the very same day of Wayne's sentencing hearing, members of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department arrested three more animal rescuers on felony warrants. Sonoma County is escalating its fight against animal rescue, but we know rescuing animals is not a crime. Following these arrests, the District Attorney filed charges against Zoe Rosenberg for the rescue of sick chickens from the Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse that took place in June 2023 during the Animal Liberation Conference. They have not yet filed charges relating to Reichardt Duck Farm. Zoe has been forced to wear a GPS ankle monitor and follow other strict pretrial release conditions, including informing the authorities any time she leaves her home county. She also has been barred from possessing chickens, ducks, or other fowl. Clearly, they do not want Zoe rescuing any more suffering animals.
Learn more about our legal cases for animals and the Right to Rescue at righttorescue.com.
Below are some recent cases and victories!
Previous stop: Madison, WI
All charges in the Ridglan Beagle Rescue Trial were dropped just 10 days before trial was set to begin!
Ridglan Farms is one of the largest breeders of beagles for experimentation in the United States. In 2017, DxE investigators entered the facility and documented the filthy conditions and the psychological trauma of the dogs spinning endlessly inside small cages. The team rescued three beagles, Julie, Anna, and Lucy. Eva, Paul, and Wayne were charged with felony burglary and felony theft charges. Their trial was set to start March 18th at the Dane County Courthouse in Madison, Wisconsin. However, ten days before trial, the state DROPPED all the charges. We believe this dismissal is the result of pressure and press coverage that made it clear there is public support for animal rescue. Unfortunately, the Dane County District Attorney’s office is still failing to prosecute Ridglan Farms for criminal animal cruelty. It is more important now than ever that we keep the pressure on to get justice for these animals. Please help us share the news on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
WHERE: Madison, Wisconsin
WHEN: March 16th - 24th, 2024
Previous stop: Merced, CA
The Foster Farms Trial ended with a "not guilty" verdict on March 17! This is a historic victory for the Right to Rescue. Please share this news on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Alexandra Paul and Alicia Santurio were facing theft charges for rescuing two sick birds, Jax and Ethan, from a stopped slaughter truck that was heading into the Foster Farms slaughterhouse in Livingston, CA. The same day, DxE released hidden camera footage filmed inside the slaughterhouse showing chickens routinely missing the stun bath and a device designed to cut their necks, leaving it to workers to identify conscious birds before their evisceration, at a speed of 140 birds per minute. Alexandra and Alicia received theft charges in the mail in spring 2022 and pleaded not guilty. The #FosterFarmsTrial began on March 7, 2023, a full jury was selected on March 10, and the trial concluded March 17 after six hours of jury deliberation.
WHERE: Merced, California
WHEN: March 7th - 17th, 2023
Previous stop: St. George, UT
In the Smithfield Trial DxE investigators Wayne Hsiung and Paul Darwin Picklesimer were being prosecuted for investigating the world’s largest “pork” producer, Smithfield Foods, and rescuing 2 sick piglets, Lily and Lizzie. They published the whole investigation and rescue online and in the New York Times to show the world the nightmarish cruelty happening inside Smithfield’s farms.
Trial began October 3, 2022 in Washington County, Utah. Over 100 supporters attended the trial convergence. On Saturday, October 8, after a full day of deliberations, the jury of 8 people unanimously found Wayne and Paul NOT GUILTY on all charges for rescuing Lily and Lizzie from Smithfield. This is a major victory for the Right to Rescue!
WHERE: Washington County, Utah
WHEN: October 3rd - 8th, 2022
Previous Stop: Wright County, IA
In 2020, DxE exposed Iowa's largest “pork” producer using a gruesome mass kill method called “ventilation shutdown.” With the help of an employee whistleblower, DxE investigators captured video of this horrific process and rescued a piglet named Gilly. Matt Johnson and Linda Cridge were being prosecuted for this investigation and rescue. Matt was also the first person to be charged under Iowa’s third ag-gag law.
In a surprising turn of events, all of Matt’s charges were dropped the day before trial. But we decided to go to Iowa anyway and spent the entire week protesting and putting pressure on the government and industry to end ag gag and support the right to rescue.
WHERE: Wright County, Iowa
WHEN: January 19th - 28th, 2022
Past Conferences
The Animal Liberation Conference is the largest grassroots animal rights conference in the world. While 2020’s conference was moved online, we safely hosted an in-person conference in 2021 in Oakland, California. The 2021 ALC brought together hundreds of the most dedicated activists to take action, confront the animal agriculture industry, rescue animals, and show the world that a better future is possible.
