Following Mass Arrests at Petaluma Chicken Farm, Two Activists to be Arraigned on Seven Felony Charges Each

Activists say Authorities Refuse to Act on Criminal Animal Cruelty

November 9, 2018, Petaluma, CA–  Following a vigil and attempted rescue at McCoy’s Poultry Farm in Petaluma in which 58 activists with the grassroots animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) were arrested and charged on felony conspiracy, felony burglary and misdemeanor trespass charges, Rachel Ziegler and Jon Frohnmayer are set to be arraigned on seven and three felony charges respectively.

Both Frohnmayer and Ziegler attended October 3 “Coffee with a Cop” and “Coffee with an Animal Control Officer” events which were streamed live on Facebook. At those events Ziegler asked authorities why they removed a sick chicken from her arms, later killing her and eight other chickens the deputies also took from activists at McCoy’s on September 29 of this year. The two say that’s why they were singled out for serious charges, while the vast majority of others arrested have been offered diversions to potentially dismiss charges.

“Helping animals in need is the right thing to do,” said Ziegler. “But deputies killed the birds and targeted us for asking why.”

Investigators with Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) enter farms, slaughterhouses, and other agricultural facilities to document abuses and rescue sick and injured animals. DxE’s investigatory work has been featured in The New York Times, ABC Nightline, and a viral Glenn Greenwald exposé, and DxE activists led the recent effort to ban fur products in  San Francisco. Activists have been subjected to FBI raids and felony prosecutions for these investigations and rescues. Visit Direct Action Everywhere on Facebook and at directactioneverywhere.com. Follow us on Twitter @DxEverywhere. Stay up-to-date on DxE’s legal cases at RightToRescue.com.

###