Plus, 200+ lives saved

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Hi John,

With animal rescuer Zoe Rosenberg’s sentencing hearing fast-approaching, outrage is rising over a system that prosecutes rescue while ignoring animal cruelty. *And now, Joaquin Phoenix is adding his voice.* The Oscar-winning actor just shared a powerful statement ( [link removed] ) urging the Sonoma County District Attorney to stop criminalizing rescue and to finally address the documented cruelty at Perdue’s Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse. In response to Zoe’s conviction, he wrote:

"Criminalizing people for rescuing suffering animals is a moral failure. Compassion is not a crime. When individuals step in to save a life because the system has looked the other way, they should be supported—not prosecuted. We have to decide who we are as a society: one that protects the vulnerable, or one that punishes those who try. I urge the Sonoma County District Attorney to prosecute the years of documented animal cruelty at Perdue's Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse; not the people trying to stop it."

Joaquin’s support comes at a critical moment. *Zoe’s sentencing hearing is next week, on December 3 in Santa Rosa* , where she faces up to *4.5 years in jail* for rescuing four suffering chickens, now named Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea, from Petaluma Poultry’s abuse.

Across the country, people are stepping up and showing this repression will not stop the movement for animal rights. Activists have been keeping the pressure on Petaluma Poultry and one of its biggest buyers, *Trader Joe’s* , which continues to source from the company despite years of documented animal cruelty. Protests have taken place from *Arizona* ( [link removed] ) *to* *Massachusetts* ( [link removed] ) , including disruptions of over a dozen recent Trader Joe’s grand openings. At a grand opening in Lacey, Washington, activists staged a sit-in ( [link removed] ) directly in front of the entrance, swiftly bringing Trader Joe’s celebration to a halt.

And today, I’m in *Monrovia, CA at Trader Joe’s Headquarters* , joined by activists from Los Angeles and beyond who are urging Trader Joe’s once again to drop Perdue’s Petaluma Poultry. We’ll be speaking up loudly and clearly outside their headquarters throughout the entire business day. This action kicks off *three straight days of protests across the LA area* calling on Trader Joe’s to ditch this cruel supplier.

Meanwhile, we’ve continued reporting Petaluma Poultry to Sonoma County agencies (which have, no surprise, continued to ignore the issue), and *we have escalated our efforts to the state level.* We’ve submitted our complaints to Attorney General Rob Bonta, held demonstrations ( [link removed] ) at his *Sacramento office and satellite offices across California* , and emphasized that when county prosecutors ignore or even help bury evidence of animal cruelty, the state’s top law officer must step in.

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Zoe’s heavy prosecution was intended to deter animal advocates. Instead, it has strengthened people’s resolve. In recent weeks, activists around the world have carried out rescues in solidarity with her: *DxE Paris rescued 95 hens* ( [link removed] ) from a factory egg farm in France, and the *Farm Transparency Project in Australia* *rescued 130 hens* ( [link removed] ) from one facility and *8 chickens* ( [link removed] ) bred for their flesh from another factory farm. As December 3 approaches, we’re inspired by everyone speaking out, taking action, and refusing to look away. Thank you for standing with Zoe and with the animals during this pivotal moment.

With gratitude,
Cassie

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