UnchainedTV goes live with an urgent, real-time panel discussion on one of the most closely watched animal rights trials in recent memory. As opening statements begin in the high-profile case of Zoe Rosenberg, a 23-year-old animal advocate facing felony conspiracy charges and three misdemeanors, the nation watches—and so do we.

UnchainedTV’s Jane Velez-Mitchell is joined by a panel of expert attorneys and seasoned activists to unpack the legal complexities and social stakes of this landmark case.
Live from outside the Sonoma County courthouse, UnchainedTV’s Matthew Zirbel delivers real-time updates, witness reactions, and inside details as the trial unfolds. Matthew will report directly on what’s happening inside the courtroom—offering viewers insights into how both the prosecution and defense are framing this pivotal case.

Rosenberg, co-founder of Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary and a central figure in the Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) animal rights movement, is accused of felony conspiracy and 3 misdemeanors including trespass and vehicle tampering for rescuing 4 chickens from a slaughter truck at Perdue Farms’ Petaluma Poultry. Rosenberg made sure her actions that night were videotaped as she took 4 chickens she described as sick and suffering from the truck, arguing DxE had tried for years to get authorities to investigate what she calls criminal animal cruelty at the slaughterhouse including - she alleges - chickens being boiled alive. Perdue denies all cruelty allegations insisting it has high animal welfare standards and calling DxE extremists. The company is invited on any time to respond further.

This trial has become a flashpoint in the national conversation about industrialized animal agriculture, animal rescue, corporate transparency, and the criminalization of compassion. It’s also fueling a renewed lobbying push by powerful agricultural interests who describe Rosenberg and her colleagues as “extremists” with a radical agenda to eliminate animal agriculture. To that Rosenberg’s supporters say animal consumption is unnecessary and contributes to the climate crisis, human health issues and animal suffering, arguing it is not an essential industry but a destructive one.

In this powerful live discussion, our panel will dive into:
The legal definitions of conspiracy and how they apply in animal rescue contexts
The potential impact of this trial on the Right to Rescue
The mounting animal agriculture industry backlash to the Right to Rescue movement
Public opinion shifting around animal rights and factory farm transparency
The intersection of activism and First Amendment rights

This is not just a trial—it’s a test of how far society is willing to go to protect entrenched systems of industrialized animal production, even when confronted with repeated allegations of animal suffering. As opening statements are heard in court, our panel asks: Should rescuing a life in danger ever be considered a criminal act?