SALISBURY, MD - A California-based animal rights group is expected to arrive in Salisbury this week to protest outside of Perdue’s corporate headquarters and demand the closure of a Perdue subsidiary in Sonoma County, CA.
Activists with Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) plan to be in Salisbury from Tuesday, March 18 through Saturday, March 22, to call on Perdue CEO Kevin McAdams to cease operations at Petaluma Poultry, alleging animal cruelty and public health risks at the California farms.
DxE claims to be “fiercely nonviolent” on their website. The group has shared multiple videos and examples of their activists infiltrating farms, ranches, and production plants and taking animals in a campaign they’ve labelled as “Right to Rescue.” One such operation took place at a Perdue slaughterhouse in Sonoma County, CA, according to the activists, in which multiple chickens were reportedly taken from allegedly poor conditions. The woman who DxE says took the chickens, Zoe Rosenberg, is now awaiting a felony trial.
“Instead of addressing the violations that Zoe exposed, Perdue is trying to silence her and send her to prison,” a spokesperson with DxE tells WBOC. “Activists are trying to right this wrong and get Petaluma Poultry shut down.”
DxE said they have not come to Delmarva to target any poultry farms in their “Right to Rescue” campaign.
Activists will meet at Perdue Corporate Headquarters on Old Ocean City Road beginning Tuesday at 11 a.m. to launch the nearly week-long protests, according to DxE. On Saturday, DxE says they will then move to the Perdue location on Willow Street to hold a vigil.
In a statement to WBOC, Perdue spokesperson Andrea Staub said the company has worked for almost a decade to bring together animal welfare organizations, academia, farmers, and customers here on the Eastern Shore.
“Perdue has been a proud part of the Delmarva community for over 105 years,” Staub said. “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our associates and the broader community. It’s clear that plans to protest isn’t focused on animal welfare. They are part of a broader movement with the goal of ending animal protein of any kind. By potentially disrupting local businesses and creating chaos, they are undermining the very jobs that sustain families in our community and threaten the long-term health of our local economy.”
Perdue has erected fencing in front of their corporate headquarters ahead of the protests. It was not immediately clear how many protestors were expected to attend.