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[ALDF] The Case for Rescue: Defending Open Rescue in Court
Monday, September 21, 2026 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
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Phoebe and Celia, two baby goats suffering from emaciation and respiratory disease on a farm in California’s Central Valley, seemed destined to be two more additions to the farm’s open-air pile of deceased goats. Claiming their actions justified under the legal doctrine of necessity, activists entered the farm and rescued Phoebe and Celia. Open rescues such as these, and the criminal cases that follow, force us to ask difficult questions. Are these actions legally justified? Who decides when rescuing an animal becomes necessary? As attorneys, how can we use the court system to tell their stories?
Join ALDF in Room 12 from 5:30-7 pm for a discussion with lawyers at the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project on representing activists who rescue animals from factory farms. This presentation will explore defending political activists through the lens of open rescue trials. We will focus on the ongoing case of the rescue of Phoebe and Celia, hearing from both an attorney and defendant in this case.
RSVP for dinner!
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