And an update from Zoe

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Hi John,

Yesterday, animal rescuer Zoe Rosenberg began her 90-day jail sentence ( [link removed] ). She entered jail as dozens of supporters and a TV news crew watched. ( [link removed] ) The jail knows that we are watching what happens to her, which is incredibly important given the power they now have over her health.

I was able to speak with Zoe on the phone last night. She had to wait 5 hours in the booking area before she was taken into housing around midnight. She is being housed in the jail’s mental health unit because they say she will have more access to the medical staff there. *She is being housed alone in a small cell, and due to the jail’s 23/1 policy, she will have only 1 hour per day outside of her cell.* Even this daily hour in a bigger space will be spent alone.

*Jail is intended to depress people’s spirits. Please write to Zoe to help lift her spirits. Instructions are at* *dxe.io/WriteToZoe* ( [link removed] ) *.* Write your letter as soon as possible because the delivery process is lengthy.

This morning, an attorney visited Zoe (attorneys can visit outside of normal visitation times), and we got this update from Zoe:

"The booking process was not complete until around midnight, and another inmate woke me at 4:30 a.m. banging on their door and screaming. I'm exhausted.

I live with Type 1 diabetes and gastroparesis. The jail is restricting my access to fast-acting glucose to treat low blood sugar episodes. If I don't treat a low immediately with 15 carbs of fast-acting glucose, I could have a seizure, go into a coma, or even die. Due to the limited supply they're giving me, I'm often undertreating lows or forced to ration glucose.

The head nurse said I could keep my insulin pump for my first night, but it seems they may still ultimately take it away. Without my pump, my care would fully be out of my hands. It would all be up to the jail staff. The jail's medical competency is questionable. Last night, I had to teach one of the jail nurses what causes diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a life-threatening complication of Type 1 diabetes.

Once you're in jail, you have very few rights, but still a hell of a lot more than animals. At least, I still theoretically have the right to live. My cell is small, but I can stand up and take a few steps. In many parts of the US, animals can legally be housed in such tight confinement that they can't even spread their limbs or turn around. When I first began animal rescue work, we'd save chickens from now-illegal battery cages on factory farms in California. I'll never forget the looks of awe on these hens’ faces when we would bring them back to the sanctuary, and they'd experience freedom for the first time. Everyone deserves to experience basic freedom. Ironically, that is why I am here. For my work to give animals freedom, I have lost my own.

But I have a release date. There will be an end. That's not true for most animals. They are constantly in my thoughts. Once I get access to an envelope and stamps, I'll be sending a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, asking him to step in to help the hundreds of thousands of birds suffering in filth and confinement on Perdue's Petaluma Poultry factories. I hope you'll join me."

You can read and share this update from Zoe on DxE’s blog here. ( [link removed] ) We don’t know if Zoe will be able to keep her insulin pump and other critical medical equipment for the coming weeks. All of us, including Zoe’s family and friends, can only get updates sporadically. This is a waiting game, leaving us all in anxiety. Of course, Zoe most of all.

It’s urgent that we take action right now to show the jail people are watching this case and to urge Governor Newsom to pardon Zoe and immediately release her from jail. Please share updates from Zoe’s social media ( [link removed] ) and ask your networks to sign the petition at FreeZoe.org ( [link removed] ).

Hundreds will be marching this weekend to urge Governor Newsom to Free Zoe. You can print our Free Zoe materials and use our campaign guide ( [link removed] ) to plan your own simple Free Zoe action or outreach event to help us reach even more people.

Thank you for your support,
Cassie

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