Many people are forced to wear ankle monitors because they’ve been deemed a threat to the public. Perhaps they have a history of pedophilia and the authorities want to be sure they don’t go to schools or parks with children. Or, maybe they have a past of domestic abuse and they have stay-away orders from old partners. I, on the other hand, am being forced to wear an ankle bracelet because I rescued a duck. Yep, you read that right.
River was stuck on his back on the floor of a massive, industrial factory farm called Reichardt Duck Farm. He was fighting an infection and it’s likely it had spread to his brain, causing severe balance issues. On his back, he struggled and flailed, trying to get back on his feet. His efforts went in vain, leading only to further injury. His back became covered in wounds and his wings dripped blood from his relentless flapping.
I turned River over, hoping he’d be able to stand on his own with a little help. He stumbled and fell flat on his face. I knew if I left him there, he was going to die. There was evidence around me of what had happened to other ducks in his state. Dead birds were rotting on the wire floor. We’d made attempts in the past to get the authorities to help the ducks at Reichardt, but our reports had always gone ignored. So, I lifted him into my arms. He looked up at me and my eyes welled with tears. He was so afraid, and he was so weak that he couldn’t hold his head up. His suffering was hard to witness.
Rescuing River
After getting River veterinary care, he made a miraculous recovery. I shared his story online, hoping to both inspire others to help animals in need and to put pressure on authorities to take action to stop the rampant animal cruelty at Reichardt Duck Farm. I didn’t want any more animals to suffer the way River had. I didn’t want any more birds to die and rot on the floor of that farm. Unfortunately, instead of helping the animals, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office arrested me on burglary charges.
Last month, I had to go before a judge to determine my conditions of release. Typically, if someone has never been convicted of a crime and doesn’t seem like a threat to the public, they’re allowed to be out of jail on their own recognizance. Essentially, all you have to do is attend your court hearings and stay out of trouble. I have never been convicted of a crime, I’m being accused of a nonviolent offense, and I am objectively not a threat to the public. However, the prosecutors requested I be placed on “pretrial release level 3.” This means I have to adhere to strict conditions such as wearing a GPS ankle monitor and alerting the probation office when I travel outside of my home county.
The prosecution also requested other strange orders. The strangest of all is that I am prohibited from “possessing chickens, ducks, and other fowl.” For added context, I founded a chicken rescue when I was 11 years old. Rescuing “chickens, ducks, and other fowl” is a huge part of what I do. In many ways, it is my identity. I’ve spent half of my life helping roosters escape illegal cockfighting rings and helping abandoned, mite-ridden hens get the care they need. This is the first time I’ve ever been prosecuted for my efforts, and I know it is because they perceive my act of rescuing River as a challenge against a powerful industry.
The reality is, I am not being forced to wear this ankle monitor and adhere to all of these conditions because the prosecutors think I’m dangerous. They know I’m not dangerous. If they thought I was a threat to the public, they would have barred me from possessing weapons, not birds. This is a political prosecution. They want to stop the rescue of animals because they want to protect the powerful corporations that are abusing them. One way they are doing this is through what appears to be an effort to psychologically break me down. Ankle monitors aren’t just a tool to track criminals, they’re a tool used to make defendants live in a constant state of anxiety.
The ankle monitor ensures I don’t forget the seriousness of the charges I’m facing. Its grip on my leg is a constant reminder. “We’re watching you,” it says. “We could take everything from you.” The only thing that keeps me moving forward is the animals, and the ankle monitor is a constant reminder of them, too. It’s a constant reminder of their screams of pain, terror, and desperation that are going unanswered by Sonoma County law enforcement. It’s a constant reminder of the blood that dripped from River’s wings, the fearful look in his eyes, and the way he pitifully fell on his face as he struggled to stand upright. It’s a constant reminder that even if they take everything from me, it will never compare to the suffering I witnessed at Reichardt Duck Farm. It’s a constant reminder that I am so fortunate. I am fortunate to be alive, to not be in agonizing pain, and to not be gasping for air as I cling to life on a hard wire floor. It’s a constant reminder that we must use our freedom and our privilege to help the animals.
If hearing about the plight of our animal friends hurts you, if it makes you tear up or cringe inside, then please, don’t let their cries go unanswered. The animals are counting on compassionate people like you to speak up and make this dark world a kinder place. If we all do what we can, whether that means attending protests, sharing articles like this one with our friends and family, rescuing animals, or all of the above, a kinder world might not be as far off as we think. As a first step, you can sign our open letter at RightToRescue.com.